Suffering = Stuck The Wheel of the Cart by GP Walsh Page 1
Suffering = Stuck The word the Buddha used for suffering was the Sanskrit word dukkha. While in English we translate it suffering but a more accurate definition is discontent, not quite rightness. The word suffering is quite intense and most people think of it as extreme pain. But originally Buddha was referring to a very subtle and, for most of us, a constant dissatisfaction with what is. So constant, in fact, that we don't even realize it's there. I am convinced that, if we become more sensitive to the subtle undercurrent of the feeling of discontent that is our norm, and learn to release it, that our progress towards the sense of permanent freedom and peace will be accelerated. Interestingly enough, there is an older definition of that word dukkha. The word originated long before the Buddha and its meaning is quite fascinating. Dukkha originally referred to the axle hole on a horse drawn cart. When the hole was out of true the axle turned with great difficulty, or not at all. So dukkha eventually became the term for being out of true, which meant unable to move freely or, in a word, stuck! Page 2
As an interesting aside, and it is doesn't seem to be an accident, that when Buddha attained his enlightenment and decided (was persuaded actually) to attempt to teach the rest of us, the heavens rejoiced because the wheel of the Dharma had begun to turn. The wheel of the way, it appears, was again turning true. In all my years of teaching and coaching, the one thing I have noticed above all else is the tendency of us humans to get stuck somewhere. Everyone seems to have a favorite place that is particularly sticky. For spiritual people it is stuck in some spiritual principle For religious people it is stuck in the beliefs of the religion For non-dualists it's stuck in the absolute For self-help fans it's stuck in the process For materialists it's stuck in attainment and gains For the intellectual it's stuck in some idea For scientists it's stuck in objectivity For everyone it is stuck in some point of view that has been deemed the truth Reality isn t stuck. It is constantly flowing. Concepts in the mind are fixed, but reality isn't. That seems odd because thoughts seem so ephemeral and reality so solid, bit it is ideas that are static, reality is totally fluid. Here is how that works. The mind takes a snapshot of reality (we call it memory) and holds that image, thoroughly convinced it now has the right picture. It's not an unreasonable point of view, really. Most things change either more qickly than we can perceive or more slowly than we can detect. Never the less, everything is constantly changing. In fact, without Page 3
change, life would simply stop. Without that constant flow you really couldn t even call it life. Buddha called this state of things impermanence and taught, most importantly that impermanence is the real nature of everything. Ok, so this is the nature of life; everything is constantly flowing, moving, transforming, never in a constant state. So how does suffering arise? Suffering arises when we want things to stay the same when it is their very nature to change. To me, the recognition of impermanence is the heart and soul of the practice of emotional releasing. It is to willingly let go of the totally futile habit of trying to hold on to something that has already changed in the time you have been looking at it. Letting go actually becomes easy once the wisdom of impermanence dawns on you. When it becomes obvious that the only thing you are holding on to is a picture and that reality cannot be held at all. The recognition of impermanence also reveals the nature of all of our resistance, which is nothing other than the habit of either: Wanting things to remain the same (if you happen to like the way they are right now) or Wanting them to change into what our fixed picture says they should be Admiting impermanence makes it easy to simply let go of all that. The only thing you are really resisting is not knowing what is going to happen (which you don t, by the way). Page 4
As a result (and also by habit) you imagine the worst. The worst being anything that is different from that fixed picture. Immersing yourself in impermanence, letting it permeate every aspect of your being, every cell in your body, being willing to honestly and courageously face the fear of letting go and admitting you aren't in control and never were, THAT is freedom. Letting go of control is simply the admission of a fact. We only resist making this admission since we fear that if we let go of control we will be unsafe. Odd really, since we never had control in the first place. So we are, in fact, afraid of the truth. Now how useful is that? Freedom is not in the control of things, it is in the acceptance of things So let's make a new plan. Why don't we accept things as they are? And hey, while we re at it, let s go beyond mere acceptance and completely embrace it. Since this is the way it is anyway and there is nothing you can do about it, you might as well jump in with both feet and take a swim, rather than stand on the shore wondering if it's safe. Page 5
Freedom is not a destination. It is the conscious choice to allow yourself to be moved by life. And, to go without knowing where you are going. And certainly, not attempting to control the destination or even the steps along the path. Any attempt to stay where you are, however well motivated or safe it may seem, is stuckness and stuck = suffering. Since everything IS constantly changing, you can't actually ever be stuck. You can only THINK you are. So, would you be willing to take a leap into the unknown and recognize that that picture you are holding, as to how things should be, is not only not possible, it s not real? Maybe it is time to decide, once and for all, that you will go wherever life takes you? Then get ready for the ride of your life. GP Walsh is a spiritual teacher, life coach, personal growth facilitator, speaker, author and workshop leader living on the beach in Miami in the US. He consults with people all over the world as well as facilitates group work on the phone and in person. GP answers all of his emails personally and you can contact him at g@gpwalsh.com. He provides lots of free information and content as well as guided meditation and audio teaching on his web site http://gpwalshcoaching.com. Please drop by and pay him a visit. Page 6