There are two ways one can progress and grow:
1. By attaining the right knowledge and applying it directly, or
2. By undergoing suffering, and as a result, gaining wisdom.
While the first method is ideally the best, people generally learn only after suffering repeatedly.
Therefore, suffering is not an unfortunate byproduct of life; rather, it is an essential element that shapes and refines individuals. It helps invoke inner strength and gives us the ability to develop personally by acquiring wisdom when faced with challenges. When we face tough times, it pushes us further and gets us to question what fundamentally should be the essence of our lives. So, in a way, suffering provokes us to delve deep into ‘Who am I?’ and ‘What is my purpose in life?’
So, yes, suffering does make us grow stronger and it makes us wise thereby helping us become better versions of ourselves. Without suffering in our lives, we would never know what pain is and we would only be running after different pleasures all our life, which could hold us back from truly understanding ourselves and reaching our full potential.
With this said, just how does one cope with the suffering that occurs in our life?
- During times of suffering, it is important to maintain a positive mindset and refrain from dwelling on negative thoughts. When you remain positive, you will attract positive evidence in your life to help you through difficult times.
- One helpful practice is to pray to God or the Lord for strength each day, taking 15 to 20 minutes to do so. This can help you cope better with your suffering.
- Another way to alleviate suffering is through pratikraman, which means asking for forgiveness. This is a powerful tool that can help reduce suffering by addressing the root causes of our pain. Often, we experience suffering because we have caused suffering to others and practicing pratikraman can help remove that hurt.
- It's important to not blame others for our suffering, and seeking justice may only lead to more suffering. Instead, we should accept that whatever is happening in our lives is a result of our actions. The ‘Science of Karma’, can be summarised by the logic of Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the founder of Akram Vignan, who notably said, "Fault is of the Sufferer." This means that nothing can happen to us without it being a result of our own karmic account. This logic is even supported by the third law of physics, which states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Putting the above into practice can help you positively navigate pain and suffering in life without being overwhelmed.
The ultimate solution to experiencing freedom from pain and suffering is…??
The best way to not be overwhelmed by suffering is to attain Self-realisation (Gnan). You experience pain and suffering because you believe, ‘l am John (pls insert your name here)’. But when you know that really I am a Pure Soul and John is temporary, then you will be able to separate the one who is suffering from the ‘I’. So, with this knowledge of the Self, John may undergo suffering, but you, as the Pure Soul, will be the knower of John’s pain and suffering without being overwhelmed by it. Once you are Self-realised, this awareness of ‘I am Pure Soul’, will remain with you all of the time, no matter what type of pain or suffering John is experiencing.
Notably, attaining Self-realisation is the prime and ultimate goal of human beings, and this knowledge brings with it the greatest aspect of personal development and wisdom that any human being could hope to gain.
Read More: https://dbf.adalaj.org/Htae6WFY
Ambalal M. Patel was a civil contractor by profession. In June 1958, spontaneous Self-Realization occurred within Ambalal M. Patel. From this point on, Ambalal became a Gnani Purush, and the Lord that manifested within him became known as Dada Bhagwan. A Gnani Purush is One who has realized the Self and is able to help others do the same. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan used to go from town to town and country-to-country to give satsang (spiritual discourse) and impart the knowledge of the Self, as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interactions to everyone who came to meet him. This spiritual science, known as Akram Vignan, is the step-less path to Self-realization.