Pain

"We seem to devote a great portion of our lives to the erradication of pain in its various forms. Disease, stress, embarassment, fear... this is the wrong approach.

"If love is what it's all about, pain is the motivation to get there. Pain is as much an integral part of our being as is love. Why? Because pain is information--useful information. On a physiological level pain is learning. We evolved to feel pain because its useful.

"There should be a science of pain. In a sense modern psychotherapy is sort of a science of pain. As is weight-training and yoga and religion. Unfortunately, they have not been integrated into a more coherent system that touches on the over-arching themes that these practices all embody.

"Embrace your pain. Feel it to the deepest extent possible. It is the point from which we grow towards our goals. It belongs to you, helps form who you are. Own it---use it---learn from it.

"Of course, there are no guarantees. Some people will be consumed by their pain (as they can equally be consumed by their love). Some people given their pain will not be able to see it as the opportunity it is---the same way that people let their calculus classes pass them by without availing themselves of the chance to learn some of the secrets of the universe.

"The key is to develop a meta-cognitive level of awareness. Learn to see the opportunities, learn to learn from them. It is this in combination with control that divides homo sapiens humans and animals."