Posted by toojane on January 19, 2007, at 17:18:45
I was wondering if anyone on the board has tried to address their suffering from a spiritual perspective, either with or without the help of their therapist?
Do you think suffering is a purely psychological experience and is therefore solvable or relieved by psychological interventions alone or do you think it can be seen as a spiritual problem and therefore ultimately it doesn't matter what therapy you use, none of them can work if they do not address the spiritual meaning of suffering?
I just read this in a book and wondered what others thought of it...
"Whatever is happening to us now mirrors our past karma. If we really realize that, we'll also know that when suffering comes, it's never without a reason or a cause, that it's destructive emotions and negative actions, or karma, which stem from ignorance. Suffering does not just land on us from out of nowhere, it's the result of our past actions, the karma. However, if someone's suffering, it doesn't mean that he or she is somehow a "bad" person or that the suffering is a failure or a punishment in any way, but rather it means that person is finishing, purifying, or coming to an end of a particular karma. If we can recognize this and see our suffering as a purification, then suffering is given meaning and purpose.
Also, spiritual practice can quicken the process of purification, with the result that practitioners may not have to endure prolonged suffering over many aeons or lives. The suffering is done away with more quickily. This is how practitioners come to see suffering with joy, like a broom that sweeps away all our negative karma. Then not only do we see suffering for what it truly is but in the process we accumulate tremendous positive karma.
On the other hand, if we don't see suffering as a natural part of samsara - a fact of life - or as having a cause and a meaning, not only do we have to endure the suffering but we mishandle it as well. We will not use suffering well and draw out its true purpose. Instead, if we get anxious and alarmed and develop a strong aversion to suffering, this will not only block us from our path or spiritual development but also aggravate and magnify our suffering. This in turn might make us commit more harmful actions and create negative karma, which will result in even more and even worse suffering." ~ Sogyal Rinpoche
poster:toojane
thread:724132
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20070119/msgs/724132.html