What is your body communicating to you – is it pain or is it energy? There is a pretty well know story about “The Fall” and I have many issues regarding this story but there is one that stands out the most for me. It has to do with the introduction of the nocebo effect. A nocebo effect is when a negative expectation of something causes it to have a more negative effect than it otherwise would. Beliefs, expectations and anticipation can strongly influence the outcome of things such as experiences of pain.
When Adam and Eve supposedly disobeyed God, he handed out punishments for their “sins” (I won’t even get into the complete lack of forgiveness here). Those punishments included (but weren’t limited to) severe pains in childbearing, painful labor in giving birth, painful toil of the earth, sweat of your brow until you return to the ground…just to name a few. The story told to us is that Adam and Eve were new to this earth and God was their mentor. Even if this fall had to happen, I think a mentor could and should do so much more than just planting seeds of negativity.
Now you and I weren’t there on that day, but we have inherited the trauma. It has been passed down for many, many generations and it has been accepted without question. It is the way it must be. Really? Seriously? Think about this. It is one of the most effective nocebo’s ever put into place. Did you know that in the definition of nocebo are words such as detrimental and negative? That the origin of the word is literally, “I shall cause harm” and “to harm”. OMG. Why? Why would such a story be given to us?
I fully believe in growth and change and that good and bad things happen. We are human. We live in a world with natural laws that have causes and effects…naturally. These intentional psychological and psychosomatic ones are not necessary. We need to let go of these things and yet it can be difficult when they are pretty much hard wired into who we are. It took me three births but I was finally able to go beyond this one nocebo effect I inherited. You can read about my birth stories – HERE
The concept that childbirth is painful
The biggest thing I had to overcome was the idea or concept that childbirth was painful. I knew I didn’t need drugs to get through it from past medical procedures. I don’t tend to take pain numbing medications because they block me from being able to listen to what my body is telling me. Knowing that pain was the way in which my body talks to me and I had experienced moving beyond pain in other areas but I had a deep rooted adopted belief that childbirth was a pain that had to be endured.
I muddled through my first child but did take a mild pain pill to help at one point. The second one was completely free of any drugs but it was long and hard. The third was where I finally took control and began to work with the “pain” or what I now see as energy.
It does take a tremendous amount of energy to give birth but it doesn’t mean it is painful. If you believe something is going to be or is painful, you tense up. You stop the flow of energy. It gets clogged. If you rid yourself of that mindset and instead think of it as the energy needed to bring life into the world (or healing), you relax and move with the energy. Things can then move with ease and maybe a little discomfort but not unbearable pain. The best part? It is so empowering. Experiencing life giving energy like this is incredible. It builds strength and confidence. It is simply awesome.
What does this mean for you?
Pain, like everything, encompasses way more than just one definition. Pain can be defined as suffering and discomfort or careful effort and great care, and there are many points in between these definitions.
The best part is that you get to decide how you want to think about it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. None of us has to be forced into believing something has to be a certain way. A good question to ask yourself the next time you are feeling discomfort…
Is this pain or energy? Then go with what feels right for you.
