Dear Feel Love Now Community,

Pain is part of being human, but suffering doesn’t have to be. The yogic and Buddhist teachings remind us that while we may not avoid the first arrow of pain, we can choose not to shoot the second arrow of self-blame, judgment, or regret. Noticing what we feel is the first step to transformation.With awareness, we can respond to life’s challenges with clarity, compassion, and healing. Moment by moment, we can choose a new way to relate to pain with wisdom instead of wounding.

Here’s one of our favorite quotes from Swami Nityananda

“The classic yogic teachings exist in order to help humans heal self-blame, self-judgment, the feeling of confusion, of conflict that can arise. There’s this innocence in all of us which sort of like, ‘That hurt, where did that come from? Why is that here?’”The yogic teachings and the Buddha’s teachings, as well, help us just let go of self-blame, let go of self-judgment, and go directly to the energy of the solution—go directly to the energy of healing. ”One of the classic stories that’s told by the Buddha, the one who is awake, involves two arrows. What he says is that an ordinary, run-of-the-mill human who doesn’t know the teachings of truth, if they experience pain, it is as if an arrow is shot at them and they experience that arrow of physical pain, but it is as if another second arrow is shot at them and then they experience mental pain as well.”The mental pain—the words that he uses to describe this—he says, ‘The second arrow makes that human grieve and lament and sorrow and beat his breasts and become distraught.’ So, he feels two pains: physical and mental. He also says—just break this down—that every human is going to experience pain.”If you feel the arrow, address the arrow, but don’t let there be a second arrow. What he’s saying is: It’s in my power to choose how I respond to the pain that I experience.”

We recently shared this video on YouTube, but wanted you to be able to have it on your Substack video player as well, in case you prefer that.

Having it on Substack makes it easy for you to see any other podcasts, videos, articles, or full meditation services that might be available in the Truth, Love, & Justice Series by clicking here.

If you have heard this teaching before, we invite you — as Swami so often invites us — to hear it as if you are hearing it for the first time. Often we receive these teachings right when we need them.

In loving service,The Karma Yoga Team at AYM

P.S. If you are interested in joining the Karma Yoga Team to expand your practice of selfless service, love in action, please click here.

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