Attachments
Dear One,
I believe that some of the painful experiences we have placed upon ourselves have been caused by our desires and attachments. The desires we have that cause us to behave selfishly, manipulatively, or narcissistically, lead to our suffering. These behaviors are not intentional; however, we continuously choose to battle between our wants and needs, fueling the negative cycle of discontentment. We subconsciously ruminate that enough is never enough.
We can become so engrossed in our own experiences and thoughts that we forget humankind is rooted in suffering. Everyone suffers. Every one person suffers, and while we cannot completely rid humankind of suffering, we can do our best to stop dousing fuel on the fire. I believe if we can stop enabling the spread of suffering, whether that be to ourselves or others, we will learn to appreciate and accept life more as it is than what our ego self believes it could be.
First, we have to accept that we will suffer; some are controllable factors while others are inevitable experiences we encounter in our lifespan (i.e. illness, loss, trauma, death, fear, etc.). Then, we must acknowledge our suffering and the things we attach to be the reason for our suffering (i.e. we are upset because we failed to get the job we believe we used our invaluable time and energy applying to). Lastly, we must find ways to remove this suffering and detach from the feeling of lack to regain our happiness and satisfaction.
This is ideal, but is it realistic? Of course this seems unimaginable considering the workings of our chaotic mind; however, just as we teach our physical body to behave in a certain manner through the foods we eat, the exercises we perform or the supplements we provide it, we can train our mind to appreciate the present simplistic moments we are given and free ourselves from unnecessary, attachment-driven desires.
I find that meditation is a great tool for learning to understand and transform suffering. I utilize meditation to assist with redefining my relationship with suffering, forming more positive awareness of my self and the world around me. My hopes is to continuously foster a habit of mindfulness and become good ole pals with my friend suffering. Should you develop some time to do the same, may you find safety, nourishment, and peace in that space.
Take Care,
Kris
