An Intriguing Book, Part 3

      I've been raving about a wonderful book I discovered, Wisdom of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives From The Michael Newton Institute.  It details how various people come for a particular hypnotherapy protocol in which they are guided to see the interim existence between lifetimes.  I kept wondering what I would learn if I could meet my guides, my soul group, and the council of elders in the eternal plane.

     Many of the patients found in their Life Between Lives session that they were here on Earth to learn lessons or to heal the past.  Still others had contracts to fulfill.  One fascinating story tells of a man who found that his past life was as a child in a Nazi concentration camp.  He strove to maintain a positive attitude in such horrific circumstances, and made a special point to always look one particular guard in the face.  He felt, intuitively, that this guard had children of his own and the boy wondered how he could do the terrible things he did to children like his own.  Finally, the boy was ushered to the gas chambers by this very guard.  The boy faced his death bravely, holding hands with another child and not succumbing to fear or panic at the last moments.

     Interestingly, the man found out that the Nazi guard from the past life was his own father in this lifetime.  He was informed that his role in the past life was to teach the man, now his father, to become more compassionate and not submit to orders which he knew were immoral.  This was due to a contract made between the two men, in which he agreed to live the brief life as the imprisoned child in order to help his father in this life to learn lessons.  It almost made me feel as if this life is a bit like a play, in which we play parts in various ways, and when the curtain falls, we assume a different part.  Fascinating reading.

An Intriguing Book, Part 2

      Last week we discussed the book Wisdom of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives From The Michael Newton Institute, which describes how various people underwent a specialized hypnotherapy protocol called Life Between Lives.  In this therapy, the person is guided to see not only past lives but also the interim, when the soul meets with its guides, goes over the life just past, plans for the next one, and meets with its soul group.  It's a fascinating read.

     It seems to me that the soul is often on Earth to learn lessons and heal the past.  For example, one patient had recurring stomach issues which stemmed from her fear and anger over childhood neglect and an abusive relationship.  Interestingly, it also had to do with anger that she could not "stomach" in a past life in which she killed a woman who had killed her baby by shaking it too much.  Rather than learning to forgive and let go, she held on to the anger, which carried over into the present life.  Her current lesson was to forgive, take care of herself, and extricate herself from abusive and negative situations.   

     While the life details are unique and individual, I found that I could relate to many of the themes they covered.  I think you will, too.  

An Intriguing Book

      Can you imagine what you would ask if you were able to converse directly with your guides and the higher spirits in the eternal realm?  For starters, you could ask about your purpose in life, the reasons for certain challenges, what you have yet to learn, why certain people seem more connected to you than others, or how to regain balance and healing.  What an opportunity for receiving wisdom!

     Well, there is a book that details several people who did just that.  Using a hypnotherapy protocol developed by the late Dr. Michael Newton, his trained therapists describe these situations in the wonderful book, Wisdom of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives From The Michael Newton Institute.  

     Although it uses the specific examples of their clients' lives, the wisdom that they receive is timeless and relevant to every life.  I know that I highlighted several passages that gave me insight to some situations that I face.  I believe you will benefit from this book's wisdom, too.  Highly recommended.

Is There a Purpose to Suffering? Part 4

      Last week we looking at how painful situations can be an impetus to growth and grace.  But is that the only purpose of suffering?

     Lately, I've been toying with the idea that learning and growth in our suffering are not for us alone.  Let me explain.

     Not doubt you have heard that "we are all one," or "we are all in this together."  On a metaphysical level, I believe that we are indeed all one, just are each individual drop is part of the ocean.  We are all parts of Life.  Individuality is just an illusion.

     So if I go through a period of profound suffering, I may learn some important lessons, such as gratitude or forgiveness or self-discipline or tenacity.  But those lessons, I believe, are not for myself alone.

     If we are all one, then the lessons I learned become part of all of us.  My newly-learned tenacity helps all of us by adding that much more strength and resolve to tackle the problems that face humanity.  Your newly-learned compassion helps us to look at each other with greater understanding and kindness.  Another person's gratitude helps us all to be aware of the beauty of life.

     So, suffering does have a purpose.  And it's for all of us to learn from it, because its purpose is for all of us.

Is There a Purpose to Suffering? Part 3

      Last week we were exploring the idea of karma as the root cause of our suffering.  In some cases, we can say that our thoughts or actions are directly related to our suffering, as when we treat others cruelly and suffer loneliness, or when we speed through a school zone and get upset when a police officer issues us a ticket.  In those cases, we reap what we sowed.

     But what about the suffering that comes to us when we didn't do or think something that precipitated it?  Let's say we suddenly lose our job because of a pandemic that caused the business to close.  That's through no fault of our own.  Or if we suddenly experience a serious illness.  Or someone dear to us dies.  How do we find purpose and meaning in those painful experiences?

     If we take the attitude that life is about learning and growth, perhaps we can find ways to bring meaning in those situations.  Perhaps you had a well-paying job until the pandemic caused the business to close.  Were you too free with your money and spent it frivolously at times?  Is this the time to learn how to be conservative with your money and to cherish the things you already have?  Is it the time to swallow your pride and ask for help from those who might be willing or able to provide it?  Is it the time to follow some intuition and create a business for yourself?

     Or if you experience a deep loss of health or a loved one, what can you learn from your pain?  Can you find ways to be grateful for what you had?  Can you cherish the times when people reach out to you to offer words of compassion and healing?  Can you use your pain to give life more beauty and meaning, much as salt will give things more flavor?  

     These attitudes give suffering more meaning and purpose, and help move you through the experience with more grace.  

     But I think there is another possible purpose to suffering.  More on that next week.

Is There a Purpose to Suffering? Part 2

     Last week we were discussing what suffering is and a couple of approaches to how some people deal with suffering in their lives.  Today, let's talk about karma and its role in suffering.

     Some people believe that suffering is caused by some wrong action or thought pattern that a person has done in the past, whether in this life or in a previous life.  To me, that speaks of some sort of retribution on the part of Life on someone because of an evil act or some unhelpful thoughts they had.  I find that people who preach this often come across as judgmental and lacking in compassion.  It's as if they blame the person for their suffering, say "Tsk, tsk, bad karma," and walk away.  I find that very unhelpful.  

     Karma, put simply, means what you sow, you will reap.  In other words, if you eat unhealthily and don't exercise, the consequence is a flabby, unhealthy body.  Or if you are a constant fault-finder and alienate all your friends, your loneliness is a consequence of your words. That's karma, and there is wisdom in learning from that. 

     But if a person experiences suffering when there is no obvious antecedent to the situation, such as when a child has cancer, can we blame some thought or action from a previous life as causing this?  To me, saying that Life punishes us for transgressions from previous lives is like hitting a puppy on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper for peeing on the carpet three lifetimes ago.  It makes no sense to the puppy, and it makes no sense to us.

     So, what is the purpose of suffering, then?  More on this next week.

Is There a Purpose to Suffering?

     Part of living is experiencing suffering.  There's no escaping it.  But why do we suffer?

     Suffering, according to the Buddha, comes in three forms:  pain, such as illness or death; the change of a situation from pleasure to pain; and the pain that comes from the impermanence in life.  We suffer because we falsely believe that things will not change for the worse, or that we are somehow immune to pain in life, or we are too attached to things, people or situations.  

     So many people, when met with a painful situation, ask, "Why me?"  Their pain is then compounded by self-pity.  Their pain is all that they can think or talk about, and pain is added upon pain.  They fall into a rabbit hole of misery.  

     Some recognize that others in this world are suffering much more than they are, and ask, "Why not me?"  Or they find some measure of gratitude that their situation is not far worse.  They know that focusing on the negative only makes things much more difficult.

     But if life is about learning and growth, then what is the purpose of suffering?  Let's explore some ideas next week.