Ignorance is bliss ??

I have always heard the saying like "Ignorance is Bliss", " Don't know, don't care", "What you don't know won't hurt you" and wondered how far all these statements are true.

I reflected that over the last few months, I went to Terry for some Dorn Therapy for my recurring shoulder pain. From this therapy, he highlighted to me that the way i stand was not correct resulting in a concave type of posture that stresses the shoulders, neck and also head. After I gained this information, I'm constantly mindful of how my body still tends to go back to the old way of standing and sitting. With mindfulness, I correct my posture constantly and also check the way i sit and stand. I still need to work on it but am happy to notice that the shoulder pain has not occured for a few months and my shoulders no longer concave. So if ignorance is bliss, then i would have treated all the pain and discomfort by taking pain killers and thinks that its the only way.

Recently, i also notice my breathing patterns more and started to notice how i tend to breath shallowly when I'm in a "kan cheong" mode. With this too, I'm more aware of how to put the body in a more relaxed mode.

My meditation teacher has also highlighted to me in the recent retreat of the need not only be aware of what is happening in the body and mind but also to use intellingence to identify the idea that is behind certain action and thought patterns. With this, I'm less likely to push things that i do not like away or ignore it. Because ignoring and pushing unpleasant things away, just means I'm giving energy to it.  Now if ignorance is bliss, I would not only be at the mercy of my thoughts and feelings but also blame the outside world for all my unhappiness .Then the idea that I'm a helpless victim would have been nailed into my belief system.

So.....as Lai fun shared with me.... ignorance gives short term gain but long term loss. Mindfulness gives long term gain.