The Spiritual Wisdom of Pain

Well, I am going Home,

back to the place where I belong.

And where Your love

has always been enough for me.

I'm not running from,

no, I think you got me all wrong.

I don't regret what life chose for me.

But these places and these faces

are getting old; so I am going Home!

(Chris Daughtry, Home)

Our spiritual community often tells us about the peace, love and happiness that somehow is always at our disposal, and I understand where they are coming from. I too have experienced these moments of bliss, love, connectedness and apparent invincibility. But then there is the other dimension of life where you experience pain and sorrows. Whenever people tell me that there must be another way to avoid all that, I just shrug my shoulders and say, "Well just try and see if you can prevent the painful stuff on your journey." My hunch is, all emotions have to be lived through, just like you have to have to blend the seven colors to make a rainbow.

Sure, I have developed the self-respect by now to walk out of situations that I see as not worth my spiritual while. But life rarely works that way. The Tao knows how to push my buttons. Once you involve my children, for example, and I will always walk right through the fire for them. There is also the network of friends and soul mates I have surrounded myself with in the meantime. For them too I would go all the way. So I march on just like a soldier would, in happiness and pain, always knowing what headache to accept, and what abuse to walk away from. Who knows how much longer this journey of darkness and light will continue. The Tao calls the shots and I am just responding along the Way.

Life's ups and downs always have spiritual meaning; you need a little pressure and time to transform the coal into diamonds as we all know.The Tao is the best alchemist out there, and you shall like the way you turn out. But one day the gem will be transformed and my work here will be done. And on that blessed day I shall be Home.