Love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. It is only your aversion to it that hurts, nothing else.
Interpretation
Embrace your suffering instead of avoiding it, as avoidance causes more pain than the suffering itself.
Hermann Hesse encourages us to accept and love our suffering rather than resisting it. He suggests that the real pain comes not from the suffering itself, but from our aversion to it; by accepting suffering, we free ourselves from the additional hurt that comes from fighting against it.
In practice
During a motivational speech on resilience, you can use this quote to illustrate the importance of accepting difficulties.
I shall no longer be instructed by the Yoga Veda or the Aharva Veda, or the ascetics, or any other doctrine whatsoever. I shall learn from myself, be a pupil of myself; I shall get to know myself, the mystery of Siddhartha." He looked around as if he were seeing the world for the first time.
That is where my dearest and brightest dreams have ranged β to hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony.
I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my Self.
You're quite right there," he said. "I have practiced abstinence myself for years, and had my time of fasting, too, but now I find myself once more beneath the sign of Aquarius, a dark and humid constellation.
I call that man awake who, with conscious knowledge and understanding, can perceive the deep unreasoning powers in his soul, his whole innermost strength, desire and weakness, and knows how to reckon with himself.
Despair is the result of each earnest attempt to go through life with virtue, justice and understanding, and to fulfill their requirements. Children live on one side of despair, the awakened on the other side.
A life all turbulence and noise may seem To him that leads it wise and to be praised, But wisdom is a pearl with most success Sought in still waters.
I am not sure that it is of the first importance that you should be happy. Many an unhappy man has been of deep service to himself and to the world.
We are strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others.
Sometimes the ideas that mean the most to you will feel true long before you can quite formulate them or justify them.
The Bible in the memory is better than the Bible in the book case.
The ugliest truth, in the end, was still better than the prettiest of lies.
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