“Everything that a man does, good or evil, he does it to himself.” — Friar Giles My years in the therapist chair have made one thing clear: No one gets away with anything. When you cause someone else to suffer, you also suffer. When someone causes you suffering, he causes himself suffering. This may not always be […]
Suffering is Optional
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is not. What’s the difference? You stub your toe. A wave of unpleasant physical sensation radiates from your toe, up your leg, and out your mouth in the form of a colorful exclamation. The whole things is over within seconds. This is pain. But then your internal dialogue starts up. You […]
Suffering is Part of the Cycle of Life
Suffering is part of life’s soundtrack. When we suffer, we tend to see it as a sign of failure, but everyone experiences pain. Even the richest, most beautiful, most successful individuals cannot avoid suffering. Hence the media industry of celebrity scandals. Life is up, life is down. This is true regardless of your accomplishments, your […]
Letting Go of Suffering
by James Robbins, M.A., LPC Pain is different than suffering. You stub your toe. A wave of unpleasant physical sensation comes and goes. The whole thing is done in 90 seconds or less. That’s pain. You could say that some degree of pain is inevitable in life. But suppose after you stub your toe, […]
