Go to the truth beyond the mind. Love is the bridge.
Stephen LevineRead
Our suffering is caused by holding on to how things might have been, should have been, could have been.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that our pain comes from unmet expectations and regrets about the past.
Stephen Levine highlights the notion that our suffering often stems from our attachment to idealized versions of reality, focusing on what could have been rather than accepting and embracing the present as it is. This mindset leads to emotional distress, as we dwell on regrets and 'should haves', preventing us from finding peace and happiness in our current circumstances.
Themes
SufferingAcceptanceRegretsPresentMindset
In practice
Example use cases
In a therapy session discussing the impact of unmet expectations.
More from Stephen Levine
All quotes βIn Chinese, the word for heart and mind is the same -- Hsin. For when the heart is open and the mind is clear they are of one substance, of one essence.
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I have seen many die, surrounded by loved ones, and their last words were βI love you.β There were some who could no longer speak yet with their eyes and soft smile left behind that same healing message. I have been in rooms where those who were dying made it feel like sacred ground. (26)
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If there is a single definition of healing it is to enter with mercy and awareness those pains, mental and physical, from which we have withdrawn in judgment and dismay. (48)
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I have seem even those who have long since abjured God die in grace. . . . Atheists don't use their drying to bargain for a better seat at the table; indeed they may not even believe supper is being served. They are not storing up 'merit.'; They just smile because their heart is ripe. They are kind for no particular reason; they just love.
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Gratitude is the state of mind of thankfulness. As it is cultivated, we experience an increase in our "sympathetic joy," our happiness at another's happiness. Just as in the cultivation of compassion, we may feel the pain of others, so we may begin to feel their joy as well. And it doesn't stop there.
Stephen LevineRead
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