Christina's Daily Inspiration- Contemplative Meditations

The Truth of SufferingWe may have heard the quote, “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”This human life brings all the ups and downs of life. Circumstances come our way that challenge us. The Dalai Lama is known for sharing a Tibetan saying  'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.' No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful the experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster. I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance.”We do not have a choice about pain arising but we do have a choice of how we will respond to it. If we are witness and watching, we will notice the arising of pain, then if we continue to watch, we will see it dissolve. If we engage in the pain and identify with it, we will suffer and prolong the suffering. In this, we may lose hope, faith, or even a desire to live. Freedom lies in allowing ourselves to be the witness, to be present and to choose not to identify with the stories around the painful circumstances and the pain as it arises. If we knew tha