By Susi Hately, B.Sc. Kinesiology, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist

Some short and sweet key thoughts for getting out of pain:

Pain is a “normal” physiological process, but it doesn’t have to be a normal way of living: Pain is an attempt to get your attention. If it is ignored, it persists. The longer it persists, the more normal it feels. The more normal it feels, the less able you are to recognize that there is actually another form of normal – one that consists of less pain and more ease. And so it continues.

Awareness: If you really want to get out of pain, you will need to grow awareness. If you don’t have awareness, then it won’t matter really, what you do. Exercises – whether they are movements, breathing techniques, meditation, etc. become just that – exercises – external things that you to do yourself, instead of something that really serves all of you, and that makes a difference.

Your body doesn’t lie: We can say all sorts of things to ourselves, the body though . . . it doesn’t lie. When it is relaxed, it is relaxed. If it compensates in a movement, it is compensating. Change the input and your body will change. Provide the input that your body actually needs and and the speed of change will blow your mind.

It all begins with Awareness: You can’t change what you aren’t aware of. Plain and simple. If you have the patience to grow and integrate your awareness, your world will transform. Very quickly.

Compelling isn’t it?