Whether Joy and Laughter or Pain and Tears, remember " This, too, will pass. "

Take Suffering into Acceptance
with the Intent to Survive It
as well as Learn All You Can From It.
This Will Bring You a Strength
Acquired No Other Way.

April 2007

When racked by despair and suffering, there is little motivation to do much, or to be with other people, or even see what is beautiful and good. Despair/suffering is perhaps the most painful place in life; and this is why it receives a special place in this website. Suffering may lead you to take this journey to soul integration. But when racked and in immense need, you deserve support and care. Perhaps the following may help you.

When you are in despair and suffering, often there is a feeling of numbness, and a loss of interest in anything. All the distractions and entertainment that human culture provide no longer appeal to you . Rather than letting this depress you more, look at what is now available to you. In the stillness of this, if you open yourself to new experiences , you may see some of the greatest and inner depths of human existence.

Because here, when the world's attractions are ebbed, and the "glitter and bright lights" of human culture are obscured, accessing the depths of your mind and coming much closer to your soul is greatly enhanced. The sense of "nothingness" is a precious door opening to the development of faith - in yourself, in your soul, and in God.

Faith can be defined as belief in that which is unseen. As you believe more in yourself , in your soul, and in God, there can be strength that comes to help you survive the nothingness. Faith can also be described as "living water" in a parched desert.

The Living Water of Faith

Barrenness about the dust of my feet,
Aloneness hangs like scorching rags.
A thirst, worse than this desert, haunts me.

Glare hits my eyes, I can no longer see.
Need unmet immobilizes.
I no longer follow the commonly trod trail.

In the stillness of being broken,
I hear a voice I know, but have never heard.
"Come, I will give you living water,
Never will you thirst this deeper thirst."
I reach for this in the nothingness, almost blind.

Barrenness still has its way with me,
The dust too swirls to parch my mouth.
Aloneness seems to have no other call.

But thirst haunts me not,
And for this I give praise and thanks.
Those trying to drink a reflection will ever thirst.

Phoeone

Without faith there is a lure to the many, many forms of self-destruction (harmful drugs, a loss of self-care , etc.). The harm done to yourself can last much longer than the suffering. Choose faith. Strengthen and be strengthened by faith.

Think and plan your way of really good self-care and survival. Learning true love of yourself is also a priceless treasure that can be yours during this time.

Remember, you alone are the guard and protector of your soul. Bringing yourself and your soul into the Love of God is a sure refuge ( take care when choosing those who would pledge to bring you to God).

If you are not comfortable with God, then place your faith in yourself and your soul - you are much stronger than you know. Provide for quiet times in intentional ways, while allowing the care of others to balance what you need. (Again, discern and choose wisely those you allowed to tend you, and how.)

To end for now, here is a gift of quiet music from Pheo Rose and some quotes:

The deeper the sorrow, the less tongue is used.
The Talmud

There is no way to the depth of life and the richness of spirit by shunning hard experiences. The very discovery of the nearness of God, of the sustaining power of God's Love, of the sufficiency of God's grace, has come to all people in all ages through pain, suffering, and loss.
Rufus Jones

As faith and hope without love are only sounding brass and tinkling cymbals, so all the gladness in the world in which no sorrow is mingled is only sounding brass and tinkling cymbals.
Soren Kierkegarrd

There is no remembrance more blessed, and nothing more blessed to remember, than suffering overcome in solidarity with God; this is the mystery of suffering.
Soren Kierkegarrd.