The concept of small pains is widely used by
monks. They work hard and practice
intensively daily. And this way, they avoid
major falls in their lives.
When we say ‘pain,’ we mean anything that
requires effort. Anything that doesn’t appear
as an immediate pleasure. Anything you’d like
to avoid because of your laziness. In my case,
it’s cleaning the house and yoga practice. But,
truly, it could be anything.
When I just wake up and think of how many
things I need to put in order, first, I get scared.
But as I get started, the mental process
finishes, and all I do is cleaning.
So, it becomes a good practice in itself: it
helps me to switch off the mind and overcome
my fears.
When I finish, I get a reward for the little pain I
took. My house is clean, and I like seeing it
this way. And, gradually, I improve my
cleaning patterns. I get more mindful of where
I put things so that I don’t have to leave too
much work for the morning.
The same thing with yoga. Most of the days, I
feel some sort of resistance to step on the