Posted by on Dec 3, 2010 in Questioning Guide, Where? | 0 comments

Suffering comes from desire. This is the trick: the greater my expectative regarding that desire, the deeper my connection with suffering.

You might say, it is impossible not to desire. Let’s start on that…

There are basic desires, or shall we call them necessities for survival: Food, basic shelter, heating, water, basic clothing, and air. I might desire those, but some of those desires can be met at ease unless you live in an extremely poor country or “your case I am not aware of”.

However, in order to meet these you need something called: Money. To get this shiny thing, society tells that you must desire it because IT will solve ALL your problems.I'd love to help if you have some money on you

This is the first big lie. But, hey… Don’t get me wrong everybody needs to find their own ways to survive. But the belief that money does buy happiness is a lie. Even reaching your goals is not really happiness. It might feel nice for a while, but that feeling fades as your attention begins to be drawn toward a new desire.

The key word here is: Attention.

The key to eradicate suffering is attention (i.e. an awareness of our desires). It is through this attention that one can observe the source of our desires as an open lens that does not judge.

The need to fulfill desires is what drives people to have power. This becomes a destructive and selfish goal of having power over others if the desire becomes difficult to attain. The more difficult to attain, the more one desires to have power to do as one would wish.

If such power does not provide that desire, one can end up feeling frustration that is parallel to suffering.

Can you see the cycle? Let’s break it down. The cycle might not be in this order. It is only as a purpose to exemplify some inner tendencies.

01I have a wish, thus I want power to fulfill that wish.

02 I want power because I must have what I expect or even “deserve”.

03If I do not get what I want, I will be violent because I feel frustration.

04If I feel frustration, I will be suffering until I get what I want.

05If I do get what I want, it will not satisfy me… So, I will need something else to want.

What to end it? Want to end suffering? Be aware of your desires, and decide:

Does having this desire deserve my happiness? Am I willing to trade my happiness for something I want? Would it be better to be happy with what I am able to have? What does “enough is enough” mean?

Photo Credit: by swamysk