Apr 07 2009
Suffering
Photo courtesy of www.k53.pbase.com
“Man has falsely identified himself with the pseudo-soul or ego. When he transfers his sense of identity to his true being, the immortal soul, he discovers that all pain is unreal. He can no longer even imagine the state of suffering.”
Paramahanda Yogananda (1893 - 1952)
I’m writing about this today for two reasons. First, being Easter in a few days and being raised Catholic you are taught that suffering leads to eternal life. Secondly, in many other cultures and Religions people are taught that we do not suffer as only the person we imagine ourselves to be suffers.
To be completely honest, I cannot believe in either one of these teachings. In my opinion to believe that we have to endure suffering in this life to be in pure bliss throughout eternity is completely illogical to me. On the other hand to believe that we really don’t suffer but rather imagine ourselves suffering is just as illogical.
While I truly believe that the ego is the negative source of our being the quote by Paramahanda Yogananda is very difficult to absorb. Dr. Wayne Dyer , my favorite Guru puts it this way. “If you have a headache and feel pain, you must unattach yourself from your body and look at the pain from the outside, then you can move that pain and be rid of it.” I’m sorry but I just cannot understand this way of thinking. To put it simply when I am in pain, I have pain. I fail to understand how the ego is behind that pain.
In the Catholic religion I’m supposed to feel pain and embrace it so that I can live in heaven throughout eternity. I’m sorry I don’t understand that one either. Neither teaching makes sense to me at all.
I wish I could come to some understanding on this subject so please, someone out there enlighten me.
Your thoughts are very much appreciated.
Well, it’s me, your pain ridden friend who has tried to detach herself from her body and look at it the pain from various angles…I guess I
didn’t stay detached long enough. I still hurt. And my pain, in no way, equates with that of many patients I’ve seen with terminal cancer, in the worst throes of agony, when Nurse Ratchet tries to withhold the next injection of morphine “for just a bit more” - never having suffered anything more than menstrual cramps. These poor patients will be sitting right up there at the right hand of God, I suppose.
In my rational mind, I’ve never been able to equate a loving God with one who requires his worshippers to undergo pain and suffering to enter the Pearly Gates, especially innocent children. It just doesn’t compute to this once Catholic mind.
I don’t believe pain is a requirement to enter Heaven, nor do I believe God intended such. Pain & suffering came into this world as the result of Original Sin. From then on, pain & suffering are just part of life itself.
Talking from a born-again Christian POV, the Bible clearly states that this life will not be easy. We will suffer and things will get tough, but we can have eternal joy even thru the midst of that suffering. If we put our hope and faith in Christ to carry us thru the most raging storms, there is nothing we cannot endure.
Since I’ve been born-again (only about 2.5 years now), has my life been easy? Absolutely not! In fact, in some ways it has been harder because my eyes have been open to the injustices & evil all around me. However, when I hurt, deep in my heart, it has been Christ’s love that has healed me.
Thank you both for reading and commenting on this issue. I truly appreciate both points of view.
For me, I can’t detach myself from the physical pain such as a headache, or backache…I’ll first get rid of it with medication, or natural herb…and then I can work on my mental being..
As for being Catholic, I’m with you on your quest for understanding how suffering has to do with going to heaven..
This is a great post to think about before Easter!
icy - thanks. I too have a problem from detaching from physical pain. I have not yet mastered that