Whenever we encounter an issue in any form, the Buddha remarked that two arrows fly toward us. The first represents the event itself; the second arrow our reaction. He wisely noted, "In life, we can't always control the first arrow. The second; however, is optional."
The suffering equation frequently mentioned in various modes of therapy is written as: Pain x Resistance = Suffering. The greater our resistance, the more wretched the suffering. Yet no resistance yields zero suffering.
How might we achieve this state of complete acceptance? If reaction equals resistance, then are we to hide away on some distant mountaintop? Deny or repress all misfortune? The irony is that such coping mechanisms remain acute reactions. Attempting to craft a life of no resistance is itself a form of extreme opposition.
But there's a much easier solution. Simply observing the resistance.
We often cannot avoid the first arrow. Life happens, as they say. However, we need not remain in the reactionary throes. Instead, we can take part of our attention out of the situation and watch the name & body self immersed in its resistance.
In other words, we don't stop the resistive reactions. Rather, we shift into a quiet awareness that merely watches them, with gentleness and without judgment. This is the pathway to peace. This is how we avoid the second arrow and thereby transcend suffering.
Join me in Thursday's class where we'll explore these two arrows and joy-inducing practices we can cultivate. I look forward to seeing you then.