Transforming Pain

One of the reasons dealing with pain is difficult is we don’t know what to do with it. It is like a pent-up energy that we wish we could let go of, but we don’t know how. What if, instead of trying to expel it somewhere outside of us, we transformed it into compassion, so that all the energy of the pain inside us can be directed to the world and ourselves as loving-kindness? Whenever it hurts, instead of dwelling on the hurt, be present to the pain that everyone else is going through and send wishes that they will no longer feel pain. When we take our minds off ourselves and direct them toward others, our pain becomes an opportunity for joy and gratitude.