“There are two kinds of suffering. There is the suffering you run away from, which follows you everywhere. And there is the suffering you face directly, and so become free.”~ Ajahn Chah

The above quote is a well-known teaching from one of the main teachers of my teachers, and is considered a kind of summary of how we are being asked through our meditation practice to face our difficulties – which is face-on, and courageously.

But, if we’re really honest with ourselves, whenever we’re experiencing any kind of suffering (or dukkha in the Pali language) our common reaction to it is to believe – either consciously or unconsciously – that it is somehow wrong, or maybe that it just “shouldn’t be.”

In fact, we tend to believe that not only is the cause of our suffering itself is in some way wrong, but that our own response to it is also wrong. And therefore, we tend to surmise that we, ourselves, are also somehow wrong.

So, we tend to label all of it – our suffering, our response, and ourselves – wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Happily, the teachings are designed to help us not only notice this common pattern, but learn how we can bravely open up our own pain and suffering, and really get to know it – very intimately – so that we can become more wise, compassionate, and understanding, and eventually, become free of it.

For this month’s talk, “Some Things Just Hurt: Allowing Our Pain,” I’ll be exploring how we can better allow ourselves our own feelings through the lens of a half-a-dozen different teaching phrases, which I affectionately like to call “Buddha’s Sticky Notes.”

It includes a meditation at the end. As always, I hope that it will serve.

Also, a few important heads up!:

1) There are just 5 spots left! for our special weeklong meditation retreat SEPT. 26-OCT. 2 “5 Ways to Let Go: Releasing the Hindrances” at the beautiful Peterkin Retreat Center. I hope you can join us!

2) The next daylong retreat on NOV. 16, “Cooling the Flames of Anger,” in Berryville, VA, is open for registration, and has been filling quickly.

In the meantime, I’m sending many kind wishes, and my hopes to see you soon!

~ Shell 🙏🏽💕