We have powerful avoidant reflexes toward pain. Our brain stem reflexes respond to all pain as if = acute pain = physical injury = immediate threat to survival. Acute pain due to injury should motivate us to pull away from the source eg hot stove, and make sure the injured area is promptly treated.
BUT, a large proportion of the pain we feel is NOT acute, and tends to be WORSENED by approaches for acute pain.
"Suffering
is not the result of things that happen to us. It's how we relate to the things
that happen to us that causes us to suffer." Pema Chödrön
We try to evade unpleasant physical sensations by hiding in our heads, spinning more painful stories about them. Pain is what we feel, suffering is the stories we tell ourselves about it.
After thoroughly exhausting ourselves trying to avoid chronic pain, we can try awareness & acceptance - approaching the pain with curiosity, an open mind, no stories, no expectations ie with mindfulness. See what happens.
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