The Will to Face the Pain

Never underestimate the pain of a person, because in all honesty, everyone is struggling. Some people are better at hiding it than others.
(Will Smith)

Ask anyone who has an addiction and they will tell you that their "acting-out" in whatever form gives them a temporary release from the emptiness and the pain inside. But alas, when they wake up from their trance the broken China on the floor makes the pain even more unbearable.

Why are self-help groups like the AA so successful? It connects the recovering addict to the fellowship of (wo)men and to the Higher Power that they appeal to. The pain has to be released and digested one way or the other in order to make it to the other side. This is really hard to do. Yet, anyone who has love to hang onto has a shot at making it.

Every spiritual traveler knows what pain is all about. Before the journey started we also experienced pain but it was experienced very differently. Anger is pain projected onto others. Fear is pain projected inwards. And escapes of any form are pain repressed or drowned in "pleasurable" activities. We spiritual travelers know what pain is all about because we decide one day to stop looking away: no more blaming others, no more escaping from what we feel inside and when we feel fear creeping up we just stand there asking, "so, what exactly do you want from me?"

Addicts have no-choice in this. Facing and digesting the inner turmoil becomes  a matter of life and death. Actually, a spiritual traveler who has started on the Way in earnest doesn't really have a choice either, but it may take him a little longer to realize that there is simply no alternative! Once you have started the spring cleaning exercise you simply can't help but finishing the entire job.

There are ways to digest bad energy. It maybe nature walks, a conversation with a precious friend or just alone time in form of meditation, creative writing or yoga. Many recovering addicts report that they find outlets to cry. Let the storm cloud pass and know that the sun will shine a lot brighter the next day than it ever did before. When you develop the will to face the pain, presents will wait for you every step of the Way.