We can use a painful reaction to ascertain our spiritual state. I have heard this a lot lately, but what does it exactly mean? To me, it tells me that I need to look within myself, to see why I am having this painful reaction to this particular person or situation. Each person or situation is a mirror, showing us what we need to overcome what we need to heal within ourselves in order to become more whole and closer to our divinity.
What are painful reactions? They are thoughts and beliefs that cause us to react out of anger, out of jealousy, out of envy. They are how we act when we feel we are being threatened, disrespected, or treated unjustly. It is when we withdraw in ourselves, or fight back; when we feel out bodies constrict and tighten up. Most importantly, thought, painful reactions are out most important teachers. These painful reactions are showing us that there is something important going on within and that we need to stop and look at it closely, see what is hiding behind all the pain, the anger, the frustration and do what we can to correct that old pattern.
Pain is telling us that we are reacting in a way that is detrimental to ourselves, to our bodies, and to our Spirit. It is giving us the opportunity to tell us that we have a choice, "do I want to react in the same way as before? If I do, do I remember what happened then? Do I still want to react that way or am I willing to change, to try something different?" To do this, we need to be constantly aware, be observant of what is going on not only within us (how our body is reacting. tightness, shortness of breathing, crossing our hands and/or feet) but also around us. Pain will use situations and/or people to show us what we need to look at.
So when we are aware of how we are reacting, we have the opportunity to change our �reaction patterns� and turn them into �creation patterns�. We can choose to create new solutions to the old problems. But how? By going within and see what is the true cause of why we react in such a way. A good way to do this is mirroring. When I feel frustrated with my children not listening to me, I have to look within and see why. One thing I have learned is that I need to take time to listen to myself, when I don�t do that, I become frustrated and edgy with not only my children, but also everyone else. And they reflect this back to me time and again. Another good one is Love. How many times have you felt that that special someone doesn�t love you? When you have the courage to look within, you will find that it is yourself who has stopped loving you.
When you start acting from a �creation pattern�, you will find life changing in numerous ways. Spirit will continually present you with people and situations that were once considered painful. Instead, with an open mind, and a positive attitude, you can see them more as opportunities to learn more about yourself and to present yourself as a creator and not as a reactor. You will have moved closer to becoming whole, closer to God/dess, closer to your own Divinity.
Margaret S. Yates �1999-2000