Pain As Motivation

It is written that “pain is the touchstone of all spiritual progress.”  I thought that meant that we had to have pain to have progress as in having made progress after being touched by pain.  

Looking up “touchstone”, I learned that it is a flint-like stone used to test gold and silver for purity.  A literal interpretation does not make sense to me, i.e., would you rub your spiritual progress on pain to measure the purity of your progress?

It turns out that we can also use love and kindness to make spiritual progress.

Uncontrolled pain typically results in addicts using.  With training, practice, skill and time, we can channel our pain into motivation to do work that relieves the pain.

I was in a bit of pain tonight and went swimming, I feel better and am a grateful for a positive outlet to relieve my angst.

I watched others in pain, angst and fear not trust the process and not have a way to relieve the pain.  That was miserable.  They will either have to suffer, use and suffer, die or take action.  I was not able to get them to take positive action.   I hope they do healthy self-care action before they use or die.

I am grateful for my having the faith to do healthy self-care actions when in some pain today.   That is a lot better than how it used to be with heinous pain and no positive action plans.  I could only use or suffer.  That sucked.