What is the Pain Body?

The concept of the pain body is ancient, expressed in different traditions and teachings across millennia. However, Eckhart Tolle’s articulation in *The Power of Now* brought this understanding into a more contemporary focus, illuminating the concept for millions worldwide. Tolle’s interpretation provides a solid foundation, offering valuable insights into how unresolved pain can manifest as a living energy field within the self.

Yet, it is crucial to recognize that what Tolle refers to as the pain body is but one aspect of a larger energetic reality. What he describes are primarily the Cumulative Energy Fields—energetic imprints of traumas that the psyche was unable to integrate at the time of occurrence. These cumulative fields, or what we call Subtle Organizing Energy Fields (SOEFs), are generated within a single lifetime. And while addressing these Cumulative SOEFs is vital for inner healing, it only represents one dimension of transformative work.

The more profound aspect of healing lies in addressing what we identify as the Transient Energy Fields—energetic patterns that span beyond the limitations of this lifetime’s experiences. Unlike the Cumulative SOEFs, these Transient Energy Fields carry a far-reaching resonance that influences our entire energetic architecture, subtly yet powerfully shaping our consciousness and life experiences. Since popular modern literature has not widely introduced these distinctions, we align with the more widely recognized terminology of the “pain body” to foster accessibility and understanding. After all, Tolle’s extensive readership has adopted the view of the pain body as an energy field requiring dissolution and release.

The pain body itself can exist in either an active or dormant state. When active, it can momentarily overwhelm the conscious mind, steering one’s behavior and perception towards creating and feeding off pain energy, either towards others or oneself. Once it has been satiated, it withdraws into dormancy, often leaving the individual with a sense of relief or bewilderment at their actions. This sense of disassociation, where one feels “driven by anger” or experiences the unsettling sensation of not being “themselves,” is common among those overwhelmed by their pain body. It can manifest in bursts of irrationality, emotional outbursts, or violence, which are frequently misunderstood by those witnessing such behavior.

When we observe daily acts of violence, aggression, or irrationality in various contexts—whether on the streets, in conflicts, or in the dynamics of domestic interactions—it is often the manifestation of an active pain body. In these moments, it becomes evident that the individual is not truly present as their authentic self, but is rather expressing the unintegrated pain energy within. Recognizing and working to dissolve these energy fields is essential to reconnecting with one’s true self and moving beyond the illusion of separateness.

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Wisdom of a pain body has been around thousands of years. Spoken of in many ways. But when the idea of the pain body became a part of Eckhart Tolle’s "Power of Now" series, Tolle brought the subject to light for millions of readers. If you have read Tolle’s accounting of the pain body, it is a solid interpretation. 

But what the reader can not realize is, that Eckhart Tolle is only speaking of the Cumulative Energy Fields. The issue is that cumulative energy fields represents only a part of the entire pain body. The Cumulative’s are traumas either experienced or seen that the mind simply was unable to assimilate. 

These Cumulative SOEFs (Subtle Organizing Energy Fields) are created within this lifetime. Sure, we can help dissolve these. But the real life-changing work comes from dissolving the Transient Energy Fields. But since this has not been popularized in any modern writings, we choose to tag along with the most popular literary term accepted by the masses. Especially since Eckhart Tolle’s millions of global readers have interpreted the pain body an energy field that must be dissolved and released. 

The Pain Body can be active or dormant. When active it may “take you over” and drive your actions and your state of consciousness towards creating pain energy for it to feed on. This may be pain to others or to yourself. When it has been satisfied it goes back to a dormant stage, where you have the impression that you are over it. There you realize you were “out of control” or “driven by anger”. Some individuals may even not really remember what exactly happened. Most claim as “if they were not themselves”. Does it sound familiar? 

Daily violence, street aggression, traffic absurdities, conflict, emotional fights and domestic violence are mostly pain body attacks. When witnessed by others this behavior is often labeled as irrational. And it’s true… you were NOT your-SELF.