tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164650651950330962.post2930006540330891556..comments2024-01-08T03:32:56.583-06:00Comments on The Swallow Flies: What I Talk About When I Talk About RunningEmmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10542656622598774255noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1164650651950330962.post-56271304037493149352012-04-18T16:43:49.586-05:002012-04-18T16:43:49.586-05:00I learned a very powerful mantra during my yoga te...I learned a very powerful mantra during my yoga teacher training: I am not my body.<br /><br />This has become my mantra when I'm attempting to meditate and am distracted by some pain or discomfort in my body, it is my mantra when I'm in a difficult/painful asana (pose), it is my mantra when I'm running and I've "hit a wall," and it is my mantra when I wake up in the morning and things are tight or sore.<br /><br />Also, here's an anecdote from my college days: I had a psych professor who had a black belt in some martial art and practiced yoga and meditation; he was about 50 years old, and used a cane because of a bad hip. One day, he told my class about his hip-replacement surgery-- He said that he refused anesthesia for the surgery because research shows that it tends to slow healing from major surgeries, and he also knew many people can have negative reactions to it. Instead, he opted to meditate through his surgery; he said that once the surgeon got in there, he discovered additional bone spurs that had to be basically "chipped" off, so they again offered him anesthesia which he again turned down. He said that during his surgery/meditation (which took longer than normal because of the extra spurs), he came to a sudden realization of the difference between pain and suffering-- pain happens, and there's nothing we can do about it or stop it. Suffering, however, is controllable; we decide how much we will suffer.<br /><br />Kind of a difficult way to learn that lesson, I think, but a good lesson to learn nonetheless. :)<br /><br />Loved your post, Emily!Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17994850793428819157noreply@blogger.com