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The cause of our suffering, our daily struggles and challenges in life can be easily linked to the Second Noble Truth of Buddhism : "Our suffering is caused by our cravings, our desire that life be different than it is at this moment." (Paraphrased by this writer).
Isn't this the simple truth? We suffer, we become unhappy on a daily basis, because life , our partner, our money, our career, our health, our faith is not what we hoped it might be at this time in our life. Period.
It is amazing how much drama and crisis we create because life is not what we think it should be. "Life", by the way, could care less what we want, or what we desire. "Life" is just doing it's job, being itself, and very happy at this very moment I might add.
In my conversations with so many people, when it gets down to the truth, they will often say things like, "if my husband would just quit drinking......if I just had more money....if I had been raised by a sane parent.....if I only had a partner...if God would just for once answer my prayers....if men were'nt all dogs...if I could just lose 30 pounds...". Of course the list is endless, but you get the picture.
We have the audacity to think that if life was just different than it is at this moment, we'd be happy. What a line of crap! I say this with sincere respect to all who think life would be a piece of cake if this one thing was different, because until we get to the root of craving, of the addiction to our desires, nothing will ever make us happy for any length of time.
How do I know this to be true? Because, I too have struggled with the concept of true and lasting inner peace. And what continues to raise it's little head is the fact that once this "one" little desire that we have is fulfilled, we'll find another issue that needs to be resolved to be "truly" happy. It's an endless cycle, or so it seems to be.
"Well, yes, my husband finally quit drinking, but I just wish he'd find a way to earn a decent income." And the list begins to build all over again.
Now, don't get me wrong, it's totally appropriate and healthy to have desires to improve our place in life. The problem arises when we crave the desire, and put our happiness on the back of getting that desire fulfilled. We truly will never find lasting happiness, as long as it depends on something outside of what we have right now. In this very moment.
It seems that all of the greatest teachers in this world, from Buddha, to Christ and more have all preached the same thing. " Be happy where you are at this very moment, accept where you are at this very moment, and happiness, peace, Heaven, bliss, will be at your door. "
Slow down.Find a way to experience peace right here, in this moment , right now.
Pray, meditate, write a gratitude list. Be present.
Love, peace, David Essel http://www.davidessel.com
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If it was not for you David, I would have gave up on living. I had so so many "one things" and I did not know where to start first. Your book and teachings were a God Send and he has answered my prayers. Everyday a new "one thing" pops up on my list. Instead of being miserable and unhappy,(well maybe for a little while I am) I embrace the fact that he is showing me the way. I know I have power to control all things in life and I step up to the plate, put my best foot forward and precede on to my task at hand.
ReplyDeleteSharon Striker Kayser