Hi,
My name is Karen and this is an Insight Moment.
What to do when the universe says no?
Trust the universe.
What if you don't like the answer?
Trust the universe.
There are some constants in this life upon which you can truly rely.
Change is constant.
And change by its very nature is volatile.
When we truly comprehend the impermanence of all things,
We can perhaps better accept the comings and goings,
The hellos and goodbyes of this life.
Although it may not feel easy,
And in truth,
At times,
It's going to break your heart.
Will we ever stop feeling pain?
Not as long as we live is the short answer.
But perhaps we can lessen our suffering if we accept the answers being offered by the universe.
We are born with infinite wisdom.
That is wisdom of sense and sensibility,
Sense,
The awareness of reason,
Of meaning,
Of discernment,
And sensibility,
Emotions,
Susceptibilities,
Feelings.
By awakening our sense of discernment to our susceptibilities,
We can see more clearly the answer to our question.
Perhaps we're not asking the right question.
In the Buddhist tradition,
There are four noble truths.
The first noble truth is to know the truth of suffering.
Suffering is either physical,
Emotional,
Or mental in nature.
We are living in an ongoing state of dissatisfaction.
Ask yourself whether or not you are suffering in a current situation,
Regardless of whether it is physical,
Emotional,
Or mental in nature.
If the answer is yes,
Know the second noble truth.
The second noble truth is to know the origins of suffering.
Suffering dissatisfaction arises from causes and conditions.
Ask what is causing this suffering or is providing the conditions to this suffering?
Likely you think to yourself you already have a pretty good idea to both of those first questions.
Now ask yourself,
Do you truly want to end this suffering?
Now don't be too quick to say yes because all suffering is a choice.
And you may say now wait a minute here of course I want to end my suffering.
Nobody wants to suffer.
But the third noble truth is this,
The truth of cessation.
There is a possibility of reaching a state where that dissatisfaction,
That suffering has ceased.
Sounds so simple doesn't it?
Would that it were so.
Ah,
You say it's a trick.
The truth only says that there is a way to be free of suffering.
No,
Not a trick at all.
The fourth noble truth,
The truth of the path.
There is a path for us to follow that will bring us to such a state.
Follow the path and be free of suffering.
And there it is.
It's actually very simple.
And of course what makes this answer to your original question,
What should I do,
All the more delicious,
Is that you knew the answer all along.
You knew the answer before you asked the question.
But you didn't like the answer.
The question you asked the universe was,
Not in these words necessarily,
Can I continue on my current path in which I acknowledge that I'm unhappy and become happy?
And not surprisingly,
The universe said no.
The universe doesn't want you to suffer.
You need to ask,
Should I stay or should I go?
Now,
Ask yourself.
If someone that you love dearly asked whether they should remain in a situation where they will continue to suffer,
They will continue to be in pain for the rest of their natural life,
When there is a doorway through which they could easily go,
Would you tell them that they should really consider going through that doorway to find a better path?
You might be calling out right now,
But this space where I am has the potential to become so much better,
If only.
But that is not what is.
What is,
Is your decision to continue to suffer.
Trust the universe.
Stay if you wish,
But stay without expectation that it will ever improve,
Or it may.
Know also it could become worse.
Trust the universe.
That you knew this already,
And that you were hoping the universe would give you permission,
Invite you to stay in pain.
Trust that for whatever reason,
You don't like the answer,
Because there is still a tiny seed of hope that you can somehow control the outcome.
Know this as well.
You know that you could have controlled the outcome,
You would surely have done it already.
The universe does not want you to suffer.
The universe does not want you to suffer,
And this is why you have been given infinite and universal wisdom.
But it has no power over whether or not you will utilize this wisdom.
Change is by nature volatile.
Trust that there will be pain,
Regardless of which path you choose.
The question then,
I suppose,
Is,
How much do you wish to suffer?
How much do you wish to suffer?
