Singapore Q&A 10.7.2023 (19:00-20:45)
Yogi: I have lots of bodily pain due to an illness. What can I do?
Sayadaw: When pain arises, I encourage yogis to watch the feeling, the reaction or anger, not the pain.
Every time you pay attention to the pain, anger will arise because the mind and body are related – we already have the idea that pain is not good.
For the beginner, when they watch the pain, anger arises; and the more they watch the pain, the more intense the anger becomes.
So, I don’t encourage watching the pain but watch the anger instead.
For example, if you’re angry with somebody, what happens when you continue to look at the person? You get angrier because you are watching with anger.
The principle is the same.