L E T T E R – It’s So Bothersome Being Bothered

In Buddhism, Dukkha, which is originally a Pali word, is translated most frequently as suffering. Specifically the suffering of the mind that we humans experience as we grasp on to that which is constantly changing, which is in fact, absolutely everything. The clinging, wishing, needing. It’s a reluctance to accept what it is, and a refusal to see the interrelatedness of absolutely everything within the universe. It’s isolation and anguish and unease at everything that occurs in life.

As there’s always at all times something to be bothered by, we have to choose what we will and won’t be bothered by. And we do this all the time. We frequently justify that our reactions were out of our hands, or we are tired or we don’t even pause to think why we are creating frustration for ourselves.

By no means am I suggesting we overnight drop all frustrations and being bothered, I’m at times myself far too cranky to suggest that. But what would 5% conscious attention on being less pissed off look like? Or 10% increased patience? Or what would a 20% increase in compassion feel like? Or a 35% increase in our sense of humor? What would our days be like if we kept turning up the volume on the high grade and turning down the volume on the low grade?

Sent with love,

Jac x