If suffering is optional, then how do we actually get rid of it? I recently did the Master Cleanse Detox for 10 days. I did it purely for the Detox. I wanted to get rid of poison and toxins in my body, empty out, and break the old familiar habits of things like coffee, wine, bread. Being a pretty heavy caffeine junkie I anticipated that the first couple of days might be hard. But I was not prepared for how horrible I would actually feel. The headaches were beyond painful, my tongue tasted like a combination of metal and being sick, and I was so not a good Mom for those couple of days. I laid on the couch wondering if I should just stop now while I kept the TV on for Rami so he would not want me to play with him. By day 3 or 4 I started feeling much better and then the rest of the days went smoothly. I felt lighter, happier, more present, and so on. It is funny weeks later that not only am I still not drinking caffeine, but I do not even think about it.This got me thinking about our kleshas, or mental afflictions. Anything that disturbs our peace of mind. Things like aggression, craving, ignorance, jealousy, arrogance, pride, and all of their offspring. I am willing to go through so much to get the things I want in life that I think will pay off. Yet, how often do we apply the same sort of willpower and strength towards our own happiness? Athletes, Lawyers, Farmers, Pilots, work so hard they often are willing to give up many things if they think in the end it will bring them the result they were looking for. What if we were willing to fight that hard for our own Enlightenment?Citing from "No Time to Lose" by Pema Chodron: "The fault of the kleshas is that we welcome them. They're familiar. When we realize that we like our kleshas, we begin to understand why they have such power over us. Hatred, for example can make us fell strong and in charge. Rage makes us feel even more powerful and invulnerable. Craving and wanting can feel soothing., romantic, nostalgic. We weep over lost loves or unfulfilled daydreams. It's painfully delicious and bittersweet. Therefore, we don't even consider interrupting the flow. Ignorance is oddly comforting: we don't have to do anything, we just lay back and don't relate to what's happening around us."
For those of us who have detoxed from heavy drug use or alcohol- it is just as difficult (maybe more) to detox from our emotions. And not only do we have to decide that we no longer want our afflictions to be controlling our life, we must be willing to take control, attack them head on. Use our anger to destroy our anger. We also have to be aware of how hard it will be. Once we start the detox all of the old habits come to the surface full force and it is painful. We must stay present and continue to use our awareness to stay grounded and focused. We must use the teachings from The Sacred Texts. Books like The Kabbalah, Bhagavad Gita, The Guide to the Boddhisattvas Way of Life, The Yoga Sutras, and The Bible just to name a few.
Use the teachings to learn how to shed the layers and layers of toxic emotions we have accumulated over our lifetime. It takes a long time to become who we are in this moment. We are not looking to gain anything but we are looking to shed the toxic energy we have accumulated and when we are done we come out on the other side..... Free. Just like how now I do not even think about coffee in the morning, it will not even occur to you to be angry, attached, jealous, suffering. It will not be an option. You will have woken up from the fantasy- realizing that the world did not exist the way you previously thought. You will become Truth, who you are meant to be. Effortlessly. Do the work now and you will be planting for a happier future, able to help others in a real way, you will just know what needs to be done and you will do it. Start by being kind to yourself, patient with yourself. There is no good or bad. There is imbalance and balance. Be okay with making mistakes.
Lama Marut: "Guilt is what we feel so we don't have to feel regret. (I am such a bad person, I can't believe I did that, etc.) If you really feel bad you won't do it again. Regret changes you." Catch yourself before you are about to act and ask yourself: "IF I STRENGTHEN THIS HABIT, WILL IT BRING SUFFERING OR RELIEF?" Spend every possible moment working towards your happiness with the belief that it will pay off. Know there is no difference between you and the Buddha. We are all equally deserving of Happiness. The Buddha lived a life just like you and I. Enlightenment can be a reality for You.
Roger Kraye "Hokusai Says"
Hokusai says look carefully.
He says to pay attention, notice.
He says keep looking, stay curious.
He says there is no end to seeing....
He says everything is alive-
Shells, buildings, people, fish
Mountains, trees. Wood is alive.
Water is alive.
Everything has it's own life.
Everything lives inside us.
He says live with the world inside you...
It matters that you care.
It matters that you feel.
It matters that you notice.
It matters that life lives through you....
Look, feel, let life take you by the hand.
Let life live through you.
