Question:

Dear Ektaji,

The life of this Waker has been turned upside down with a recent back injury that she has not recovered from. It is challenging to focus on any subject, and the pain has been the Dhamma teacher. I’m trying my best to stay a witness and watch things unfold from a distance. Feels like being back to square one. 

Answer:

Let’s do a self-inquiry on PAIN.

Recognize for yourself.

The back injury is not there in the Dream and Deep sleep, but I still AM. The back pain is limited only to the Waking. I am FREE of it in the Dream and Deep Sleep. Could this be conveying something to me?  

Could it be possible that I am NOT in continuous pain? If I have a clear SEEing of it being absent in the Dream and the Deep sleep, that means I know of its impermanence.  

Could it be possible that I have projected the presence of the back injury and the pain scene only in the Waking? 

Could it be possible that I have projected the absence of this injury and pain in the Dream and Deep Sleep?

Could it be possible that I can withdraw from that which I have projected but not manifested yet?

Could it be possible that I can withdraw certain future projections related to this injury and pain, before they manifest? 

Can I recognize that I first project a subtle mental picture related to the injury and pain? Then I manifest it in the gross Waking scene.

 Do I realize that I have the power to delete the projection of the subtle mental picture simply by intention? 

Can I attempt to help myself with this deletion by erasing the thought, again and again? This is the Buddha’s Dependent Origination teaching on cutting the chord anywhere before Jaati or birth of the phenomenon in the Waking.

Inquire into the pain itself, dear! May you learn the skill of cutting the chord of mental projection!