“There is really nothing wrong”
The Problem
Self-suffering, is the unnecessary stress that we self-impose.
Self-suffering, is due to not understanding the true nature of human life.
The Solution
A 5,000 year old process, which has three stages of:
- Recognizing
- Accepting
- Understanding
Recognizing the self-talk and emotion.
Accepting and feeling the emotion fully.
Understanding the nature of the experience.
My Story
I was on a seven day silent meditation retreat at Arnprior, Ontario. On the afternoon of the fourth day as I was meditating in the quiet hall, I noticed the sound of an air compressor in the basement running off and on. The purpose of the compressor was to supply compressed air to the heating thermostats in the building.
The problem was that the building did not need any heat (outside temperature 85f). The longer I sat in the meditation hall, listening to the compressor cycling off and on, the more annoyed I became. I noticed that the compressor ran 10 time per hour, which was 8,400 more times a year then it needed to. L
My self-talk was “they are wasting energy”, “the air compressor is going to wear out soon”. (I am a retired a/c refrigeration / control mechanic :-). Because it was a silent meditation retreat, I could not talk to the building staff.
What was I to do?
Well I continued to get more and more upset each time I heard the air compressor start up and run needlessly. Then I remembered why I was there in the first place. I was there to learn how to reduce my stress. Wow! what a chance to try out what I had learned.
About 5,000 years ago a method had been developed that made sense to me to reduce stress. It goes like this. Recognize the emotion, accept the emotion and understand the emotion.
Bottom line “the more I understand, the less I self-suffer (stress).”
The Acceptance Process
Recognizing:
Noticing the sound of the air compressor running in the hot weather (no building heat required).
Noticing my thoughts about the control compressor running (energy waste, wear & tear).
Inquired:
Is there suffering? (Yes)
Is there self-suffering? (Yes)
Is the emotion unpleasant? (Yes)
What is the emotion? (Aversion)
What is the aversion doing? The aversion is blocking my present moment Awareness. (PMA)
Accepting:
There is aversion in me.
This is my aversion. (Taking responsibility for my feelings)
There is nothing wrong with feeling my aversion. (Non-judgement)
Where in my body are there ‘unpleasant sensations’? (Throat tight)
Bringing bare-Awareness to the unpleasant sensations. (Having complete experience)
Stopping and dropping into the unpleasantness sensations without expecting them to leave.
Optional Phrase of Acceptance- “may my aversion be well”
Understanding:
Sometimes heating control air compressors are left on all summer.
Trusting- ‘There is nothing wrong’, ‘There is nothing really wrong’.
Note: That evening as I sat in the meditation hall and heard the compress start a smile came to my face.
“The Buddha was right again! 🙂“
Acceptance Phrases
“It is like this”
“It all belongs”
“Feel it to heal it.”
G Ross Clark