Part II of “Emotional Stability in the Observer”
In my last post, “Emotional Stability in the Observer”, I talked about the observer being aware of our thoughts and actions. Let me expound a bit on just how this awareness increases our peace and happiness.
It’s important to first understand why we experience discord and unhappiness. Basically put, when we don’t get what we want or we lose something or someone that we covet, we get upset in some way. We also get upset at the mere thought of losing what what have and not getting what we want. We’re not usually happy and peaceful while we’re upset as we are angry, afraid, sad, jealous, disappointed, etc.
Let’s look a little deeper as to why we become upset. We’ll look at this process from its end to its earlier stages. Whether we’re looking at losing something or someone that you have or not getting something or someone that you want, you cling to that which you desire. The clinging to that which you desire is a result of craving, your craving began with the feelings you had in relation to that object or person. You are feeling based on the contact you had with the object or person. The contact that you had is through sensory input from the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, touch and thought. The sensory input that you experienced could not be had without the physical body that you inhabit. And then, there is this consciousness or awareness that observes even the body and mind. Are you with me so far?
How much of our lives have been spent blindly chasing our desires not actually paying attention to our actions until we hit a wall of discomfort or pain and are left with no choice other than to finally stop and realize what we’ve done and feel the effects? Maybe feeling any type of unpleasantness is not for you so you’re off and running again, seeking more pleasure only to inevitably hit the wall of life once again, never truly experiencing anything other than material or sensory pleasures. Or perhaps you’re not a pleasure seeker but one who sits in his or her pain and misery, going from one unpleasant moment to the next reacting negatively to whatever life has in store for you, never experiencing happiness and peace. You might fit into some other personality or living style example but whatever your situation, you can continue this vicious cycle of discord and unhappiness or you can take refuge in awareness.
As explained above, we become upset when we lose what we have or do not get what we want. We’ve also determined that we cling to that which we possess and that which we do not want to lose. Awareness eliminates ignorance and allows us the wonderful opportunity to see just how we end up in the position of clinging. This clinging inevitably results in us being upset in some way as everyone and everything that we covet is impermanent. We will therefore lose all that we desire and that to which we cling, causing us emotional, mental and spiritual upset.
Once we become aware of all that precedes clinging, we can begin to understand, see clearly, slow down the process and choose not to cling to that which we desire. It’s that simple. Free from ignorance, we can now see that it would be wise not to cling to such desires as the inevitable result is pain and suffering. This does not mean that we do not feel, on the contrary, our feelings are now true, pure and free from fear. The fear I speak of is the fear of loss and the fear of not getting what we want. The lack of clinging allows us to experience life’s pleasures and our loved ones more fully and completely. We can now be aware of the feelings that arise when our senses come in contact with an object or a person and choose not to crave and cling but to truly experience that object or person as they are, free from the presence of our self-centeredness.
When we run blindly through life, from one sensory experience to the next, we miss out on many of life’s true pleasures and end up causing ourselves unnecessary pain. From the perspective of the observer, we can observe and be aware of the process that leads to clinging which leads to discomfort, pain or suffering. We just need to be aware of what is occurring within ourselves so that we can choose not to react negatively to life and choose not to cling to that which we desire as with clinging comes fear. Fear is a spiritual and mental detriment that only brings suffering to our lives and to the lives of those around us.
Awareness is here and now but can be improved upon with practice. If you are fortunate enough to be fully aware immediately, I would love to hear about it but for most of us, we will need to practice awareness. Please understand that the principles I discuss on this site are perfect ideals but will most likely never be perfectly executed by any of us.
I wish you peace.
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