Suffering and Perception

Following is from an upcoming (Oct. 13) Long Distance Deeksha and Meditation Group. Registration information can be found at www.vedicshamanism.com/index5.html :

The ancients defined enlightenment as liberation from suffering. You normally do not think of suffering as an opposite of enlightenment, however if you consider that ignorance is at the root of all suffering it is not such a stretch.

A fundamental observation of the sages and mystics that you must be aware of is that the suffering is in the perception of the fact and not in the fact itself. Otherwise you would have to say that all who are poor are suffering. There are many who do not have so much materially, are much happier than some wealthy people. If the suffering is in the condition of blindness you would have to say that all who are blind are suffering from it. This is not the case. While some are suffering from blindness others are just blind.

Think of some examples in your life where an erroneous perception (ignorance) caused suffering in your life. For example, one morning you are walking into the Walmart and a big man looks at you and spits right on you. He has big muscles and a lot of tattoos. At his side is a big dog. He looks very dangerous so you say nothing to him. You are very upset.

All day you suffer over this. You tell everyone. You formulate scenarios of what you should have done. You fantasized about going back with a ball bat and beating him up. You pray to be able to forgive him. You judge him and might even murder him in your mind a million ways. So powerless he made you feel. Who does he think he is to spit on you like that?

You tell all your friends and by bed time you still cannot sleep so you call yet another friend.

"Can you believe some big guy spit on me in front of the Walmart today?" You ask and you begin to describe the incident and the man.

"I know that guy!" Your friend says. "He is blind."

BANG! Relief floods over you. He did not target you at all. He did not attempt to spit on you. He just spit. End of suffering. You can suffer over this incident no more even if the man spits on you 100 times.

So can we say the suffering is in the fact (that you were spit on) or the perception of the fact?

Look into your own life and find at least one example where the annihilation of ignorance led to liberation from a suffering. See how wonderful and relieved you felt. Now imagine what it would be to be liberated from all sufferings.

At 8 sit quietly and watch your breath entering and exiting the nose. Move the awareness to the brow chakra and chant the Aum 18 times. Make the Ahhh sound three times longer than the MMM sound. It is Ahhhhhhoooooom not Ahoooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. The MMM sound relates to the dream realm or the material realm. We are seeking clarity of perception not dream and illusion.

Ask the Divine Presence to give you clarity on some suffering in your life. Remember, in order to be free you only have to see.

I will give Deeksha to each of you starting at 8:15 and will be completed by 8:25.

Namaste,
Dharma Dharini