The Self-Governing System Of Psychological Suffering
True freedom exists in recognising that we exist not as a body or a mind (and, therefore, not to identify ourselves with feelings and thoughts). We are the undefinable experience of existing or being. As we experience this, beyond simply intellectually understanding it, and we live from this place, we are free of any psychological suffering that arises instantly when we identify ourselves as a limited object. This identification with these things is, by definition, psychological suffering.
As we identify with the body and mind we occupy, we are ignoring the undefinable experience of existence we really are. We focus our attention to such a degree that we create the illusory belief in the mind we occupy that we are these various experiences we are focussed on. Hence in an older language, we call this "ignorance". Therefore, ignorance here refers to ignorance of the true nature of our existence. The moment this happens, we become the experience we call "psychological suffering". What is the nature of this experience? All the resources of our mind and body are instantly turned to attend to the hopeless task of ensuring their eternity. This is because we ignore the genuine eternal nature of the undefinable experience of existing. This is a very physically exhausting use of them and one they cannot ultimately solve.
This is the illusory goal they adopt when we ignore we are the undefinable experience of existing. Because the goal is impossible, the experience of our mind and body becomes one of endurance.
The online etymology dictionary explains suffering thus:
mid-13c., "allow to occur or continue, permit, tolerate, fail to prevent or suppress," also "to be made to undergo, endure, be subjected to" (pain, death, punishment, judgment, grief), from Anglo-French suffrir, Old French sofrir "bear, endure, resist; permit, tolerate, allow" (Modern French souffrir), from Vulgar Latin *sufferire, variant of Latin sufferre "to bear, undergo, endure, carry or put under," from sub "up, under" (see sub-) + ferre "to carry, bear," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children." Replaced Old English þolian, þrowian. Meaning "submit meekly to" is from early 14c. Meaning "undergo, be subject to, be affected by, experience; be acted on by an agent" is from late 14c. Related: Suffered; sufferer; suffering. Suffering ______! as an exclamation is attested from 1859.
[https://www.etymonline.com/word/suffering]
This experience we call psychological suffering is the natural reminder to return to discover the experience of living as the undefinable experience of existing. The experience of suffering is a visceral reminder that we have strayed from the path of oneness. Living through the form of a body and mind it is the best reminder! It is like the old-fashioned centrifugal governor on steam engines.
The centrifugal governor is an automated system of controlling steam power. It rotates as the power increases, and if there is too much power (equating to much focusing on objective experiences at the expense of all else), it rotates faster, reducing the steam pressure. Using this metaphor, we can equate psychological suffering to that point where the governor spins fast enough to start reducing the steam pressure. The higher the speed, the more suffering and strain we experience until we return to the correct rate that equates with our natural oneness. This is a self-governing process. As with the governor, the moment we experience psychological suffering, we start to excite the desire to return to oneness.
The instant we can see our suffering, we are free of it, and it's best to focus on this freedom as this is our true nature, and we need not personalise psychological suffering, as this will worsen matters. We can realise that it is the natural working of the undefinable experience of existing that we are. It is nothing to be ashamed or guilty about but is, at the core, a reminder for us to return knowingly to the happy experience of identifying with (being one with) the undefinable experience of existing that we are.
See this video for a short explanation of this very clever device of a centrifugal steam governor. YouTube Video Of Steam Governor (Opens In New Window)
