Pain disappears or transforms when given full undivided non-strategic attent

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , " Adamson " <adamson wrote:

>

>

>

> > Read my words a little more carefully...

> > I said, " no *time* for 'I am feeling pain' " .

> > The *thought* " I am feeling pain " requires time.

> > I did not say there is no pain.

>

> > But even pain is much different when there is complete

> > presence, complete acute awareness. It would seem

> > that would just make it worse. But the opposite is

> > the case.

>

> > Bill

>

> Hi Bill,

>

> I remember as a kid, maybe 10 or so, going down into my

> grandfather's basement where he had all kinds of woodworking and other

> tools. One of them was a large vice attached to the end of a bench he'd

> built. I loved the aroma of wood, sawdust, linseed oil, etc.

>

> One day, out of curiosity, I put my left hand into the vice up to

> the second knuckles and began tightening the vice by slowly turning the

> handle. At a certain *point*, pain began to set in. I continued to turn

> the handle to increase the intensity of the pain, stopping short of

> doing any damage however. I recall trying three " experiments " relative

> to the *pain " . The first was to " complain " about it mentally, even

" out

> loud " by verbally saying such things as " This hurts. Damn, it hurts. I

> wish this would go away. I can't stand it. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! " , and so

> on.

>

> The second experiment was to stop complaining and simply, calmly think

> of it as or name it " pain " and " this hurts " .

>

> The third was to *feel into it* as if I didn't know what it was. As if

> it were a " brand new " experience. And this made all the difference in

> the world!

>

> I noticed that in the 1st experiment, the " pain " was most intense and

> grew more so the more I indulged in complaining and fighting it. In the

> 2nd experiment, it was more " tolerable " and subdued that in the first.

> Whereas in the 3rd experiement, when feeling it without memory or

> strategy, by inquiring *into* it from/with a " don't know " position, it

> was almost as if the pain completely disappeared and " just mere

> sensation " was present, which was neither pleasurable nor painful. Of

> course, I've always been a bit *odd*. :-) Caution: Humans! Do not

> try this experiment at home without an adult being present...should you

> be fortunate enough to come across or know a true adult, that is! :-)

>

> Michael

>

 

What a great story Michael!

 

And a rather unusual 10 year old!

 

But what you are saying is exactly it.

 

I saw a talk once given by a guy that was famous

for being able to push long needles through his

arm, hand, etc. He said he would become very

detached, seeing his hand as an " object " .

 

Long ago when I used to get head colds -- you

know that kind where you can't even read? --

I discovered that if I were *completely present*

and paid attention to every tiny spec of sensation

then I didn't suffer. I was simply being forced

to pay complete, impeccable attention!

 

 

Bill