Rationalising distress
 

hi all,

I have been reading a lot about spirituality and the nature of existence over hte past week or so and am now thoroughly confused. I hope people here can help me clarify my thoguths a bit! I am still nto 100% convinced abotu the idea of all of us beign a part of consiousness, and that all of existence is jsut consiousness. This is mainly becasue I am yet to experince that for myself. ( I htink I have started the journey, with meditation etc). Anyways, since I have been desling witht a chronic illness for almsot 3 years, I have started to wonder what all this means. If we are all part of the same consiousness, why do some of us manifest the way we do? WHy did I manifest to become ill? I have been feeling envious of all my freinds who are moving on with their life and achiving their goals and have no health issues. so, I guess my question is, if we are all part of the same consiousness, why do some people have lives of poverty and sufferring and others just cruise through life? how does one rationalise this?

I hope this question makes sense to you all! the thoughts in my head are all muddled!

Erin wrote a blog, Picking Our Parents and Our Life Circumstances that has her perspective on this question. There was lots of discussion on the forum, too!

Great question!

I would not want to be unkind to you... but I also have a question for you...

"Why do you spend time trying to rationalize some obscure and high flying theory that no one has all the answers too rather than use your time constructively in trying to use the cards that nature (or God or whatever) has handed you and try to make the most of it...???"

You, like everyone else, live in a reality that was handed out to us... where it comes from matters little... but what we do with it is all determining and all important... our future depends on it...

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hi
 

oh I dont think of it as being unkind.....this is why I joined the forum so I can sort out my thoughts.....well, I guess if one is 100% convince that there is a god or something bigger thanus, then its not too difficult to do what you suggest and belive that these are the cards that were handed to us........but I am not 100% convinced as yet. If I havent experienced it for myself how do I know for certain that there is a consiousness or god or whatever.........what if we are just another branch of biological evolution and then my illness etc was jsut bad luck fo rme and has no higher meaning or purpose......? this ofcourse makes it hard to accept......

as you can tell, I think I am grappling to find the belief system by which I want to live....

Every intelligent and open person is grappling with that question... unfortunately there is no definite answer...

We can only adopt a position that will seem to be the most appropriate for the time being... keep on searching and keep an open mind...

However, at one point, we must get to be secure with our beliefs system even if we know that they may not be the ultimate answer... there is no other way that we can find peace and tranquility...

The very best of luck to you...

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Dealing with chronic illness is something that I have had to deal with for 4 years too.

My understanding is that our bodies start by giving us little subtle clues that something is wrong, however in our culture we ignore these little niggles or supress them with western medication. Eventually the signals get stronger and stronger and we continue to cover them up with drugs, fail to change our diet or attend to our emotional needs. Then finally the system starts to collapse and we say 'why me?'

I had a lot of alternative treatments but wasn't getting well. Eventually I realised I wanted someone to 'fix' me without me having to do anything. I have now had to change my diet, my attitudes, deal with a lot of emotional stress I was storing, reconnect with my spirituality - but the biggest thing I did was a physical detox as i had colon problems. Suddenly I starting releasing emotions that I didn't even know I had!

Yes sometimes I'd look at my friends that still drink and smoke and think it wasn't fair, but you know what, my best friend has just been told she is on the way to developing an ulcer if she doesn't change her lifestyle. It catches up on everyone eventually. I know see my illness has been a wonderful opportunity to turn my life around. I would have never learned how to heal others if I hadn't been ill myself.

If you want to pm me - feel free.

Any belief system is only as worthwhile as the benefit it provides you. Does the concept of subjective reality benefit you in any way? Does it inspire any positive emotions? If not, there's no need to attempt to rationalise it. Stick with beliefs that appeal to and work for you. Especially since it is easy to argue for or against subjective reality on the grounds of those examples you gave. Here's a quick example:

Subjective reality is wrong because so many people are suffering. If the point of existence was truly to experience all that we can, there are infinite joyful experiences to be had. There is no need to choose to experience something bad.

Subjective reality is right because all we are truly aware of is our own consciousness, and the many strange and wonderful experiences people have had show that we're not truly restricted to this body and brain, we really are free, limitless, pure consciousness, simply convinced that we're separate and powerless. The suffering we choose to experience is a catalyst for learning, and a way of experiencing all that this material world has to offer, good or bad.