I currently have an incredible teacher in my life who seems to bring me a lot of pain. As weird as this may sound, and seemingly outside of my control, I will randomly experience what they are experiencing. Sometimes it’s physical pain, sometimes emotional pain. It happens when I’m miles away from them and not even really in contact with them.
Honestly, it’s been annoying me. I can’t choose when I experience it and I can’t help when I do. If you google this sort of thing you get lots of new age answers and advice about it (yes I did that already). Yesterday, after a few days of feeling the deep despair I think they have been feeling the last few days (I know it’s not ‘mine’ somehow because it feels different – like it’s a bit removed somehow) I decided to ask [insert word of your own understanding here] why I was experiencing this only with this person, when it seemed pointless and painful for me to know.
The answer I got was that this person is a symbol. They are reflecting back to me a part of myself: a belief I am still holding about the world somewhere that I need to heal. A Course in Miracles tells us that the only problem we have is that we think we are separate and therefore alone, unsupported and open to attack from ‘others’. We all hold this somewhere within us and it comes up for healing in various direct and indirect ways.
Maybe this resonates somewhere for you, maybe not. I will say that perhaps these ‘sympathy’ pains and emotions I’m experiencing with this person are less about them, and more about me. It was an invitation to really look within and see what part of me still believes in lack and limitation. Maybe as I focus more on seeing this person as supported, loved and unlimited (as I know they are), I will also heal whichever part of me which needs to believe this too about myself.
Reflections
