It is a commonly held view that our lives would be better without difficulty. When we encounter obstacles or unpleasant situations, it is only natural to wish that we didn’t have to endure rough patches in our lives. On the contrary, however, the Buddha pointed out that a life that is seemingly devoid of uncertainty would also be devoid of spiritual opportunity.
Nobody likes painful feelings. That much is obvious, but in reality we cannot avoid pain. If we try to cover up or ignore our painful feelings, then we are only delaying the experience. By ignoring our pain, we are also ignoring important information that can be useful to us and so if we make that into a habit, spiritual progress would always elude us.
There is a healthy way to respond to painful experience which if made into a habit, can transform our lives from one of constant battle with reality to one of patient acceptance. There will always be a churn of positive, negative and neutral feelings arising and ceasing for us to observe. We have the option of rising above that constant change, to just be mindful of it instead of fighting it. There is a peaceful existence above the waves of uncertainty.
The method to overcoming difficulty is to train the mind to observe what is happening in the present moment. Whatever challenge we are facing becomes our meditation object so that we can better understand the true nature of the world. We do not have to be emotionally tossed and turned around with every wave of change in our lives. Using the Buddha’s method, we can find peace in simple awareness and acceptance.