Looking through old photos, the author found an interesting photo from some years ago. This photo reminds us of a 'life lesson'.
In this very short and simple article, we shall explore the unhappiness and suffering we experience in life.
We may have wondered why life is like this?
Why must there be pain and suffering?
We may even ask; How and why does God allow bad things to happen?
Does this sound familiar?
Of course, it is quite difficult to focus on something other than the suffering, when we feel absorbed in it. We usually try to find the quickest way out of it.
Instead of trying to find the easiest way out of the suffering, do we stop and investigate why we are suffering?
When we investigate with honesty and clarity, we notice certain trends in our thoughts and behavior. These 'trends' are the cause of our unhappiness. We'll notice that these thoughts and behavior are always happening on behalf of the idea of a 'separate self'. It comes from the false belief that we are this person, this body.
One can observe the Dhobi. He wets the cloth, rubs in some soap (sometimes), and starts to beat the cloth with a stick! Beating it, the dirt starts to get out of the cloth. After a number of good beatings, the cloth is finally clean.
Does this sound similar to the 'beatings' life gives us now and then?
See, if there was no unhappiness, would we ever consider investigating ourselves? Would we ever investigate the Nature of our Being? Or would we simply keep believing that we are this person, this body, this 'separate self'?
These 'beatings' we get, are served by Love and by Grace. It is through these 'beatings' that we start to investigate, and start to awaken to our inner Peace and Happiness.
Related articles on this blog:
Lessons from Mother Nature - 22 December, 2021
The transparency of problems - 12 December, 2021
The burden of choice - 5 December, 2021
In this very short and simple article, we shall explore the unhappiness and suffering we experience in life.
We may have wondered why life is like this?
Why must there be pain and suffering?
We may even ask; How and why does God allow bad things to happen?
Does this sound familiar?
Limited perception
Caught in the middle of suffering, or seeing someone else suffering, we may only acknowledge the current situation, the suffering.Of course, it is quite difficult to focus on something other than the suffering, when we feel absorbed in it. We usually try to find the quickest way out of it.
Instead of trying to find the easiest way out of the suffering, do we stop and investigate why we are suffering?
When we investigate with honesty and clarity, we notice certain trends in our thoughts and behavior. These 'trends' are the cause of our unhappiness. We'll notice that these thoughts and behavior are always happening on behalf of the idea of a 'separate self'. It comes from the false belief that we are this person, this body.
Inner cleansing
The photo below was taken on the banks of the Ganges river. We can see some people washing their clothes in the river. The person washing the clothes is known as a Dhobi in India.One can observe the Dhobi. He wets the cloth, rubs in some soap (sometimes), and starts to beat the cloth with a stick! Beating it, the dirt starts to get out of the cloth. After a number of good beatings, the cloth is finally clean.
Does this sound similar to the 'beatings' life gives us now and then?
See, if there was no unhappiness, would we ever consider investigating ourselves? Would we ever investigate the Nature of our Being? Or would we simply keep believing that we are this person, this body, this 'separate self'?
These 'beatings' we get, are served by Love and by Grace. It is through these 'beatings' that we start to investigate, and start to awaken to our inner Peace and Happiness.
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| Local people washing their clothes in the Ganges, Varanasi. |
Related articles on this blog:
Lessons from Mother Nature - 22 December, 2021
The transparency of problems - 12 December, 2021
The burden of choice - 5 December, 2021
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