Pain holds a special place in my life. I have learned and grown from pain in ways too profound to explain in words. There are times when I have cursed pain and times when I have acquiesced to the power of its lesson. New research confirms how we relate to pain determines the duration and intensity of the pain. The way we think about pain will determine how well we manage pain. The most recent research (Hansen, England) showed in a clinical trial, if you have persistent pain and think you should avoid anything that brings on pain in fear of damaging yourself then you will slowly become less active and less fit. In addition the weakness that comes with inactivity will make you feel worse. In essence you will feed the pain. Yogis, generations past knew about pain too and used Tapas or the practice of austerity and the ability to bring curative heat to the body to heal the body of pain. Ultimately this practice of Tapas brings us to a place of higher awareness free of pain. For me the practice of yoga on a daily basis begins with meeting pain face to face, even when it doesn't make its presence known it hides in the deep areas of our body and mind. So, I say to you fellow yogi, don't run from pain, seek it out, talk to it, embrace it and learn from it.