A Simple Step To Alliviate Your Problems
By Buckley Carthage
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I have just finished watching a wonderful talk on letting go, by Australian-based Buddhist Monk, Ajahn Brahm.
Brahm talked about how when we hold on to the things that are troubling us, we create a lot of pain and suffering for ourselves.
He also mentioned something which often goes unmentioned; when we hold on to the things that are troubling us we create a lot of pain and suffering for the people in our lives.
I know that I have been particularly guilty of that second part over the years.
I have caused a great deal of pain and suffering when I have remained bitter and hostile over past events or, about things not working out as I had planned.
I started a master's degree in 2008 to give myself more options.
By the time I finished the masters in 2009, the Irish economy had collapsed and most of the options had disappeared.
Matters were made worse by the fact that I had sold my house to pay for the course.
I was fuming towards anyone who worked in politics, banking, construction, or any of the related sectors which had collapsed the Irish economy.
Of course, over the next few years, I saw many people struggle with negative equity as their houses were no longer worth as much as the mortgages they had taken out to buy them.
I know people who lost their houses as a result.
This made me realise that I had been quite fortunate to have avoided negative equity by selling my house and; in the process I had experienced some great benefits from completing the master's degree.
When things go wrong, we tend to see it as a final point or a conclusion but in reality, it is just another stepping stone in life.
Life is constantly changing and we have ups and downs.
But those down points don’t last unless we choose to hold on to them by refusing to let go.
And, too often we refuse to let go because we want to see the people who hurt us suffer.
Ajahn Brahm has a wonderful quote which sums up why you should let go rather than hold onto your troubles to see others suffer:
‘Why seek revenge when you know that Karma is going to get the b*st*rds anyway?’
You might not expect that language from a Buddhist Monk but Ajahn makes a wonderful point.
As sure as you will experience downs and suffer the consequences of your actions, those who behave badly towards you will too.
It is not your job to punish them though.
Your job is to be happy.
So be happy and let it go.
Other related article: How To Solve This Simple Problem But It's Difficult In Imagination
Have a fantastic day,
Carthage
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