How Being with Anger Helps You Understand What Chronic Pain Is

Have you ever wondered why everyone goes on and on about repressed emotions and chronic pain?

Well, let me ask you this - what's chronic pain?

You know, I used to consider myself beyond anger, but it wasn't until I let myself feel and really be with anger that I finally understood what chronic pain really is.

Honestly, I've been through some stuff... and I was sooooo proud of how kind, caring, generous, and optimistic I was, even after the 'big T' and 'little t' trauma I'd experienced.

The first thing I read about the mind-body medicine world, and my introduction to it all, was the book 'Healing Back Pain' by Dr John Sarno. One of the main emotions he talks about as a contributor to chronic suffering is suppressed RAGE.

This was probably one of the only parts of the book that I didn't automatically resonate with, I didn't recognize anger in myself, my anger was buried DEEEEEP. 

BUT... I sat with it. I gave myself a chance to feel anger, let it bubble up and out, I let myself feel its fury. It shook me honestly. Not the emotion itself, but just how buried it had been and how surprised I was at feeling this way about a situation I thought I'd processed and let go of.

Now when I sit with anger I can see the energy of it changing, and beneath it all is a sad little girl. The anger part dissipates pretty quickly these days and shows me my grief easier.

Because anger for me was a protective cloak to grief. The deep sorrow it was shielding me from was perceived as too much of a difficult emotion to face, so - anger it was. Clever brain!

I mean, what's chronic pain, but emotion deeply entrenched and hidden in the sensations of our body, right?

If you're feeling angry about something, or there's a particular story that triggers you like crazy - and it doesn't seem to shift anywhere - look inside, look underneath, there might be another layer that needs to be acknowledged and heard.

Of course anger can just be anger too...

You can use my meditation for being with anger to help you.

I hope this helps you find peace in your anger in some way.