Do we expect too much?

We suffer not because things are impermanent, but because we want things to be permanent when they are not." Whenever a deep loss occurs, whether that be a job, a possession, a relationship or failing health, it's as if something inside of us dies. A piece of us that we once identified with is no longer there. We then ask, "without this...who am I"? This dissolution of our identity can be extremely painful. It leaves a hole in the fabric of our existence. When we are faced with this pain, do not ignore it, but accept that it is there. If we face and accept this strange sense of emptiness, we find that it isn't such a fearful place. We may be surprised to find peace shining through. Whenever a part of us dies, it allows the formless and unmanifested to shine through the opening left in the soul.

Be here now . We tend to live in mind made models of how things ought to be, rather than allowing things to be as they are. We construct for ourselves a story that things shouldn't be a certain way, but yet, here we are. When we hold onto models of the past, we lose touch with the present, with what is, with Truth.

The present moment is all we ever really have, and when we awaken to this, we can start to lessen our grip on the ever fleeting winds of the past. Most will find suffering aversive, and push it away. This will only cause it to grow. We must allow the suffering to be consumed into us. When we close our hearts to the experiences of life, the pain takes hold. We need to bear the unbearable, to keep our hearts open in hell so to speak. We can then use our challenges as a vehicle for transformation, as stepping stones in our path, rather than obstacles. To become a stronger, more loving, more evolved version of ourselves.

In conclusion things are as they are, we suffer because we imagined different.