Using suffering

I’m not sure how many of you reading this are what you’d call “woken up”. But if you’ve subscribed to this newsletter I’m sure many of you are

I don’t care if you’ve woken up through a joint, trauma, a psychedelic experience, a rough break up. Could be a skiing trip for all I care. The point is you’re awake, and you can’t go back to sleep

What does it mean to wake up? Well, on a basic level I’d describe it as beginning to feel that reality doesn’t feel so right. Somehow, someway, someday. The structure of what you thought life was collapsed.

And now you’re left with nowhere to stand. Vulnerable. Most likely scared and confused. My waking up came through a panic attack. That’s what started the process.

And 5 years later after all the books meditations podcasts journaling

I’m still as neurotic as ever.

Just kidding

You might be saying to yourself why is Jake talking about waking up. This has no practical application to my life. I don’t even know what he’s talking about.

Well I’m getting to the point now.

The whole point of this rant is that the main reason one wakes up in life is

To relieve suffering and become liberated

Call it stress worry anxiety inadequacy insecurity fear etc. It’s all suffering.

This is a powerful place to be. Because where as before you might have spent all your time desperately trying to avoid suffering. Now you feel a personnel vendetta towards relieving suffering.

The only thing is. You have to use suffering to relieve suffering.

So the process of waking up is really the bravest place to be

Because in order to get to your desired destination, it takes a tremendous amount of courage and faith to take problems other people wouldn’t dare look at, Head On

Now the reason why I write this letter tonight is because I’m somewhere far down my journey. Some would say partially advanced. But I don’t believe enough of us really get it.

If you’re an awakened person your goal in life no longer is money or status or security or cars or blah.

Your goal in life is liberation

If I am someone that wants to be liberated, wouldn’t I want or at least be receptive towards experiences that produce suffering

Again, because the goal in life is to become liberated. Aka relieve suffering. And the only way to relieve suffering is to use suffering

So why do we shell up when suffering is presented? Why do we constantly fall below suffering?

If your goal is to become free you need experiences that are going to challenge your freeness. If your goal is to become strong you need experiences that are going to challenge your strength.

But as human beings we desperately try to avoid suffering when suffering is the greatest gift out there.

Because the greatest gift in life isn’t money or xyz. It’s who you become. You’re the gift

So I say if you’re going through a breakup, experiencing panic attacks, dealing with the loss of a loved one. This is it. The whole point of life

I’m less interested in how can I get what I want versus how can I grow

I don’t ask for suffering but when it comes down the path and I got it. I work with it

So tonight. If something is causing you suffering, embrace it.