Yogi: I experience unpleasant physical feelings arising from aversion, sometimes they last for hours, and I don’t want these unpleasant sensations. I want good feelings on retreat but I don’t have the tools to get rid of them and I get stuck.

Sayadaw: These are bodily sensations related to the mind. Unwholesome mental qualities will give unpleasant effects in the body.

Yogi: Expectations, holding on and wanting things to go away make it more stuck. These unpleasant physical sensations arise from time to time and I don’t know how to handle them.

Sayadaw: Yes, that’s right. There’s no need to do anything about it – just know it, just recognize it. (If there are expectations, holding on and wanting things to go away, know that too.)

Awareness is not trying to make it go away, or make it better, or handle it. Awareness is knowing what is happening so that eventually the mind will learn something about it.

If and when learning does happen, if and when understanding does arise, then wisdom allows the mind to let go of the unwholesome.