Suffering is a collection of experiences that you feel has negatively impacted you. Any experience you consider negative or positive is an experience that you continue to be attached to. Attachment to anything means you have identified with it. As long as you identify with something it is stuck with you. Anything stuck causes suffering.
Ashta-deb
Acceptance is to embrace all experiences as one. Neither is good nor bad. Acceptance cultivates forgiveness for self and others. It brings physical, mental and spiritual balance and clarity. It is essential to good health. Acceptance cultivates compassion and joy.
All emotion is energy in motion. Energy is meant to be in continuous flow through you, around you and within you. When suffering occurs, it is when the flow of energy has become obstructed. Obstruction occurs when we label energy which is meant to be in motion.
Energy remains formless until labeled. A Label gives form to the formless. The label or name table is a table. The label chair is a chair. The form is held by the label it is assigned. Solid matter is not meant to be in motion.
Emotions however are met to be in motion. A label on an emotion of anxious becomes known as anxiety, sadness becomes known as sad, happiness becomes known as happy, etc. Observe the form is not the label but the label is the form. This is important to note as you want the chair to hold its form, but you don’t want anxiety to hold its form. You want it to flow.
A need to label is mankind’s way of understanding his world. External labeling works for solid matter. However, internal labeling obstructs the flow of energy, causing suffering. Internal energy should remain nameless. Consider – if you did not know the name ‘helpless’, how would you know when ‘helplessness’ descends upon you. You would not. Factually the energy would flow in and out unnoticed with little or no discomfort. Understand how you labeled your emotions so that you can un-label them.
Channelling Your Suffering
There are many causes of suffering. Finding the root is important. When experiencing suffering self-question; “What do I need now?” “Why do I need this?” “Between ages 0 and 12 when was the first time I felt this energy?”
A Label attaches you to a belief that no longer exists. Investigate your beliefs. What were you told as a child? What do you say as an adult? And what would you change now?
Belief means you are either for or against something. Embrace duality by finding that which is similar between the two sides.
Observe your self-talk. What do you say about yourself? E.g. I am clumsy, I am a screw-up, I am ugly. Whatever you label yourself that is what you will be and feel. Release all labels. Even a label - “I am beautiful” becomes toxic as suffering will come when beauty fades.
When the energy of suffering arises, move into it, don’t run or try to suppress it. Cry if you need to. Scream into a pillow. Or punch a pillow. This helps to release the energy.
Suffering is an experience. We must embrace all experiences. Self-question; “What is the understanding of this suffering?”
Release the need to label your emotions. Understand it is energy. Observe the only time you feel suffering is when you are aware of the label you have given to the energy.
When suffering arises in memory this is an indication of unresolved childhood experiences. Explore your past like an adventurer and not like a victim.
Meditation, Yoga and Pranayama are spiritual practices that balance the flow of energy.
A healthy lifestyle of proper nutrition, physical exercise and spiritual reflection balances the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of our Being.
Emotional healing requires patience and self-honesty. Suffering is also a sign that there is resistance to accepting one’s unsupportive habits and traits. Whatever your childhood programming is, it is all harboured in your subconscious mind. Observe – often what we say consciously does not match our actions. This is because our actions come from our subconscious mind. We must strive to connect our conscious and subconscious to sustain a natural flow of energy the way nature intended.
Suffering contracts your energy while Acceptance expands your energy. Expansion of energy promotes soul awareness.
About the Author:
Ashta-deb is a registered hypnotherapist and a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, Inc. She integrates Yoga Nidra (Eastern Wisdom) with Hypnosis (Western knowledge) to maximize supportive results.
She offers several online self-awareness and self-development guidance sessions via Skype. Her unique ability to apply the centuries old teachings of Vedanta to modern day life is truly amazing. Her psychic abilities allow her to see deeply into another’s soul which at times can prove unsettling. Ashta-deb engages daily in meditation and pranayama, reading books on Vedanta and experimenting with ancient yoga techniques as described in the scriptures. She enjoys her family time with her husband, Sam and four children in Ontario, Canada.
Connect with Ashta-deb on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about Life Happens to Us at www.ashtaashram.com.
