We’re all guilty of placing immense physical, emotional and mental strain on ourselves. If there’s one thing that stops us dead in our tracks though, it’s pain, which is designed to do just that. Consider it nature’s version of the Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Officer always on-hand to pull us up as we hurtle towards a near-miss situation.
Learning to listen to pain
Instead of just looking for a quick fix for what we’re feeling, we need to think about our wellbeing in a holistic way: we are not just a body. Pain is largely thought of as a physical sensation but we know it can be felt on all energetic levels – emotional, mental and spiritualas well. Most people can recall sadness bringing about a physical sensation in their heart. Likewise, physical pain can bring about emotions of its own, especially when that pain is ongoing.
Chronic physical pain can even result in serious mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. This is often because pain gives us a sense of having lost control. Such discomfort makes us even more desperate to stop the pain. While reaching for painkillers is a fast way to eradicate the physical symptoms of pain, it won’t deal with the underlying causes. We’ve all heard of people having surgery to eradicate pain, even removing a body part, and then finding the pain returns (phantom-limb pain for instance). That’s why you need to take note of the pain and see what it is forcing you to reassess in your life.
Recently, while moving house, I dropped a very heavy old bookcase on my left foot. At the time, I reached for ice and essential oils and didn’t think too much more about it. Ten days later, the top of my foot was still very painful and swollen – I headed off to get an X-ray despite my intuition that I didn’t have any broken bones.
I was correct so I started delving deeper: why did this happen? I believe our feet carry us forward each day and the left side is the Yin side (inward looking thought instead of action). I used this pain as a realisation that I need to start honouring my own version of success and valuing this above what others think.I feel I’ve spent too much time and energy, especially in the last couple of years, living by the standards and ideals of others. It’s a hard habit to break but \with the pain in my foot acting as a specific reminder of the need to address the situation and be proactive in living my best life.
Natural ways to treat underlying causes
Harnessing the power of reiki
Many people achieve the greatest relief by ‘treating’ pain with modalities, such as reiki, that will work on all energetic levels, not just the physical. Reiki is a gentle, yet extremely powerful technique that accesses universal energy and directs it to where it is needed in the body. So it is useful for many conditions. I’ve worked with numerous clients who experience fantastic results with ongoing pain. Hip pain, bursitis, shoulder discomfort and even fibromyalgia pain can be greatly reduced, or disappear completely, with reiki. How? Even without understanding or being capable of articulating the emotional reasons behind the pain (and there are always emotional reasons), reiki works on all levels to move and balance the stagnant energy of the pain and bring about relief. The great news is that it can also be performed remotely.
Utilising essential oils
Likewise, essential oils work on all energetic levels of the body and provide a beautiful take home tool so that people can continue working on their pain. Essential oils support us in moving along a particular emotional journey, which is perfect when we want to tackle the underlying emotional causes of our pain, without even necessarily knowing what they are. All the essential oils that have strong analgesic (pain killing) properties also help us with being emotionally stuck, constricted, fearful or controlled, which is so important when we remember that pain is giving us a message to stop and reassess something (or perhaps many things) in our lives.
My top pick is rosemary because it is strongly analgesic and also helps to eliminate emotional restrictions that prevent us from moving forward. Other oils that are good for pain relief include peppermint (especially when you need focus), fennel (for when you feel unfulfilled), ginger (especially when you feel depleted), lavender (when you feel neglected), marjoram (when you feel anxious), and roman chamomile (particularly useful when you are potentially being rigid about a change you need to make).
The best way to use essential oils is to diffuse them or inhale a drop from a tissue or hanky. You can also apply oils topically where you feel pain, remembering to dilute them with sorbolene or a carrier oil, especially if you have sensitive skin. Pregnant women also need to be aware that not all oils are recommended for use while pregnant – from the oils listed above, lavender, ginger and roman chamomile, are safe. For more specialised advice, it’s best for mothers-to-be to consult a wellbeing or health practitioner who has extensive experience with the use of essential oils.
