Is This Paradise?i

[SteveS55]

I have heard some teachers in the Eastern traditions say that this existence is “paradise” and life itself is sacred. Most of my life I assumed that this wasn’t true, and that life often sucked, and sometimes sucked badly. Also, most of the people I have known would agree with me. I guess that’s the problem when a bunch of unenlightened people get together and start discussing “life”.

 

I saw a bumper sticker on a car today that said: “Life is so very simple”. This struck me as probably true, and I started thinking about how much our minds influence our perspective on life. A mere flick of a mental switch can turn life from “hell” to “paradise”, and back again.

 

I want to forget about everything I’ve been told about life; whether it’s paradise, a veil of tears, or something in between. What others have to say about this is irrelevant. I want to find out for myself and, if there is a purpose, or goal to my own life it would be this alone. Whether or not I realize it in this life, or the next, or the one after that doesn’t matter to me much, but I think we all need to at least start. My hope is that everyone else will realize this as well. It would make life “so very simple”.

 

Peace.

Steve

Edited October 31, 2014 by SteveS55

[soma]

Steve that is very profound. My big break through was when I accepted suffering and that very act connected it to peace.

[SteveS55]

Hi Soma,

 

You are very fortunate to have realized this. I think it is pretty rare to find those who have. I have been able to slowly understand that while suffering is pervasive, it is not "personal". I think when we take suffering "personally", we try to avoid it at all costs, and end up creating internal conflict and additional suffering. But, suffering is woven into the fabric of things. Acceptance of this is a hard thing to come by but, as you say, it is the doorway to peace.

 

Steve

[romansh]

Evolution has endowed us the capacity to perceive suffering.