Baha’i Perspectives

sam September 9th, 2009

Emotional pain is a reality that is given an inadequate amount of attention in the lives of the majority of people. The wounds caused by certain incidents and interactions are not necessarily visibly evident. This causes the pain to be ignored and oftentimes numbed with a large dose of alcohol or through irrational acts that transfer the harm to another individual. These “prescriptions” offer only an escape from the immediate pain. How to properly deal with the hurt is a lesson that society has yet to learn and it is only now that the issue is being given more attention. Only now are psychologists are being sought out, councillors approached and friends confided in on a regular basis. This is a stark contrast to the old way of dealing with emotional damage, which involved sucking it in and suffering in silence. As is often seen with change, the immediate action taken is either excessive or inadequate, nevertheless, society is slowly figuring out how to address it.

The first step to finding a solution to a problem is acceptance and then an attempt to understand its nature. A direct comparison can be made between physical wounds and emotional ones. If a person receives a physical wound such as a cut, first aid is administered and it is cleaned, unsanitary objects are kept away and time is taken to ensure the breach is dealt with carefully and immediately. If the wound is deep, medical care is sought immediately and action is taken in a prompt fashion. Furthermore, time and care is taken to allow it to heal and all possible attempts are made to ensure minimal scaring on our physical frame.

The concept should be the same with the emotional “frame”. We receive wounds from harmful or difficult moments in our lives. These cause emotional wounds and healing is needed. The problem is that we do not treat these wounds in the same way. By ignoring them, we leave them to heal without care. If a bone is broken, a doctor sets it properly. If not set properly, the bone will heal a manner that will cause a weakness to the skeletal structure. It may hold up for a while but when put under strain will break or cause unnecessary pain during certain conditions. Before it has fully set there is still the chance that the bone can be broken and re-set properly under the supervision of an expert physician, someone whose expertise will allow for the bone to be fixed as best as possible.

If the impact of this attitude on physical wellbeing is considered, one can evidently see how weak the body would be and how susceptible to future damage it would be. Similarly, if an emotional wound does not heal well, it will always be an area that is weak and susceptible to further injury. Therefore, understanding this concept gives an individual the awareness of both their reactions to people and also ensuring that they are careful to what they expose themselves to.

The trials Thou sendest are a salve to the sores of all them who are devoted to Thy will…

(Baha’u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u'llah, p. 78)

While reflecting on dealing with the wounds one must also look at the scars that are inevitably going to be left behind. Generally, a scar is a lesson learned. An intelligent person will come away from an injury having learned not to put themselves in that situation again. If a child gets burned by a hot object they have learned the lesson that hot objects cause pain. The pain leaves an imprint in the mind that can either be seen as a positive (lesson learned) or a negative (the pain of the burn). When one sees the pain as a lesson, coping with it becomes intelligent and composed. The approach is rational and the lesson is focused upon. An escapist attitude is not adopted and therefore the wound heals well. The scar left behind is strong and minimalistic.

Men who suffer not, attain no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful blossoms and the most abundant fruit…

(Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 50)

However, it is rare that emotional pain is seen as an opportunity for growth and progress. All too often in our lives that lesson is not learned! This is mainly due to the fact that a competent remedy was not sought and the issue addressed without the skilled guidance of an expert physician. This means we are left with a scar that is viewed in the negative light and becomes a hindrance to our moving forward with the healing process. A grave situation arises and if not addressed before a long time has passed, can leave a lasting impression on the person. It can potentially impact our interactions with people and certain situations and can be the cause of great discomfort and more pain. From the outset this can be avoided by seeking correct guidance and then reflecting on how best to apply it to ones situation. The guidance found at the current time is overwhelming in number and confusing in the diverse opinions offered. What better place to look for a cure than from a Physician divine in nature.

Every divine Manifestation is the very life of the world, and the skilled physician of each ailing soul. The world of man is sick, and that competent Physician knoweth the cure, arising as He doth with teachings, counsels and admonishments that are the remedy for every pain, the healing balm to every wound. It is certain that the wise physician can diagnose his patient’s needs at any season, and apply the cure.

(Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 58)

Tags: healing, tests

• General Interest , Society
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