SPIRITUALITY

Facing Reality- There is Suffering in the World 

I had a conversation with a friend a few nights back about how to deal with the suffering of the world. As the conversation progressed we questioned whether to move to save it, stop it, and/or find a solution.  If so, what would that look like? It got me inquiring…..

Its not the first time I have inquired in to it. I have to say, that the pain of the world use to haunt me. I would often feel such a vast body of suffering that it felt impossible to bear. I learned, through inquire that it was not mine, and the suffering experienced was too large for me to bare or hold localized in this body. Could there ever being a planet where suffering was less evident? Nothing within history can give us a yes answer to this.  It’s always been like this, so then how to be with that notion.

Eckart Tolle says that if every being were to awaken to their true nature, the world would be a more harmonious place. Is this true though.

Is it not true that each individual is their true nature and cannot be anything but that? Whether one is conscious or not of the fact that they are one and not separate from that source that unites all of living things, then how can we say that we would act any different if we knew we were that.

So, for example, if I were to find someone on the street that is suffering, and if I were to say that they should not be suffering, this would be lying to myself. The fact of the matter is that people are suffering. Whether I chose to give my sweater to them, or the five dollar bill in my pocket, neither will change the fact that there is suffering in the world. Not saying that I wouldn’t do this, or that is might be wrong, I’m just saying it might not change anything. But to give unconditionally might be beautiful. In the end though, I can’t lie to myself that it will change anything.

So therefore what to do. With all the pain, poverty, hunger, and natural disaster going on in the world, do we move toward changing the exterior world by giving, in hopes of stopping the pain for maybe one minute, or do we look inside and see why we give to stop suffering.

If I can’t bear the things going on in the world, what is it in me that wants to change it or make it better? It might relieve guilt for my “easy” life, or fill me with a sense of accomplishment, or give me the simple pleasure of giving from the heart,  but I don’t know that it will change anything. I can’t know whether it will do more harm then good.

The thing that I do know is that we, as humans,  constantly want to move away from pain. I see it everyday, in everyone around me and in myself. We say today I’m having a bad day but don’t worry tomorrow will be better. Today the world is a disaster but tomorrow there will be change. Now I have a headache, and ill be happy when it’s gone. If I sit with the pain of my headache, and move toward the pain that is currently present, there is sense of enjoyment. It no longer is what I thought it was. The throbbing becomes a soft beet of my body working to be alive. The sharp needles turn out to be a call for attention-attention from me. I am the one that can be there for it, and so I am, not asking it to be any different then what it is. How can I ask it to be anything other then what it is? That would be going against reality. Everything wants to be its self, including suffering, therefore I see an opportunity for a deeper freedom to be actualized within suffering.

The headache is a small example where I can understand the suffering, and I find the best way I can “cure” it, is by honoring it. When it comes to visit,  I sit with it, ask it what it needs, and allow it to be as it is. Now, if the world asks me to take action, I may or may not, but either way, my actions will come from an unconditioned response, a place of no agenda, because I have found peace with it. 

Now pain comes and goes with ease or not, but always honored. It is all I can do, for the fact is, suffering (as a body), is the one that is suffering. At the very least,  I can bow to its strength, because it is the only one that has to be suffering until its not.