Breaking the Chain of Pain
In contemplation of the human experience, one might find that we are like hamsters stuck on the wheel of life. Everyday people all over the world practice
suffering in some form—physically, mentally, emotionally, even spiritually. Some feeling damned from birth. We keep hoping for an ideal lifestyle, a better way of being, only to find ourselves back to square one--unhappy. It is not a conscious behavior; it is unconscious, a vicious cycle that has been a part of our existence from the beginning of mankind. In our constant quest for finding something outside of ourselves to fulfill an empty void inside, we get caught up in the illusion of what is and then we perpetuate a chain of pain. Our hope for
happiness turns to despair in a blink of an eye as soon as circumstances darken or attention is brought to our unfulfilled desires.
After reading about the life of
Buddha in
Deepak Chopra’s new book of the same name, I was fascinated by this one man’s innate desire to figure out the truth; and his courage to find it. I had only known of the master we call Buddha, the enlightened one. The truth is he was a confused man, a fearful human like the rest of us. He had a dysfunctional family, unanswered questions and challenges at every turn. His life represented perhaps the worst of any. Yet, it also revealed that we have the power to change, moment by moment.
Our suffering, just like our pleasures, is like names on a voter’s ballot. You get to choose the one you want. You can even choose a neutral party; the one that is detached from either result. In his quest to stamp out suffering, Buddha discovered it was not only impossible, but more importantly, it was unnecessary. Each play a significant role in our growth. When we release ourselves from attachment to both our pain and pleasure, we can experience life from its purest state. He called it nirvana. No more blindly running on the wheel of life. No more expectations. No more worries. No more fear. No more illusions. In our detachment to everything, we find we want for nothing. Only our infinite self remains.
Not only has our human existence been chasing a phantom life, we have also been asleep at the wheel, clueless to what is really happening. We are ego driven. In other words, we are on autopilot. In denial, we dupe ourselves daily; blaming others for our troubles, convincing ourselves that our unhappiness is the result of some outside source. We are totally ignorant to our own self sabotage.
This
naive state reminds me of the plea Jesus made from the cross, literally for those who were to murder him, but metaphorically to all of humanity.
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” He was fully awake and knew that all of humanity was sleepwalking; having no clue as to our own light, which really is what connects us all.
How do we escape the trap? How do we snap out of the daze and open our eyes to our fullest potential? Buddha says it is through the ongoing practice of
mindfulness and meditation. By bringing stillness to the mind, we spontaneously break the chain of pain. We are illuminated by the
peace and joy that already exist in us. And, with this new perspective, we will see that everything else was only a shadow of the truth.
Awakening is a decision. It involves making
changes; some big and some small. Some will challenge you, all will enlighten you. Every journey is different, unique as every human.
Success is not in the destination, it is in your unique journey. No right or wrong; just the unfolding of awareness.
So where do you begin? Start by spending 10 minutes twice a day just sitting with your eyes closed and breathing. Notice your thoughts. Notice you emotions. Begin to notice life from a place of stillness. Then let me know what you are noticing.
As you embark, remember what Buddha told his disciples,
“Just do your best.”
Maggie Kalas, RM, ATP
While past research using neuro-imaging technology has shown that meditation techniques can promote significant changes in brain areas associated with concentration, it has always been assumed that extensive training was required to achieve this effect. Though many people would like to boost their cognitive abilities, the monk-like discipline required seems like a daunting time commitment and financial cost for this benefit.