Whoever expected the spiritual path—Fivefold Path or otherwise—to be a trajectory always going upward had best take an extra dose of reality or ‘get real-ness.’
Whoever assumed that happiness, bliss, or God-consciousness automatically meant an absence of pain, dissonance or disturbance, likewise best stand in line and get vaccinated against Polyanna-ish, Peter Pan-ish veils covering up the ‘way it is.’
No doubt, some are blessed to mostly avoid puddles or excrement when traversing life’s trails, but as the more politically correct expression goes, “Excrement Happens.”
Children in their innocence may expect their parents to shield them from life’s harsher aspects, but the truth is no amount of optimism can dilute reality to the point of total elimination of things most will agree we would prefer not happen—to our children or to ourselves.
‘No Pain, No Gain,’ goes the expression. Regardless of how pleasant our alarm clock’s tone may be, it inevitably wakes us up—not the worst of life’s experiences, but not at the top 10 (or 100) on most song lists.
Dentists prevent intense pain by inflicting smaller doses of novocaine-induced, often painful, injections—a fair trade, most would say.
We take a new medication but are cautioned to be aware of possible side effects. Usually, the overall benefits prevail.
Well, some side effects of our path may include serious health complications, unforeseen romantic relationship ‘complications,’ periods of doubt, confusion, temptation, or worse. Job in the Old Testament Bible, had test after test of severe difficulties on his road to God-consciousness. And neither the tests nor the roads were ‘walks in the park.’
But as it has been said, IF IT DOESN’T Kill YOU, IT MAKES YOU STRONGER.” (Nietzsche)
So best we reduce any bemoaning of life’s bumpy roads, have faith in HIS will, and carry on.
Moreover, we were foretold (warned) half of a century ago that planet Earth would devolve into the cesspool it is currently—politically, militarily and environmentally.
No surprises there.
The greatest extent to which we can manifest NO STRESS, NO ANXIETY, NO FEAR, that is the extent to which all of life’s experiences can be put into perspective and not be IMPEDIMENTS TO LOVE.
Any other manifestations do not become us or our Maker. So best to slowly or quickly—or something in between—work on reducing the blockages. For the Light Beings that we are, demand no less and who are we to question the ‘way things are?’
And we must do this to pass the tests—the examinations.
And Idam na mama—not my will but Thy will be done is our key to passing the ultimate test—SURRENDER to His will.