Which got me to thinking about the whole subject of suffering, and it just so happens that just in time for church tomorrow, and just in time with my glum mood, Richard Rohr's meditation today really speaks to me. Of course, it speaks to matters far more tragic and painful than my little bout of self-absorbed angst, but it's the perspective for all pain and suffering, and I thought I'd share it with you. Apologies for the gloomy mood.
Pain teaches a most counterintuitive thing—that we must go down before we even know what up is. In terms of the ego, most religions teach in some way that all of us must die before we die, and then we will not be afraid of dying. Suffering of some sort seems to be the only thing strong enough to destabilize our arrogance and our ignorance. I would define suffering very simply as whenever you are not in control.If religion cannot find a meaning for human suffering, humanity is in major trouble. All healthy religion shows you what to do with your pain. Great religion shows you what to do with the absurd, the tragic, the nonsensical, the unjust. If we do not transform this pain, we will most assuredly transmit it to others, and it will slowly destroy us in one way or another.If there isn’t some way to find some deeper meaning to our suffering, to find that God is somewhere in it, and can even use it for good, we will normally close up and close down. The natural movement of the ego is to protect itself so as not to be hurt again. The soul does not need answers, it just wants meaning, and then it can live. Surprisingly, suffering itself often brings deep meaning to the surface to those who are suffering and also to those who love them.
2 comments:
having just [3 weeks ago] have come out of a 2-year depression, thanks to a remarkable medication called abilify, i admire this meditation, but not sure it applies to the suffering in my life--either the depression or deaths in family or...maybe the forms of suffering need to be deeper than mine. but the only good i can find in my own sufferings is that i can use them to help others who feel helpless, and/or guilty, about theirs. with mental illness in particular, poeple tend to feel deep shame and guilt---why do i panic when there's little to fear? why do i feel such emotional pain when so many people have real things to feel sorry for themselves about? i can, in that gorgeous phrase of the gay movement, 'come out' to the extent i feel safe, and remind others that our condition shouldn't be judged against others'; that we can go thru this and heal, at least for a time. not a bad gift, to be able to do that. but i don't feel strenghtened by these experiences ; i feel depleted, like some form of energy, even courage, has been sucked out of me. i am truly glad that others can feel truly better at the end of the sufferings, or maybe even in the midst of them. maybe it takes a belief in god, which i don't have. but if i think of that, i think of the god who made the beautiful, peaceful ocean, that soothes until you realixe that in its midst, the ghastly thing known as the food chain is in full force; sharks are killing seals who are killing smaller fish who are killing still small fish, and must do so or they will die. there must be message in all this; i just don't know what it is....
i really hope y our stuff with your kids works out well. i know you only online through our blogs, but well enough to see that you are a decent, thoughtful man, and that with good will on their parts, you will come together with each of them, and grow closer as you and they grow older.....
Thank you, Karen, for your thoughtful and sensitive response. I'm glad to hear that your depression has been relieved. It is amazing the number of people who suffer from this. And the number out there who go undiagnosed and untreated. There are some in my own family.
The Rohr meditation just struck me right at the time. I can see where it would be easy to question. But, as he says, if any religion is to be viable at all, it has to address the question of human suffering. In fact, I think it has to address the question of suffering in the world, period. I don't think Rohr suggests that we feel better after our suffering. I don't think he suggests anything more than that we comprehend pain and suffering as transformative, that is to say, not meaningless. For if God exists, he/she/it exists in everything, and that includes pain, pain universal.
I don't think we have answers to these deep questions . . . we just find modes of constructing answers, which to a greater or lesser degree, suffice for a time.
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