[jooker]

Has anyone ever thought of their particular mental issue as having a spiritual purpose?

I don't mean to offend anyone by asking this question, and some may think this whole line of thinking is crazy. But what if there's a purpose bigger than what we can see, and that good is actually coming from what we percieve as pain.

After all, something that's been termed as the worse pain imaginable brings forth the most valuable thing we have on this planet -- life. I'm speaking, of course, of childbirth and labor pains.

What if there's meaning in mental and emotional pain as well that somehow benefits the universe. And we have been chosen as stewards of this pain because we are the ones capable of handling it?

What if the lesson is to learn to accept the assignment, even while working to heal ourselves?

I know for me personally, the inner pain I've experienced has made me compassionate towards others. It's also released me from the responsibility of feeling that I am solely in control of my life. And it's led me to seek spiritual understanding. Also, I am driven to do whatever I can to illeviate the suffering of others. This is the good I can see. There may be more that I can't see.

What do you think about this?

[Rapunzel]

Yes. I believe that we are sent to this world to discover who we really are, including how strong we are, what we can overcome, and the entire range of feeling and experience. Our Father in Heaven knows us and what we are made of, and won't give us more than what we can handle. I find it comforting to understand that.

Learning compassion for others is also part of it. If we had never experienced pain, how could we have empathy for others who are in pain? Neither could we fully experience and appreciate joy and peace and the opposites of suffering.

Finding meaning in pain and suffering is one of the best ways to cope. If it means something, then it isn't all pointless and for nothing.

[(JD)]

I believe we are here to worship God. The trials we go through, suffering and pain, help melt the impurities out of the final element: gold. I have another unfinished book in the files: Called to Suffer, which would have been my autobiography of sorts.

As I've said many times I believe it isn't what we go through, it is how we go through it. I've always meant in that it's up to us whether we continue to worship God through each trial, or if we lose our way....so no matter how small or large the situation, our focus is to be on God.

[Elysium]

Jooker,

I have thought about this before. It's an interesting concept to think about.

You mentioned the worst physical pain bringing forth life (childbirth) and questioned whether one could endure their emotional pain for similar reasons...I think that's what you were trying to say.

What you speak of to me kind of symbolizes a spiritual re-birthing of ones self. One goes through trauma and is left with pain, confusion, and cognitive dissonance, yet the only way out...to be reborn into a being free from the pain, is to move through the pain.

I hope I am getting what you are saying. I like the way this sounds and I try and remind myself of this on my darkest days. It usually can help me get through and offers some hope and comfort.

I'd love to hear more on this if you have other thoughts...

[lynn P.]

Yes Jooker, I truly believe bad experiences whether MI or emotional suffering can enhance one spiritually and make you a better person. I also believe you can learn great life lessons from bad events and experiences. I think we're here to learn many lessons and we can help others from those lessons learned. It also makes it easier to accept those bad things knowing, there's a greater reason behind it - enlightenment. Thank you for posting this.

[billieJ]

I agree with Sky and with the enlightened posting of Jooker. I personally could not go on without a sense of purpose for that which I find it painful to endure. Without a higher meaning, it would be fruitless, and I would see little reason to continue. Without order and purpose in the universe, planets and stars would come crashing into one another in one colossal ball of matter and energy. Simply stated, and perhaps overly simplified, "what [is painful but] doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." And certainly, for those who believe in a higher power, whom I personally choose to call God, we are lackadaisical in reaching for the power that many have found there, except when we are in pain. For those who believe that a higher power resides within us, there would be no reason to reach within for it, if not for suffering. If there were only Joy in the world, there would be no reason to strive or to reach for something better, no reason to exercise or to cook a meal. No reason to reach out to others. No reason to continue on. Thank you, Jooker and Sky for your thoughtful input on this important topic of purpose in suffering. All/most of us who come to this forum do so out of some pain or suffering, and to think of this as purposeful is most therapeutic and helpful. for You! billieJ

[sabby]

Has anyone ever thought of their particular mental issue as having a spiritual purpose?

What a wonderful question Jooker. Thanks for asking it.

I have always thought that any issue we have in our lives gives us reason to think spiritually as to the reasons we have to go through it. Whether it be a mental illness or a physical illness or even just what they call "hard luck" that falls upon us.....there is a connection.

It's very difficult most times to "see" that during the time of our suffering, there is a reason. I find the longer I live, the more I learn, and the more I look back and say, "Oh wow, now I understand why I had to go through that!" Sometimes its only months after a situation, other times it's many years before I see the correlation between the suffering, the spirituality and the understanding.

Thanks for giving us something really great to think about!

sabby

[jooker]

Wooowwww...I'm blown away. It's so wonderful to be in the company of such light and consciousness. Thank you all for your posts. Suffering having purpose is the only thing that makes the universe make sense to me. We see it in nature but feel slighted and upset when it happens to us. What if rabbits were to become neurotic worrying that something is always hunting them to eat them? Their suffering, and ours, has a purpose that's bigger than us.

As Sky put it:

As I've said many times I believe it isn't what we go through, it is how we go through it.

How true? In a similar vein, I coined this phrase:

"Nothing happens to me, only through me." Depending on how I handle what I'm going through.

Another helpful phrase I made up that brings perspective and clarity in painful times: "Whatever gives me hell, is my ticket to heaven."

Elysium, yes you understand exactly what I'm saying. I particularly like your way of putting it:

One goes through trauma and is left with pain, confusion, and cognitive dissonance, yet the only way out...to be reborn into a being free from the pain, is to move through the pain.


Yes! there is no way around pain except to move through it. To face it. To seek it out. To ask it to show it's face and not fear or despair. Not to get religious but a certain book instructs, don't be afraid and don't worry. But many others said the same thing before this book was even written. Perhaps the Ancient Ones knew what they were talking about.

Thank you for this Rapunzel:

Our Father in Heaven knows us and what we are made of, and won't give us more than what we can handle. I find it comforting to understand that.

This awareness has certainly brought me comfort in the form of peace beyond understanding. Only when I lose consciousness and forget is my suffering increased.

Lynn, I agree with this:

I think we're here to learn many lessons and we can help others from those lessons learned.

It's so not about us. It's about Service to others. Has anybody ever heard of QTIP -- Quit Taking It Personally!

Billie, I totally am with you on this:

I personally could not go on without a sense of purpose for that which I find it painful to endure. Without a higher meaning, it would be fruitless, and I would see little reason to continue.

At one point I was so through with this world. I wanted nothing to do with. Being molested at five, physically abused by my mother, having social anxiety and depression all my life I saw no point to it all. I thought, If this is what you have for me God, I think I'll just exit stage left, if you know what I mean, LOL. This wanting to disappear started me on a spiritual quest. Then the pieces started to come together one by one.

There is power and purpose in pain. Thanks so much everybody for your beautiful thoughts on this.

[Yoda]

What a coincidence that you posted this. I was thinking just a few days ago that a particular day's experience were a good example of yin and yang. On that day my son and I drove my Audi to get breakfast but were unable to drive home because the roads were snowy and slippery. I met a couple who lived two miles from me when I asked if I could leave my car near there house. They were very kind to me. I mentioned I should have bought cat food when I was out and they gave me a bag of cat food and refused to take money. The lady drove me home. I am going to make cookies to thank them.

Later that evening I ordered a couple pizzas, a calzone and stuff for delivery. The delivery boy is very nice and I asked him if he would stop at the grocer and bring me a gallon of milk. He said sure and I gave him a twenty dollar tip.

I know those examples have nothing to do with my mental illness but I agree with your premise. Interesting.

[jooker]

Yoda I'm not exactly sure how this illustrates suffering having purpose but if you found spiritual meaning in your experience that's all that matters.

[Yoda]

I am not expressing myself well.

If I had not had the problem (suffering of sort) of treacherous winter roads I would not have had the opportunity to meet kind neighbors who helped me when I was in need. And because those winter roads have kept me from traveling to the grocer I had little food which gave me the opportunity to give a generous tip to someone who brought food to my house.

So without the suffering I would not have had the opportunity to interact with these people in positive ways.

An obstacle is often an unrecognized opportunity.

yes?

Perhaps I should add that being spiritual to me means being in harmony with nature, the world, the universe.

[jooker]

Gotcha!...even what appears bad or undesirable can bring about good. Absolutely!

[Perna]

I use to wonder the same thing (and the purpose of my symptoms) and now after a zillion years of therapy that I feel like I'm pretty much on the other side of most of that bad stuff (not to say more won't come in the future), I feel stronger and more "me" for having struggled with the things I struggled/do struggle with. It helps me feel I understand other people a bit better also and I enjoy what I have now more.

Pain is part of the Healing Process. "It have to hurt if it is to Heal" and Sacred Knowlege comes from true Healing. Of course you have to want to heal if you are to heal. There are some who do not want to heal. Mental Illness offten keeps one from wanting to heal.

You experienced healing, and its Spiritual benefits. Thus you are now a Healer as a result.

[anderson]

Thank you for this post. It has always amased me (US) that when we are in the middle of a painfull load how we cry to get out of it. But when it is over A real sense of peace does come to us. It is part of the acceptance that if it did not kill us the first then it should not kill us during recall but the fear and the feelings do overwhelm us and make us scrared of the present as we are going through the healing process. I feel like I should be beyond the emotional wear and traer of the past but with each new memior comes new pain. The pain of regreat,fear, and anger . But afterwards it is the ablilty to find peace knowing that I truely know what I do.I hope this makes sense. Jooker, we enjoyed the reminder.

[jooker]

There is so much liberation in being able to see the suffering we endure as having purpose. I was thinking not so long ago, that Jesus was not the only one with a cross to bear. We all have our crosses. We're all playing our part, however small, in saving the world.

If I can endure a hardship and find the light, then that light will surely shine on someone else. Or perhaps encourage someone else that they too can find their light.

Unfortunately we've been indoctrinated to think pain is to be avoided and gotten away from. But what about when we can't avoid or get away from it? We have no choice then but to accept it.

Extraordinary things happen when we accept. Depression is a horrible state to be in. But I've learned it's a fight I can't win by getting angry at it, fearful or more depressed about being depressed.

So now I try to just be conscious of being depressed. I notice it's there but don't feed it with my negative emotions. I try to not let myself become depressed about being depressed. Or angry about being depressed. Or frustrated about being depressed. Or frightened about being depressed.

I know there's a light on the other side of it if I will just stay still and know "this to shall pass." To know there is purpose in my pain. The purpose is to take me to the light of Spirit, which I would probably never seek without pain.

[possum220]

Suffering might have a purpose. But it still bites.

No offence intended.....

[jooker]

Possum:

No offense taken. You are absolutely right. It does bite. Thank you. That needed to be said.

Depression is epidemic in the Modern World. Whole cultures been built around it. When we watch TV, most news stories are depressing in nature, made of "Aint it awlful stories". "It sells", is why we see those kind of stories. Our cities are depressing because of canyons of cement and ugly tall buildings. Our kind of culture exsists because of depression.

Look within yourself. Find your healing power and intellegence you do have. Leave the culutural mind set of depression. We all modled after depression when we were childern, we even learned it from our parents. We are tought money means happiness and sucess. In the end we still have depression.

Leave depression behind by seeking less depressing environments and media. Avoid reenforcing dperssion by worry and negitive thinking. Seek beauty in nature and humanity.

Walk In Beauty;

Mountain Lion

[VickiesPath]

jooker:

After all, something that's been termed as the worse pain imaginable brings forth the most valuable thing we have on this planet -- life. I'm speaking, of course, of childbirth and labor pains.

Rapunzel:

Yes. I believe that we are sent to this world to discover who we really are, including how strong we are, what we can overcome, and the entire range of feeling and experience. Our Father in Heaven knows us and what we are made of, and won't give us more than what we can handle. I find it comforting to understand that.

Learning compassion for others is also part of it. If we had never experienced pain, how could we have empathy for others who are in pain? Neither could we fully experience and appreciate joy and peace and the opposites of suffering.

Finding meaning in pain and suffering is one of the best ways to cope. If it means something, then it isn't all pointless and for nothing.

My personal beliefs are, that I agree with all that each of you have said with one more ingredient added. I also believe that all of this is mapped out for each of us before our souls ever arrive here on this earth in our human form.

And you also know that I have to inject a little humor into everything........

The one time I had a kidney stone, it took me four days to pass it. Finally on the last day, I was sitting in the emergency room, and the doc came through and I told him, PLEEASSEEE....give me something to kill this pain. This is worse than having a baby!!!!!

He said " SSHHH! Be quiet!!! We always tell the men that they are lucky they're not having a baby!"

[jooker]

So passing kidney stones trumps childbirth, LOL. Thanks for the humor (((Vickie)))

[VickiesPath]

Originally Posted by jooker

So passing kidney stones trumps childbirth, LOL. Thanks for the humor (((Vickie)))

Well, granted this one was only 2-3mm. And it couldn't decide whether to come out or not. So it kept going up and down. It was tiny enough that some urine could pass and when it would sit still, it didn't hurt so much. But when it was on the move, OMG! That's why it took so long. At least I wasn't in labor for four days!

[jooker]

This depression is really challenging me right now to keep a higher purpose in mind. I believe in reincarnation so suicide is not an option. Who in the hell would want to repeat this stuff!

I keep looking for the light

[jooker]

I was thinking this morning about what is meant by "purpose in suffering." To me this doesn't mean martydom.-- that we'll be rewarded with pie in the sky because we have docily and humbly accepted our plight. But rather, suffering can force or prod us to look for deeper meaning in what we're enduring.

To take a well-worn quote from a popular book, "The truth will set you free."
When we're in pain, that's equivalent to a type of bondage. So if the truth, in fact sets us free, then that would mean there is some truth that we're missing.
Hence we are not free.

So, suffering becomes a warning sign that we have veered away from truth, because we are not meant to suffer. Suffering says "go deeper."

For instance, If a person feels unloved, this causes pain and bondage. That person is not free to live and be and feel the richness of who they are. But if they search for, come to understand, and then to KNOW that they ARE love, then that shackle is released.

That to me is what the whole journey is about. Breaking the shackles of suffering by using it to realize Truth. And truth is given according to what we are each ready to recieve when we're ready to receive it.

IMHO

[amante]

jooker,
I wrote a letter to Oprah, wasn't really going to send it out but I wrote it as if I'd been going to send it in. I amazed myself at the trials I had gone through, the hard times, abuse, domestic violence, immigration, infertility, and then a medical malpractice and it's amazing how you find the strenght in your inner heart to endure through these sorts of things, that are really hard to go through. I think that when you question how you came through it all, you look deep within yourself and find the spirit within and the bravery that is needed to cope. What's importance is finding that spirit. You posed a wonderful question for all of us to ponder.