A Blissful Life 2/10/25: Finding Blessings In Pain

“What hurts you, blesses you.” –Rumi

Rumi is a mystic and Sufi poet from the 13th century and one of my favorite writers, especially when I am looking for connection and answers. No matter what I am contemplating, it seems like Rumi always has words of wisdom to help me find the divine within myself, remember my strength, and gain perspective.

Rumi’s quote above, “What hurts you, blesses you”, talks about how even the most painful experiences in life can bring about growth, wisdom, and personal transformation. These five words are an invitation to embrace the entirety of our experience here on earth– not just the light and joy, but also the darkness and sorrow. By not judging experiences as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, rather equally embracing the wide gamut of emotions and situations that life can hand us, you will see how, with time, your ‘hurt’ becomes a blessing. The challenging parts of life provide us with valuable lessons and opportunities for personal development, leading to a deeper understanding of self.

Whether it’s emotional or physical, pain can be very difficult to see past– especially when the wound is fresh. Be patient with and kind to yourself as you navigate hard times. Give yourself what you need to feel safe and comforted. Pain does leave scars, but it is also full of insight for your next life experiences.

Something to remember when you are aching is that pain is your teacher. Often it pushes us to face our weaknesses, make adjustments, and learn from them, leading to personal evolution. Your pain can be the catalyst that drives you forward along a more purposeful life path.

Also, open your mind and try to see the interconnectedness of opposites. As I mentioned above, it can be helpful to get out of the habit of labeling things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Instead, imagine that all of life’s experiences are on a scale from ‘light’ to ‘dense’. As we walk this earth, we often get the chance to undergo a broad range of circumstances. When something happens that makes you feel dense or heavy (for example, sadness, frustration, grief, anger, fear, emptiness, physical pain), what if you could recognize that these intense experiences are present to show you something inside of yourself that wants to be seen and healed? Because we cannot rely on sight when it is dark, sometimes we have to be there for a while before gaining the proper perspective where we can see the light. Again, be patient with and kind to yourself and remember that we are always exactly where we need to be.

Finally, as you work on rewiring your brain and intentionally viewing difficult moments as potential blessings, you can approach them with a more resilient mindset. When you’re in the challenge, remember that there is magic and beauty just waiting to be unwrapped. Let go of distractions, go slow so that you can be present and receive divine guidance, and trust the process and where you are led.

In closing, I leave you with a few questions to journal on: Can you reflect and find a blessing that came from a past pain? What lessons did you learn? How did you grow from your experience? What personal evolutions did this experience lead to?

Join me at Ocean Bliss Yoga for yoga classes, Pilates, and workshops! Sign up at oceanblissyoga.net. Our Yoga Teacher Training begins February 21, 2025. If you are interested in becoming a YA-certified Yoga Teacher, or if you simply want to refine your practice and get to know yourself on a deeper level, consider joining our 200-hour course. It takes place every other weekend for the upcoming months. For more information, call me at 917-318-1168.