Suffering Is Optional

As the old saying goes, pain is compulsory, but suffering is optional. Pain is what we will inevitably feel when something happens to our bodies. But suffering is what we create at a mental and emotional level in response to what is happening to our body or to what our perceptions are of the world around us and our lives.

Our bodies could be in pain, but we choose not to suffer. Some do manage to make that choice. I have a dear friend who happens to be my publicist and she is going through chemo for breast cancer – her mother had it and one of her sisters died from it. But when I spoke to her yesterday, I was so taken aback by her joyful attitude. She has accepted her circumstances and her choice is not to suffer.

Some people have perfect health and yet they spend their life suffering as they judge, blame, criticize and condemn others and rage against events in the world.

Bottom line – Pain is physical and suffering is mental and emotional.

So much of our suffering as individuals and in society is caused by fear. In fact, according to Buddhism, fear is at the root of ego and samsara.

So, what do you do? Let me share a story from my third book – Where Am I Going? There was this monk who would do his daily prayers and then get ready for the mediation portion of his day. Every day for a month as he relaxed, in his mind he saw this evil man. The evil man would wait for him, attack him, and beat him up. The monk would get jolted out of his meditation and physically feel like he had been punched in the gut. Every day this same scenario happened. The monk began to fear his daily meditations. One day, having had about all he could take, he figured out a way to make the evil man go away from his thoughts for good. The monk got ready, settled into his meditation, and when the evil man appeared in his mind, the monk surrounded him with thoughts of love. The evil man disappeared from his thoughts and never returned.

Love is the opposite of fear. It has nothing to do with what we see, only what we feel. We feel it in kindness, compassion, mercy, joy, peace, and acceptance.

Love is inside of us and with us always. It can never be destroyed. I am convinced it is the only thing we can take with us when we die.

Have any Feng Shui questions? Feel free to contact me at michelle@michellecromer.com and sign up for your Power Color or visit me on Facebook at Michelle Cromer Feng Shui.