subject: Suffering: What Is It Good For...? [print this page] To suffer is to be alive and grow.Suffering is a part of life. End of story, a fact we are told that we can not walk away from. But, how we suffer, how we deal with suffering will eliminate the fact we are suffering. It is not the suffering that causes the uncomfortable emotional feelings but our ego and response to suffering. It is how we suffer and how we utilize suffering that will make the difference in our life. We can transform suffering to a positive end. "It wouldn't be wonderful to spare your children of suffering", I just read. Continuing with the quote "They would not evolve as human beings and would remain shallow, identified with external form of things. Suffering drives you deeper." The writer further explains that "Suffering has a noble purpose: the evolution of consciousness and the burning up of the ego."
We all know some form of suffering that is a fact. History of course, is our, best example. The question for me is, are we evolving or staying with the same dynamics of interacting, which caused suffering thousands of years ago as well as today? Individuals suffer on many different levels. There is a need to break down suffering into two categories for clarity. One, suffering that occurs because of accidents, illness and disease which have no cure. Non-controlled suffering, is not based on the interaction with others or society (collective). Then there is controlled suffering, where personal interaction can bruise an ego (there is soul growth here or soul damage depending if the approach is of clear intent and truthful) along with our unhealthy collective worldview of separation influencing situations and personal well being.
Non-controlled suffering is accidents that occur, like falling off the ladder, illness, disease where a cure is waiting to be found and many others. Controlled suffering on the collective level and individual level is a result of separation between the have and have-nots, cultural and racial differences, sexual distortion issues, hierarchical concepts in cultures, separation on the male-female level leading to devaluing an individual, verbal and physical abuse, etc. These issues we can change and end suffering by shifting our view point regarding what we value. If we stay with the thinking that suffering brings forth a greater consciousness and burning up of the ego, why should we participate to bring a better way of life? We have suffered as human beings for thousands of years and our consciousness has not shifted and I will say it is up for grabs today.
The thought that it is healthy to have children suffer today so they can grow into a more conscious human being is madness at best. How long should the suffering take place and at what point will they get it? By the time they might have suffered enough, will that make them conscious or angry? How can we reconcile that a five year old who is sold into sex slavery will find her greater consciousness through that suffering? That thought leaves me empty; it is our distorted sexual patterns and power that continues to allow this interaction to happen. One can say that I don't have a clear perspective and have made an attachment to the situation. Yours, mine and everyone else's distortion affects the collective thinking and interaction.
When it comes to non-controlled suffering, it is the way we handle it and what we can obtain and process through it in a healthy way that transforms the situation. But, when it comes to controlled suffering, we applaud many individuals who have transition from an unhealthy situation to make their way in life (rightfully so). They are few compared to the greater number that suffers because of our distorted worldview and what we value. If they can do it so can everyone else. That viewpoint makes it easy not to question our own humanity and what we value. Suffering is a part of life, so don't ask me to truly challenge my perspective. The energy of suffering is a way of life because we accept it to be that way. We pass these thoughts from generation to generation. We pass the acceptance of poverty, allowing individuals to become a disposal commodity, disease to exist (even though there is a cure), sexual distortion, money distortion, our material attachments, abuse, war you name it. I did not cause the suffering, it is those that are suffering who have the personal responsibility to handle it and evolve with it. Again, with that thinking, controlled suffering continues on.
A child suffers in their early years, maybe parental sexual or verbal abuse or emotional neglect. They can develop trust issues, relationship issues, power issues, unworthy issues and maybe or probably pass it on to their children. I will say few will automatically have burned off ego. It is our willingness to feel emotionally uncomfortable to break down those attachments and distortions, along with resolving a separation perspective to a wholeness worldview that will end suffering, especially for our children. There are a few who will experience this resolution transformation like a lighting bolt. But, most of us need the guts and willingness to ride the edge of insanity to break linear thinking, personal identifications and attachments. This process will stop the idea of the continuation of suffering to come forward. All these distortions won't just walk away. They have a life force of their own on the individual, generational and collective level.
The question to ask yourself-do you have the guts and willingness to be insane on a temporary basis? Leaving your identifications and attachments will cause you to float into a whirlpool of emptiness not knowing who or what you are. But, it will create the space (the freedom from attachments and identifications) to bring forth a clear and healthy perspective and consciousness not only for yourself but also present the potential to impact on the global level. Now, I feel there needs to be a discussion about what is Consciousness. There are two aspects to Consciousness, the unconscious part and the conscious part. Consciousness, which we are a part of, is always creating and expressing itself even through suffering and distorted relationships which leads to war and torture. Consciousness is not just conscious and awareness, it is also unconscious looking to understand itself. The Earth is not going to be inundated with love from the heaven or other influences outside of us. How great if that would happen. We live in the world of polarity (duality) so that Consciousness (us) can experience and resolve itself to evolve towards a greater understanding and awareness. Since we are Consciousness expressing itself, it is our responsibility to find that resolution of polarity (duality) within each one of us. We need to resolve our attachments, need for power and money, materialistic perspective and how we create and maintain hatred on the religious, socio-economic level and cultural level. It always comes down to us.
Controlled suffering can be eliminated by being conscience. It happens because of our recognition and desire not to push our will on to someone else. Living freely or with consciousness not to push our will on someone else starts to break our materialistic attachments and identities to who and what we think we are which causes separation on the personal and collective level. Separation on any level is causing controlled suffering. "Truth is God" Mahatma Gandhi discovered and there is no truth when you push your will on someone else. Be that fearless heart so that Consciousness can evolve not only on the individual (unless that is all you seek) but on the collective level. If not then accept the consciousness and suffering we are expressing in today's worlds as perfect. The decision is ours.
Will the shift in consciousness change for everyone and at the same time? Probably not, individuals experience the journey here on Earth differently. There is not only Consciousness as a whole expressing itself but also Consciousness on the individual level. We decide how we experience life here, we decide if suffering continues to be part of the collective and we can only change that with the willingness to have a fearless heart and face all those attachments, distorted concepts and how to live life differently that what has been passed down from generation to generation.
