The Art of Suffering: Composting Afflictive Mind States

"The Art of Suffering," is a teaching of Thich Nhat Hahn and introduced here by Fred Eppsteiner. The source of suffering is identified and a model is provided for transforming suffering. Clearly, our pattern of endlessly focusing on the drama of the unsatisfactoriness of life not giving us what we want is a source of suffering as is the futility in the world of I, ME, Mine of holding on to transient pleasures which slip away.

Directed to the model for transformation -" the Art of Suffering"- we begin with the necessity to open and acknowledge the cause of suffering is within. Noting the 1st Arrow of life's pain with mindful awareness is the First Step in the transformative process, while the capacity to be present with suffering without the emotionality and reactivity of the 2nd Arrow is Step 2.