Pain andSuffering

With practice, we can teach our minds to respond compassionately to our own suffering. As quoted in my book, here is Thich Nhat Hanh describing how our body already responds naturally—without thought—to its own pain: "When our left land is injured, our right hand takes care of it right away. It doesn't stop to say, 'I am taking care of you. You are benefitting from my compassion.'" Indeed, when I broke my ankle a few years ago, before any thoughts about it arose in my mind, my hands had already reached out to care for the pain. We can condition our minds to have the same natural response to our pain and suffering.

-How To Be Sick, Toni