Most people see suffering in a completely
negative light. And this is not just on the physical level, but the spiritual
level also. For example, the Buddha’s Four
Noble Truths are usually interpreted as a way to end suffering. In other
words, there are no positive aspects to suffering.
I have a different take: I think suffering is
one of the best impetuses for growth and learning. Here's a song my husband Arthur
wrote about the value of suffering—he calls suffering "the guru."
Stop signs and stoplights are red because human
perception is keenly attuned to the color red; our blood is colored red and our
physical survival depends upon us being aware when we've hurt ourselves.
Physical pain exists, at least in part, to draw our attention to the fact that
we are ill or injured. Most of us resist physical pain; we reach for pills to
make it go away; we see pain as an enemy. But when you look at it from the perspective
of “suffering is the guru” you see that pain is our ally, it draws our
attention to a problem that needs fixing. The pain is the motivator for us to
stop a behavior that's hurting us, to go to the doctor, etc.
Problems of the mind don't have an obvious
physical symptom like a bleeding wound or the pain of a burn. But the
sufferings of ego-identity—pride, embarrassment, anxiety, regret, remorse, depression—are
the analogues of physical pain. The suffering is pointing towards the problem,
in the same way a pain in my mouth points to a problem with my gums/teeth and
sends me to the dentist. The depression or anxiety is our ally, our teacher,
our guru, pointing our attention to a sore in our mind that is in need of
healing.
