What is suffering? What is the difference between pain and suffering?

We all experience some kind of unavoidable pain in life. For example, pain afflicted by a physical illness, or a mental illness.

We also experience emotional pain that arises due to circumstances beyond our control, such as the loss of a loved one, sudden job loss, separation from loves ones and the loss that comes from natural disasters. These are difficult parts of our life’s journey and cannot necessarily be avoided no matter what we do. We cannot control certain events that happen in our lives.

Suffering on the other hand, we can usually do something about. Suffering is the emotional pain that our minds knowingly or unknowingly create in “response” to our pain. Suffering consists of thoughts, behaviors and emotions that we either hold on to or push away that lead to a cycle of more mental and emotional discomfort or anguish.

The question is, why would we want to look at suffering? What benefit will it provide, if any?

I believe that in order to “relieve” suffering, we need to become aware of and “look into” the nature of suffering, so we can use our wise minds to understand how we create suffering in our lives and learn ways to suffer “less” or end it altogether.

Many people don’t want to look at suffering because they have the misconception that if they do, they will remain stuck in it. Although there is a possibility of that, when we get in touch with the suffering in a “certain way”, we can learn to transform it in order to create more joy, freedom and gratitude in our lives.

I will guide you through a process of “looking into” the habitual propensities of our minds when we are dealing with what arises for us in life. But most importantly, to look at the suffering in a “compassionate way” so we can create a better “relationship” with ourselves, with others and with the world around us. After all, its the “quality” of these relationships and connections that lead to a life of fulfillment, joy and peace.