Life Lessons

Life's Traumas and Challenges are repeated until the Lesson is learned. Then we move on to the next Lesson... The next Trauma... The next Challenge... But until we get it, integrate it, incorporate the lesson - we don't move on. We repeat the same lesson - over and over again.

Not talking about it. Ignoring it. Medicating it. Does not make it go away. 'Staying Strong' and keeping our emotions in check and under control is not actually a sign of strength. That is Avoidance.

The real strength is in the facing of things, in the feeling of things. That is the nitty-gritty. That is where the rubber meets the road.

Medicating and ignoring, avoiding and denying - that is very very common but it is not correct. In fact it is tragically boring!

Our feelings are here to inform us and change us. Our feelings exist for us to feel them. It is another level of intelligence. Emotional Intelligence. Pretending to feel OK when you do not feel OK is dishonest.

Refusing to talk about it is cowardly. It is Un-relieving...

Yes, more Whiskey can help you endure. More Pot can temporarily blot-out your existential distress. More Cookie Dough Ice Cream and a movie can pass the evening away without any chance of Self-Encounter or emotional honesty...

Coping is not the same as Dealing... Dealing is not the same as Healing... Managing is not the same as Overcoming... Struggling is not the same as Forgiving... Refusing to feel is not the same as Integrating our true feelings... As long as we refuse, we delay and postpone.

Do the opposite... If your nature is to hole up and isolate - then seek company and friendly faces. If your nature is to chat and chat and chat away the night about everything under the Sun - BUT the real deal - Then stay silent. Sit with it. Percolate!

How can we hope to change if we never change?

Staying the same is not a sign of maturity and it is certainly not a condition for Spiritual Transformation.

Only Egos want to stay the same! The Spirit wants Healing first! And then More Life! More Joy! More Freedom!

Hao la!

--Pahka Dave