An End To Suffering

Why do we suffer, and what is the nature of our suffering? At its core, all suffering stems from our belief in good and evil or duality, and, at the level of mind suffering is the result of our placing judgment on events and circumstances in our lives as being ‘good’ or ‘bad’. It is this positionality that causes us to suffer. Buddha taught that ultimately all suffering comes from the mind, and it is in the wanting of things to be different than they are that we create our dilemma.

Suffering can take many forms, and be expressed in many different ways. We may be angry or frustrated because something didn’t work out the way we wanted, or we may wish we were better looking or had more money etc. But it is not the things themselves that creates suffering, it is our relationship to them. It isn’t the car accident or lack of money or even disease that is creating suffering, it’s how we see and relate and ultimately respond to the conditions and circumstances that exist.

When we stop wanting things to be different, not only do we end our suffering but we also open the way for change. A disease cannot heal so long as we place judgment on it as being ‘bad’, just as we cannot find the solution to circumstances or events in our lives so long as we have a charge on them. The act of placing judgment on things locks them in place and prevents the free flow of energy, and ultimately causes suffering. Our acceptance of them then not only brings an end to our suffering, but will also open the way to our healing.

It’s important to note however, that acceptance also means being willing to suffer if necessary. Acceptance has to be unconditional. We must be willing to surrender the small self in order that we may become our True Self, and this not only means surrendering all of our beliefs and judgments and essentially all that we have become at the level of mind, it also means being fully willing to allow Life and Divine Wisdom to have control of the process of our unfoldment. The mind can be very clever and think “Oh I see.. I can use acceptance to end my suffering.”, but this doesn’t work. It must be left up to Being.

By completely surrendering our judgments and positionalities, and simultaneously allowing Divine Wisdom and the movement of Life to work for our good, we are accepting and embracing all aspects of what IS. It is at that point that our suffering ceases and healing and spiritual integrity begins to come about. Krishnamurti once said “I don’t mind what happens”, and that must be true for us all. We must Trust that Being knows what needs to happen better than we, in the realization that ours is a journey of the Soul in the Body of God.

So be unconditionally accepting and loving with yourself and the events and circumstances of your life and you just might experience a miracle or two! And until next month, keep smiling!

Namaste’

John