The root of all suffering and joy

[Farnaby]

@krockerman in my experience the root cause of suffering is resisting the unfolding of reality. 

If your present experience is unpleasant and you resist that you suffer. If you accept it, you may feel all sorts of unpleasant stuff, but it will flow through you. 

I've personally not experienced 24/7 of joy, but every time I fall back into suffering I can see how I'm resisting reality in some way. When I let go of that resistance, joy comes naturally. 

Not saying this is the only root of suffering but at least for someone who has his basic needs met, and who isn't being tortured or something extreme like that, I would argue that we create our own suffering by resisting what is. 

Pleasure comes from fulfilling desires, but I think there's truth in the statement "joy is our natural state".

[allislove]

The root of all suffering is identification with "I am separate entity" belief. Due to this belief there is a resistance to what is. The root of joy is you, happiness is your true nature.

Desire... contemplate "want" vs "need"  

[Moksha]

3 hours ago, BipolarGrowth said:

@Moksha can you name one of these cancer patients, or is this merely a seemingly plausible assumption you’ve made based on your beliefs about awakening? 

Are you always filled with joy like these cancer patients? Have you experienced this directly for yourself and permanently? 

Just trying to get more info to see if the stories of transcending suffering are true. I’ve experienced this before, but it only lasted a couple weeks during the longest experience. 

Are you familiar with the research of Steve Taylor? He is a spiritual psychologist who has researched awakening experiences. I saw a talk from him a few months ago, where he mentioned one woman that he interviewed who awakened after learning that she had terminal cancer. It dramatically and permanently changed her view of reality, and she lived in a state of joy until she finally passed.

Since my awakening in May, my suffering has reduced dramatically. I do have an ego attack once in a while, and am working on dissolving my remaining attachments, but my natural state is mostly free from suffering. It is a paradigmatic transformation that I never could have anticipated, or knew was possible. I no longer identify with my thoughts, nor do I look for happiness outside of myself. My lifestyle has completely changed. I still honor life, but I take it much less seriously. I realize that "I" is just a transitional label, and that "my" identity is the same changeless reality that imbues all things. I had mini-awakenings numerous times during my life, like many people do, but this was different. It was a direct realization that was a seismic and permanent shift in Consciousness.

[Breakingthewall]

2 hours ago, allislove said:

The root of all suffering is identification with "I am separate entity" belief.

16 hours ago, hyruga said:

 

The problem is that you must believe that you are a separate identity to survive. The abandon is difficult when the Lions are running against you. I think that's why to trascend the ego is a very difficult job

[allislove]

@Breakingthewall

Just my perspective, let it go if it doesn't resonate. 

See that the examples with lions, survival, ego, difficulties are all completely made up. That's not your actual experience. You never saw the ego, you never was eaten by lions. That's all just a story. You (I don't know how old you are) somehow survived till this day, somehow every day sun rises, somehow there is enough oxygen, but this is taken for granted. What I am suggesting here is investigation of the direct experience via meditation practices, letting go. Perhaps, taking psychedelics for opening the mind for the new possibilities. You are not just a human, you are creator of everything. Let go the identification with a separate entity and see that this is a path of least resistance, see that everything you want comes to you effortlessly. Believe in yourself, this is literally the magic. 

Break the wall ?

[Breakingthewall]

@allislove i agree with you, the root of all suffering is the belief that I'm separate identity. I wanted to say that it's very difficult to break that belief. When I realize what I am with psychedelic , when the ego is coming back, is telling: being, don't send me a sickness, let me keep my body without injury, don't send me to the misery. The ego is strong. I know what I am but same time a part of me want to keep my 2 legs for walking. Maybe coz I had life that make me to figth, the ego is stronger., now I want to let it go because I see very clear that the ego is a trap and what I am is...the joy that you was before you had 2 years old. The being. But even knowing that is difficult, but not impossible of  course, psychedelic are a gift, but not only, you need auto observation all time to understand imo

Edited December 31, 2020 by Breakingthewall

[allislove]

@Breakingthewall

These threads were very helpful on my path, hope it works for you too. 

 

[Breakingthewall]

@allislove very interesting. Both experiences are inspiring