We are sorrowful because we want to avoid sorrow.
The more we want to avoid sorrow, the more sorrowful we are. The key to ending sorrow is to accept it. It is very surprising that when we are courageous enough to accept the sorrow, the sorrow will go away.
TO EMBRACE PAINS
Number 570 asked:
"Hi, buddy, how did you get in here?"
Number 577 replied:
"I was accidentally involved in an embezzlement and was sentenced to three years. I was framed. I did not take a penny."
"Why do you look cheerful? It usually takes two years for a prisoner to be acquainted with the circumstance here and feel less sadness."
"Yeah, I have a belief that everywhere we live offers a chance for us to learn. Prison also has its own chance for us. Now that I am here, I will live wholeheartedly here, and not think about the outside. That makes me peaceful."
"Where did you learn this philosophy?"
"I learned this when I was betrayed. The girl whom I loved the most and took care of wholeheartedly left me to marry a rich man. I nearly committed suicide from the heartbreak. I was messed up for three days. It was like falling into a whirlpool without an escape. Suddenly on the fourth day, I changed my mind, not trying to escape anymore, but embracing the pain in my heart. An easy feeling appeared. I kept practicing embracing the pain in my heart instead of trying to escape from it. It took me another four days to stop feeling painful."
"Since then, I applied this method in all difficult situations. When I'm insulted, I accept. When I'm harmed, I face it. With such a reaction, I gave up anger and sadness. When being calm, I make better decisions and more ethical solutions. This time I experience being imprisoned, and I also embrace it, live entirely with it, so I am as happy as living outside."
"You surprise me a lot, buddy."
We are sorrowful because we want to avoid sorrow. The more we want to avoid sorrow, the more sorrowful we are. The key to ending sorrow is to accept it. It is very surprising that when we are courageous enough to accept the sorrow, the sorrow will go away.
When we accept the sorrow, we also accept the mistakes we made in the past. The psyche which accepts the mistakes is moral, and thus it will give us the strength to dissolve the pain.
Sometimes, we have to take on undesirable roles at work. If we are resentful, we will work ineffectively and will hurt ourselves all the time. If we accept such unpleasant situations, live and work wholeheartedly with it, and are not distracted by other positions, it will immediately put our mind at ease, and we will work more effectively.
When we get a painful disease, we need treatment, of course. But if we keep longing for the day when the illness goes away, we will keep drowning in suffering. If we accept such illness, of course with treatment, we will feel better.
Embracing pain is a great skill that helps us overcome that pain. Those who do not have the courage will find it difficult to achieve acceptance. It requires great wisdom and ethics to embrace the pain.
Janna