Dear Ones,
This morning, I was listening to a 2015 lecture by master Djwhal entitled, “Suffering, the gift nobody wants.”
A few words toward the end had caught my attention earlier on as I listened to the lecture. I will post them at the bottom of this post.
The question that came to me was about the “intersection” of suffering and compassion.
In others words, how does suffering allow us to develop a heart of gold, a heart of compassion?
And possibly, another question which has to do with the reason for our suffering.
A small yet meaningful example came to mind.
Some thirty years ago, I went through some very difficult times while studying in Wisconsin; possibly the most challenging time of my life.
A few years later, I learned that I in fact went through what is called a Dark Night of the Soul. Fair enough; it was good to have an explanation, in retrospect, and know that some other folks have walked this somber path.
In April of this year, a woman approached me via email. She was going through a difficult time because of the loss of landmarks (and strange attitude of her neighbors) she experienced during the pandemic. We spoke on two occasions for more than one hour. After our first conversation, I had the feeling that she was going through a Dark Night and mentioned it to her. I also sent her a list of questions that I thought could be helpful to reflect on; and finally gave her a couple of book references, one of them about St. John of the Cross, the 16th century Spanish priest and mystic. It looks like all of this was beneficial and this person was grateful.
I am sharing this ‘mystical encounter’ because we never know how we might help people down the “road of our life,” especially when they are struggling on the path.
Having experienced this strange episode gave me the foresight and ‘expertise’ to look at this person’s life with what I would call “wise eyes.”
Knowing we so rarely understand why something happens to us, and who is it that we are going to encounter on this path. Besides angels and our loving spiritual guides, that is!
Looking forward to seeing you on Friday, dear Ones!
“Suffering, the gift nobody wants”
The Buddha’s teachings on impermanence, compassion and emptiness are as profoundly pertinent today as they were a couple of millennia ago.
Indeed, they offer precisely what is needed to eliminate suffering and engender a truly meaningful life.
What’s more these teachings are imperative I would say, those for liberating the mind and for the further civilization of planet Earth. How wonderful for all of you that these great wisdom teachers have mapped out the rules for transcending suffering. Indeed, the foundations they laid will serve aspirants today as powerfully as they served your spiritual forebears.
And further, this precious journey will ultimately culminate in the realization of omniscient mind. What is required of you is simply the spiritual courage to undertake the journey with a mind bent on the welfare of others.
With these and a solid method of practice, a successful journey is categorically assured.
Remember, you are merely following the steps of the great Ones before you. As they succeeded, so surely will you.
My parting advice is that you learn to release all resistance to the awakening mind of enlightenment. As you do so, you will come to embrace awareness so vast it will dissolve all mental blocks and impediments. In the end, you too, will find that half the ocean can indeed dissolve into the dew drop.
In closing, I will leave you with a solstice blessing.
Shantideva’s Love prayer, from Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
“As long as space endures, as long as sentient beings remain, may I too abide to dispel the suffering of all sentient beings.”
Link to Facebook invitation:
Nurturing the Gift of Seeking 