Aversion, suffering and breathing it in.

[onestepforward]

The economy has caused me tremendous stress for the last six years along with millions of my fellow Americans and I don't see any relief in the near future. I sometimes get a pain in my stomach just getting the mail by dreading more bills. I almost freeze up with dread when I check my bank balance online. I wake up on most days with a fear that something unplanned will happen, like my old car breaking down and I will not have the funds to fix it. You get the point.

I try very hard to stay in the present moment, but I've been having difficulties because the present moment is so stressful. I was reading a book by Pema Chodron (Comfortable with Uncertainty) and she was talking about a goal of not going to the top of the mountain to escape suffering, but a goal of going down the mountain... to the nitty gritty of life. Suffering.

I've been causing myself more suffering by having such an aversion to it. I've been trying a new technique that has really helped me and I wanted to share. I am now looking directly at my aversion, in the present moment, and mentally "breathing" it in several times. It helps me to accept it and it helps to take the panic and fear away. By acknowledging and accepting my aversion, I help to dissipate it. It has worked very well for me and I will continue, as I am a beginner




Peace and love to all.