Pain is, essentially, a natural occurrence and meant to be used as a warning sign. For example, if you touched a hot stove, your body would register the sensation of heat and danger, and quickly pull away. Without this instinctive response, you could cause yourself harm. Problems arise, however, when the “pain switch” gets stuck on and never seems to turn off. Chronic discomfort is a sign of an unhappy body.
It is important to understand that living a pain-free life means more than continually popping pills to mask your ailments. Underneath this illusion of suffering is a healthy, comfortable body. For a deeper healing, you must raise your vibration and lift your energy to meet the true vision of yourself. Let’s recall what that feels like:
Bring your mind back to a time when you felt that there was comfort and ease in every aspect of your life. Perhaps this was during a wonderful vacation that you spent with loved ones. Let go of your worries for now and allow your body to relax. There is no stress, anger, or confrontation in this moment. Feel how your life is balanced, harmonious, and peaceful. Release your expectations; you don’t need to tell God how He should heal you. Let events unfold as they will. Trust that God has the perfect journey planned for you and that you have always been Divinely protected.
Now let’s take a closer look at how pain is triggered and how we can use our minds to overcome it.
The Pathway of Pain
Your body receives messages of discomfort by picking up on reactions occurring in your system, then sending the signal of “pain” to the brain. First, nerve receptors get information and put out an electrical impulse with the message. The impulse travels through nerves, to the spinal cord, then up to your brain. Your thalamus sends it to different parts of your brain to interpret the signal and decides what area should respond first. The result will be a physical response, a thought process, or an emotional reaction.
The brain influences your perception of pain. I (Robert) lose all signs of bravery when shown a needle. If I require a blood test, I can’t bear the thought of watching it—syringes, needles, and blood are not a good combination for me. So I always, without exception, look away, and most of the time I feel very little during the procedure. I did notice, though, that even after a test is complete, I could still make the area hurt. If I look at the bandage and think about what happened, I will instantly feel a sharp, pricking sensation. However, as soon as I look away, the feeling eases.
When I meditated on this intriguing phenomenon, my inner guidance told me that the brain could both cause and remove pain. If you focus your attention on something that you enjoy, the feeling of suffering disappears. It leaves your body, mind, and aura because it cannot exist within a happy soul. Consider a headache; chances are, if you were distracted or engrossed in a friend’s story, the discomfort would be completely gone. If the friend then asked about your headache, you would notice the pain reappearing.
The gate control theory of pain suggests that the mind has the capability to shut down messages signaling that the body has been hurt. Basically, the brain will be either open or closed to receiving pain. Think of athletes playing sports who don’t realize until after the game that they are injured. This is because their brains were too preoccupied with other activities to acknowledge the discomfort.
There are several factors that can alter your pain pathway, including age, gender, cultural background, psychological health, upbringing, and your expectation of pain. Let’s examine that last factor more closely.
The Expectation of Pain
Pain has the ability to consume your life…but only if you allow it. Remember that you are on a journey, and you choose what direction you want to move every day. This is why it is important, as you awake, to express gratitude for the many blessings that have been bestowed upon you. If you instead rise each morning with your mind turned toward what hurts in your life, the universe delivers according to your expectation.
Deep down, you know you don’t want this suffering. Your subconscious mind also knows that focusing on it only makes it worse. So think instead about the love in your life and the things that bring you happiness. There are a couple of simple techniques we suggest you try in order to shift your focus.
— Begin by writing down a list of activities that fill you with joy. Take out your journal or a notepad and jot down the many things in your life that you have cause to feel grateful for. Instantly your mood will lift, and your circumstances will seem improved. Remember that pain is merely an illusion that the ego tries to convince you of. Rather than paying attention to it, listen to your angels, who will show you ways of expressing your true health.
— For the second method, you need to get a special box. At the end of each day, cut up a piece of paper and write down a blessing you experienced on each tiny slip. Describe what made you feel good, happy interactions you shared with others, and the miracles you saw. Then place these notes inside the box. Whenever you feel low or distracted by pain, you can take out one of these slips to read. You’ll quickly feel the beauty of your own words and remember the pure enjoyment you’ve experienced in the gift that is your life. It is a reminder that all suffering is temporary; there is always the opportunity to reconnect with peace.
Just because a belief was true for you once in the past, it does not mean that it must be true for you now. While certain activities may have caused you discomfort at one time, holding on to those memories causes your body to expect to hurt again in those circumstances each time thereafter. This is why it is important to also remember the joy that those same events brought to you.
For example, perhaps the prospect of a long car ride brings back memories of being cramped and achy—but can you remember what you did at your destination? Did you take a long trip to the city and engage in joyful activities that made you smile? If you connect with the positive instead of the negative energy, you’ll find your relationship with travel beginning to change.
You can use this method for any activity. Just because you awoke with pain this morning, it doesn’t need to be true tomorrow. Don’t allow your ego to trick you into believing otherwise; push the “delete” button on all those old associations. We’ll keep the love and embrace the joy, but erase the pain.
Your thoughts are like fish swimming down the current of a stream. They continue with the momentum of their journey. If you wake in the morning and expect to feel discomfort, you can redirect the flow from your stream of thoughts to focus upon peace and ease. However, if you continue to stay with negative thoughts surrounding pain, it’s like trying to change the course of a river as it rushes down a mountain. It’s far easier to alter in the beginning compared to when the momentum has picked up speed.
Create a new expectation of comfort and ease: Tomorrow you will wake completely comfortable and rested. The car trip to the city will be smooth and pain-free. Expect the best situation to occur…and it will.
Take Time to Shine
When life gets busy, it can be easy to allow your hobbies and other interests to slip away—but that is precisely when you most need them! Without connecting to your passion, you begin to feel depleted and exhausted. All joy leaves you, your light is dimmed, and soon enough, pain arrives.
You must remember that you are a beautiful example of God’s manifested love. When you allow your Divine light to shine, you let others know that there’s hope. You can inspire people to join you on a happy, healing path. Indeed, the angels are asking you right now to let your light shine; it is essential to your well-being! When you simply take time to enjoy life, your body responds with health, and you feel brighter and happier.
Even if you are incredibly busy, schedule time for your hobbies and for play. No one wants to live in a reality where you have to work every waking minute. Sure, your work can be rewarding and fun, but it also helps provide the tools necessary for your enjoyment. Yet so many have forgotten the second phase of working. They make the money but forget to spend it on fun and comfort.
Highly successful people keep this principle in mind. They enjoy what they do and embrace joy in their lives. They find exciting ways to fulfill their commitments, keeping their energy and motivation high.
If you don’t reward yourself, you begin to resent your job, and this can be a further obstacle to your healing. If you aren’t finding pleasure in what you do, then change it. Begin by using affirmations to create a reality that you will enjoy. Affirmations are positive statements in the present tense that you repeat to yourself in order to manifest a desired outcome.
To affirm your desires and dreams, try saying:
Repeating affirmations to yourself during your daily activities will help bring your focus back to your goals. Initially it may feel like you are lying to yourself. Your ego resists these uplifting words in favor of the negative thoughts it’s familiar with. With continual repetition, your subconscious begins to believe your affirmations; then you are in a position to start taking steps to make the statements true.
If you spend the majority of your day at a job, you need to enjoy it. By loving what you do, you no longer feel like you’re working. Instead, you’re getting paid to play and have fun. This approach brings you the perspective you need on your path toward comfort and joy.
Meditations for Easing Your Pain
Since your brain has the power to bring sensations into reality, it can also remove them for good. Use this to your advantage by training your mind in meditation or guided imagery. Taking your attention away from pain will bring you the greatest joy of all. The following are a few of our favorites that you might like to try.
Therapeutic Ocean
Visualize yourself walking along a beautiful beach at sunset or sunrise. Affirm that the temperature is perfect. There is just enough sea breeze, and your feet enjoy the gentle caress of the sand and waves. Feel the ocean taking away all of your concerns and washing them off. You do not need to hold on to these old emotions, as they are not doing you or anyone else any favors. Take time to breathe deeply and enjoy this magical experience.
Healing Rain Forest
See yourself seated in the middle of a rain forest. Take time to notice the many shades of green that surround you. Green is the color of healing, which you welcome into your body. You will likely experience tingling sensations as the emerald energy enters your being.
With you in the rain forest is Archangel Raphael. He will clear away any obstacles to your peace and well-being. Listen to the sounds of nature—the trees and birds—and the sweet song of serenity.
Higher Perspective
Take your mind to the top of a mountain. From here you’re able to gain new perspectives. Sit down on a purple rug and observe the beauty below you. Understand that when you rise, you have the decision of where you want to go. Do you want to go back to the way you were before—or do you want to accept greater health, well-being, and love?
You may feel a strong presence with you. This is Archangel Michael, who is here to help clear away fear and negative energies from your life. He will protect you and keep you safe from all harm. He understands that you’ve had difficulties in the past, but wishes to illuminate the path to your true healing. Genuine relief can only come from inside you. It isn’t something that you receive from others. It’s something that shines within you from the moment you were born.
Your true state of Divine health is already beaming brightly. Ask God and the angels to clear away the darkness so that your light can once again be revealed. As you do so, others will be inspired by your journey and join you on the path of joy. This is the magic of healing with the angels; they not only focus upon your needs, but send their energy outward to create wondrous experiences everywhere you go.
You are a shining example of God’s love. You deserve absolute health and comfort. Spend time in this meditation to gain the most healing you can.
When you’re in any of these meditative states, you can always ask your angels for additional information and support. Simply think the phrase: Angels, what else do you want me to know right now? What changes would you like to see me make?
Then listen with all of your body. Pay attention to any thoughts, feelings, visions, or sounds. Please also realize that there is no such thing as a coincidence; everything is perfectly orchestrated for you to notice along your path. Rather than dismissing something, look harder—perhaps you will recognize it as the answer to your prayers.
For example, I (Doreen) received a letter from Paula Kucner Taipa from Poland. She said she enjoyed listening to my weekly show on Hay House Radio. One day, Paula had a terrible headache and a toothache. During the show that week, I guided the listeners through a healing meditation with the angels. Paula felt the pain lift out of her body—it completely dissipated! She gratefully gave the situation over to God and enjoyed the benefits of meditation. You can, too!
