Last week I wrote about listening to your body - that doing so helps you make informed choices so you can work more effectively toward your movement and healing goals.

I wrote that it's helpful to pay attention to not just what's enjoyable, but also to what is uncomfortable, painful or challenging. And I know that's easier said than done.

To learn from something, we need to see it clearly, without judgment. And when pain or injury gets in the way of doing what we love, we often can't help but judge it as bad or wrong.

What?!? How could I possibly suggest that back or knee pain, or a chronic illness could be anything but bad?

There's a Buddhist concept called the Second Arrow that might be helpful here.  The parable goes like this:

Buddha asked, ‘If a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful? If the person is struck by a second arrow, is it even more painful?’

He then went on to explain,

‘In life, we can’t always control the first arrow. However, the second arrow is our reaction to the first. This second arrow is optional.’

What does this even mean? What does it have to do with judging pain?

There's always going to be something - there is pain that is unavoidable. Life is full of "first arrows." We can't control aging. We can't control the behaviour of other people. We can't control the health issues of the people we love.

The second arrow is the time and energy we spend worrying about what else might happen. That's what Buddha describes as suffering - imagining the worst outcome for the surgery, worrying about falling again, or the fear of never being able to do _____ again. 

This isn't just about philosophy - we can look at it from a physiological perspective.

First - it makes sense that ALL of us experience that second arrow. Our nervous systems are subject to negativity bias - our cave-dwelling ancestors stayed alive longer when they expected the worst from unknown situations, and we've inherited that hardwiring. This is one of the reasons we dwell on negative things and expect the worst.

That second arrow is usually accompanied by the nervous system's stress response - and stress isn't all in your head. It's in your body, affecting digestion, immune system, hormones, executive function, cardiovascular health, blood sugar...

Stress also affects your connective tissue - making it more rigid and tight - a recipe for limited movement and more pain!

When we get better at recognizing how and when the second arrow shows up, we can acknowledge it and be curious about it, and take away it's power, reduce our own suffering.

A second arrow could be the fear following an injury or fall that prevents someone from getting back to movement.
It could be the procrastination or avoidance of something we think will be hard or uncomfortable - that ends up taking more time and energy than just doing the thing.

• What are the "first arrows" in your life?

• What are the "second arrows" that you notice following them?

• How do they show up?

• What thoughts and feelings accompany them?

• What do you feel in your body when they show up?

• What actions (or inactions) do you take?

I'm not suggesting we ignore the first arrow or pretend that the second arrow doesn't exist. It's wise to be cautious when a hip, back, knee or shoulder is complaining, or when something is having a negative impact on our physical, mental or emotional well-being. But awareness - and a healthy dose of compassion - around the ways we can increase our own pain and suffering can help us live life more skillfully, confidently, easily.