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| Level your Life - [The Level of Suffering] [4.24] |
Suffering
The physical life is difficult , it can be excruciatingly uncomfortable,phsyically,emotionally and spiritually. But we know that if you wish to improve, you need to suffer or become uncomfortable.
For example; by their very nature, sports and fitness , while they bring joy and satisfaction, evoke suffering in all of us: we sometimes have feelings of frustration,fear,grief,sadness,regret,anger,anxiety or despair. This is exactly like life as a whole but more intense and occuring over a shorter duration.
Whenever you seek advancement and higher levels of performance in any aspect of life, you experience some elements of suffering. But when you leave your comfort zone and become uncomfortable, notice how expansive your potential truly is.
Buddhist thought tells us that we must accept suffering as a way of life;
this is the first of Four Noble Truths in Zen.
All greatness,awareness and acute sensitivity are the natural outcomes of adversity and suffering.
The warrior knows that in suffering - experiencing painful feelings or being uncomfortable - you begin to see the more meaningful side of life. There is wisdom in the existential experience of suffering. Deep appreciation is often residual benefit. When you can take this stance , you grwo, learn, blossom and connect with your warrior within.
Declaration: I welcome my physicial journey with all its suffering and pain and as a result I reach the far boundaries of my full human potential.
Reflection: With regard to my physical life, what kinds of suffering and sacrifice could contribute to my overall improvement and growth ? What stops me from embracing the suffering ?
[paraphrased and inspired by Spirit of the Dancing Warrior]
