This is my interpretation of a very complex and intricate subject matter. I am speaking from my experience and it may or may not relate to your experience. Whatever your experience is, I would love to hear it. Feel free to comment below.
For most of us, we have experienced what we would define as pain. An uncomfortable feeling that is past what makes us feel good now. A lot of us have had an experience of the opposite of what we would cause pleasure.
Pain is the feeling you receive physical or emotional in responsee to an event or occurrence within or without of your self. When I am in an Asana and am instructed to keep my arms extended parallel to the floor for an amount of time that is beyond the comfort level of my musculature I feel feedback from the body in the form of sensations that could be uncomfortable. When I am running, I feel sensations in my legs once I reach the four mile mark that let me know the body is reaching its maximum capacity for movement at that time. Last week I went running with my client Michie. I reached a mileage that was the limit of my legs at that time. Sure I had run further in the past, and had the expectation that I could run further this time. I noticed the sensation and allowed it to go on for sometime, pushing through it the best I could. Once it became to much and felt like pins and needles, I pulled back and walked for a few minutes. When I noticed the feeling subside, I pushed on again and ran a few more minutes. I kept this up, until the pain was past the level I felt was safe for my legs, then I just walked most of the rest of the way back.
I knew at that time that I had a choice. Here I was with my client who had out run me by a mile. I was supposed to be the experienced runner having run two marathons and I was walking. My choice was this: I could be ok with that, or I could push my body past the level of safety and risk re injuring an old injury just to look good to her. I could have got to my car and really punished myself with guilt and shame. I could (and would have in my 30's pre-Yoga self), told myself a huge story about how embarrassing that was, and how out of shape I was, what a failure I had been and how I know I could have/ should have done better. I could have become angry and drove recklessly, blinded by disappointment and shame. Then I would have gone from pain, into suffering. Suffering to me is the story we tell ourselves about that event which took us past our comfort level, or the place where we felt good.
Many of us experience pain, but suffering can be optional. Through experiencing this option in a Yoga class I have been able to apply it to my life and end the story before it begins, or subvert it when the tide of the mind tries to rise into a tidal wave. My hope is you can begin to recognize this building up of a story and subvert it from happening to you, saving yourself from suffering and creating more Happy in your life.
I hope Yoga can teach you this and much more too, see you in class.
Jai (Victory!) to you,
Troy
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