
"Pain body" is Eckhart Tolle's description of "remnants of pain left behind by every strong, negative emotion that is not fully faced, accepted, and then let go of, join together to form an energy field that lives in the very cells of your body. It consists not just of childhood pain, but also painful emotions that were added to it later in adolescence and during your adult life, much of it created by the voice of the ego. It is the emotional pain that is your unavoidable companion when a false sense of self is the basis of your life."
He goes on to say "If there are other people around, preferably your partner or a close family member, the pain-body will attempt to provoke them - push their buttons, as the expression goes - so it can feed on the ensuing drama." Tolle sees the ego as a gobbler of drama. "Instinctively it knows your weakest, most vulnerable points. If it doesn't succeed the first time, it will try again and again. It is raw emotion looking for more emotion. The other person's pain-body wants to awaken yours so that both pain-bodies can mutually energize each other."
I don't know about you, but this week has been a demolition derby for my pain-body. I think I'll take a break from all the crazy emotions stirred up out there. Avoid everyone for a few days. Maybe the energy will shift back, and my pain-body can go back to napping.
Now where are my headphones and that OM cd...