No mud no lotus
We suffer in many ways; trauma, loss, comparison, cruelty, the constant pursuit of "happiness". This list could go on and on.
I read a lot and often times read from multiple books. At one point, both of the books I was reading discussed suffering and how we suffer as beings. As I am reading these books I find myself dismissing the subject, thinking how I don't need this because I'm not suffering. I have no major health issues (thankfully), a supportive family, loving boyfriend, a roof over my head etc., but in reality I cause my own suffering in my head and my heart.
I suddenly realized I create unhappiness by focusing on everything I could, should, or would be doing if not for (insert list of reasons). I focus on what I DON'T have rather than what I DO. I focus on how happy these other people look on social media and how much greater their lives MUST be. I focus on all of these things rather than accepting that I'm exactly where I need to be in this point of my life. These are false beliefs we have ingrained in ourselves. These are lies.
I'm the type of person who wants to constantly be moving, exploring, achieving, and when I am not, I question myself. There is a part of our lives for constant movement, constant yang, and a part of our lives for stillness, for yin.
Today, I need to be still. This may change tomorrow, next week, or next year, but today, I am still.
We all suffer. We all create false beliefs that take away the greatness of what we have right now.
Take your suffering, learn from it, grow from it. Whether you're suffering is physical, an illness, a loss, or mental, like what I am working through, take this moment and learn from yourself.
No mud, no lotus.
No suffering, no happiness.
"The mud doesn't smell so good, but the lotus flower smells very good. If you don't have mud, the lotus won't manifest. You can't grow lotus flowers on marble. Without mud, there can be no lotus."-No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh
I'm working to let go of expectations I have of my own reality.
