Drop the story that suffers.
The real spiritual inquiry.
It's simple.
Drop the story about yourself.
How do I do that?
Asking how is not the way.
Better to ask why.
Why then would I drop the story?
Because it has become the noose around your neck that starves you from real air to breathe.
Every tension,
Anxiety,
And fear,
And every measurement of distance from what you sincerely crave is survived by this story you hold on to.
But I don't see how that is true.
I know.
That is why you don't drop it.
If you realized the pain in your hands was caused by the thorns you grabbed on to,
You would not ask me how to open your hands so you could drop the thorns.
You would just do it.
The story you hold on to is the single thorn of your entire life.
It seems like there are many thorns in life that make me suffer.
No,
There are many things your story holds on to that help you not let go of the story.
There are many flowers to enjoy in life,
But it's only the grasping of them that creates the suffering you experience.
But yes,
Your story blames the many flowers.
Are you saying it's all my fault?
To ask me that shows you don't understand suffering.
Don't look for fault.
Look for what is true about suffering.
The flower's thorn doesn't fault you.
The flower's thorn simply is what it is.
It's only a story that looks for fault.
A story that hides from what is true.
Okay,
But how do I see that this is true?
Maybe first acknowledge that your story doesn't want you to see that this is true.
Can you see why that might be true?
Do you think your story actually wants to be dropped?
No,
It's the very last thing it wants.
Therefore,
If you are really going to see what is true,
You have to get out of the story.
To truly see what is true,
You must step outside of any attempt to protect your story.
How do I tell the difference between my story and what is true?
Yes,
This is the great skill you must develop.
Your capacity to discern the difference.
Your willingness to develop this skill will come in direct proportion to how honest you are with yourself about your suffering.
Your story wants to hide from the truth of your suffering.
Because if you saw the truth,
You would drop the story.
How honest I am about my suffering?
What does that mean?
We come back to why.
There is the story you tell about why you suffer.
And then there is the reality as to why you suffer.
The story you tell about why is hiding from or lying about the true why.
The state of suffering is an inner resistance that clings to a story about oneself.
Your story doesn't want to see that.
So it tells a false story that blames the suffering on something or someone else.
Get out of the story and look with fierce honesty and you will see that this is true.
There is no and then what.
There is only this.
Continually and increasingly see what is true.
And the truth will set you free.
The truth is simple.
The many ways we hide from the truth make it unnecessarily complicated.
I will leave you with one question,
Meant to inspire more clarity and to possibly ignite a more productive focus on your spiritual journey.
The question.
Am I actually looking for what is true?
Or am I covertly looking for ways to protect the story I have about myself?
Take notice that any painful emotional response to that question is inspired by an attempt to protect the story about yourself.
Shame,
Guilt,
Offense,
Etc.
If anything,
May it leave you with a beautiful and joyful,
Humble heart.
