Two Possibilities: Suffering or Happiness

We experience two possibilities in every moment. We can focus all of our attention, curiosity and passion focused on what is happening. Or we can have that same curiosity, attention, and passion focused on what is not happening, or what we think should or be happening.

When we focus is on what is, our experience naturally opens up and becomes fuller, richer, and more complete. But when we focus on what is not (like the past, the future, or any idea about what would be better), our experience of what is happening narrows and contracts. In addition, inherent in a focus on what is not is a struggle with what is.

We discover that much of the time we are oriented toward what is not and in opposition to what is. Life can be mostly about how to make our experience better and have more pleasure, and how to avoid the things that are painful. We evaluate our experience to see what's wrong with this moment and how it could be improved. We ask ourselves what could be added to it to make it better. As a result, our attention becomes very narrow and our awareness very limited as we focus on our own thoughts about the moment instead of the moment itself.

When we see how much effort we spend struggling with what is, the tendency is to struggle with that-to try to change that. We decide the solution is to change our tendency to try to change everything. But that is only more struggle: except now we are struggling with our tendency to try to struggle. In a sense, we suffer over the fact that we are suffering.

What if you just notice how much you suffer, without trying to do anything about it? Just allow struggle with what is to be here. Just recognize that for now, that is what is happening. This tendency to struggle with what is, is what we were taught or conditioned to do; and this conditioning is here and is also a part of what is.

Once we take a break form being in opposition to what is, it becomes possible to see how our struggling comes from the idea of a "me". Without the basic assumption that something is happening in "my" experience, there is no point in trying to change anything. Our struggle and effort to change what is makes sense only if there is a me. It is in service to maintaining the idea or image of a me. In fact, the struggle is what makes up the me. When the struggle stops, there is no me. All of our suffering is the means by which we maintain an identity.

Once again, there is a tendency is to try to fix this by changing our beliefs about our identiy. We try to get rid of identification, which is another way of focusing on what is not. Yet, we are then still suffering because now we are struggling with our tendency to identify. Instead of accepting of what is, we are looking toward how it should be: I ought to know better; I should already know who I am.

Another possibility is to be really present to this tendency to identify, without making any effort to change it. If that's what is happening, then that's what is happening. You just let it be that way. You can even be amazed by it all, including the fact that there is a sense of a me. You see how unreal this me is, but you don't struggle to be rid of it. There's no longer an assumption that something is wrong that needs to be fixed. This subtle being with what is is what ends the suffering and brings us fully into the now.

When it is finally okay for the moment to be just the way it is-including the fact that we identify as me and therefore battle with the moment-then more of our experience can be recognized and included in our awareness. If we are willing to be present to and allow our identification, then it is also possible to notice something beyond identification, something beyond our struggle and effort to maintain a me. What that something is, for lack of a better word, is Being.

Along with identification and the suffering inherent in that, is the possibility of an awareness of this vast Being in which it all is happening. All the me is and ever has been is a idea, but we don't need to turn away from that or judge ourselves for it or try to get rid of it. Then we can start to also notice a beautiful, rich presence of Being, which is already allowing everything, including the idea of "me". We see that our struggle is only a small percentage of our experience and that this is all happening in an endless ocean of allowing. Being is and has always been allowing it all.

Allowing everything in awareness brings u sin touch with what it is that is allowing, which is Being, and that is who we really are. This can be a startling realization or a very simple one because our Being is actually quite familiar. Every experience of allowing has actually been a moment where we experienced Being.

Paradoxically, what can open our eyes to the larger reality of Being is realizing how much we actually enjoy identifying. Once we completlely allow everything, it is easier to admit that identifying as a "me" has been fun. The appearance of a separate self is a creative act. It makes up the story of our lives, and these stories inspire many to create great literature and art. We may suffer from our identity, but we also love it. The "me" is not a mistake. It's as natural as everything else in this world. But there is also the even richer possibility of no longer taking the me to be the totality of who we are. Why limit ourselves to a small identity, when the much larger Being of our true nature is always here. In that there is no suffering.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

Internationally regarded spiritual guide, Nirmala has been offering Satsang and one-to-one Spiritual Mentoring since 1998. He offers free spiritual books and many more ways to explore his teaching on endless-satsang.com.

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