
PART 2 ARTICLE 10 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫
After you have gone to your doctor, explored all possible physical causes, and followed every recommended treatment plan for your pain or symptoms, it is time to delve deeper into where healing, not just curing, occurs. This is especially important for those whose symptoms persist and those dismissed by the all too common “it’s all in your head” comments.
Pain is often more meaningful than the result of injury or an underlying disease; it is one way that the non-physical part of ourselves communicates with us. Even doctors recognize that chronic neck and back pain, for example, is often due to stress, but that is where the discussion ends. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications are band-aids that may provide temporary relief, but this is where the tip of the iceberg ends, and we must take over.
Diving in….
So, how can we begin to decipher what our pain or symptoms are trying to convey to us? Our instinct is to escape pain, hoping it will disappear. However, running away will only make it worse. Medications can provide temporary cover, but true healing requires facing pain head-on, examining it, feeling it, questioning it, and being open to the possibility that it may signal a need for change in our lives.
Where to begin?
Accessing inner wisdom requires silence, deep breaths, and a little uninterrupted time to relax and focus. Concentrate on the pain or symptom itself. Locate it in your body and feel it in all its intensity. What does it look like? Does it move or change? Does it have a color, temperature, or other sensory attributes? Sit quietly and experience whatever arises.
Then, quietly ask: Why are you here? What are you trying to tell me? Is there anything I can do to heal this? Breathe, observe, and see what comes to you. Initially, you might not notice anything significant, which is normal as we’re not trained to recognize or trust our intuition.

After this brief exercise, remain open to whatever insights may come. Sometimes, people experience a shift or a slight decrease in pain, even without a dramatic revelation. Our bodies, pleased that we’re paying attention, may reward us with changes in our condition. Though subtle, repeated practice of this exercise brings more answers and results.
Be very clear: listening to your body is an ongoing process. If you expect a few deep breaths to instantly relieve all your pain, you’ll be very disappointed. Understanding yourself requires a lifelong commitment, as your ‘self’ is continuously evolving.”
A personal journey
Like many people, my forties were chaotic during the thick of adulthood. As a wife, mother of three, doctor, lecturer, soccer, ballet manager, and everything else I thought the world required of me, self-care and contemplation were neglected. Daily migraines and severe neck and back pain made me wonder at times whether life was really worth living.

I pursued everything that Western medicine had to offer to no avail. Without the expertise I now have in Mind-Body Medicine, in desperation, I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths, and asked, what is this pain trying to tell me? I believed I was doing everything right, yet the pain limited my ability to engage and enjoy life fully.
Suddenly, vivid images of my husband and my boss, the ER director, appeared in my mind. Shocked, I questioned this, thinking, “I love my husband and taking care of patients… this can’t be right! Is leaving my marriage and job the only way to make my pain go away?
Breaking up my family and quitting my job seemed utterly absurd. My family is my heart, and although my job wasn’t perfect, it remained the most practical option for being a doctor and meeting my family’s needs. Additionally, running away from the situation would only exacerbate the problem instead of addressing it directly.
Drastic images are not meant to be taken literally; rather, they open channels to our inner wisdom, where the best solutions often reside. It’s easy to blame others for our problems, but attempting to change others is both futile and misguided. True healing comes from within, and it is ourselves who must undergo change.

After much introspection, I realized that I was sacrificing significant parts of who I was to please or coexist peacefully with people who were fundamentally different from me. This wasn’t something anyone asked of me; I imposed it upon myself! It became clear that authenticity is essential for human well-being, and the cost of neglecting it is steep. Pain is a powerful signal to draw our attention and guide us back on track.
Almost immediately, my headaches began to diminish. While the neck and back pain persisted a bit longer, this indicated that personal growth is an ongoing process. By no longer avoiding pain, I have learned to confront and understand my symptoms as they arise, making them more manageable.

Since retiring, daily swimming has alleviated neck, back, and joint pain. Beyond the physical benefits of exercise, the repetitive movements and rhythmic breathing required for long-distance swimming offer the daily silence and focus needed to connect with my inner self, where answers and guidance reside.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be clear: disregarding Western medicine would be foolhardy indeed. It is the source of most cures. Pain and symptoms are an inevitable part of the human experience, but embracing them rather than fleeing can lead to acceptance and peace with our imperfect bodies. Acceptance itself improves everything… Always
Our responsibility is to give our best effort in all we do. We all possess the ability to take over where medicine leaves off, not only to alleviate symptoms but also to find direction toward becoming our most authentic selves.