Our focus for the group this week is that there is a way out of the unsatisfactory sense that life is a bit off, not quite right. The sense of well being is available to us 24 hours a day.
From Steve:
The thorns and the rose are parts of one whole. The teachings of the mindfulness tradition say that if we honestly face our own unease and suffering, we will begin to find the hints of a stable, reliable well being. Thay writes: “Embrace your suffering, smile to it, and discover the source of happiness that is right there within it…Touch your suffering. Face it directly, and your joy will become deeper.”
I find these teachings both profound and difficult to understand. Emotional and physical pain do not seem to conceal joy. Then, I return to the image of the thorns and the rose.
Another approach that may help is the practice of remembering to be grateful. No matter how bad conditions are, there are always available to us a multitude of reasons to be thankful.
