The Two Arrows Of Suffering

Ones unavoidable, the other we do to ourselves

First off!

Thanks for sticking around while I’ve been absent. February almost killed me, and March wasn’t much better, but here I am, sober and writing, so everything is okay. I got through it without a relapse, and I’m proud.

It was due to getting off medications and starting new ones, the side effects can be brutal.

So on with the story!

According to a google internet search and my very wise semi-sponsor and friend, the Buddha taught that there are two arrows.

The first arrow that hits us (an unexpected event, situation, illness etc) causes great pain and hardship. It hurts us.

The second arrow is our own reaction to this pain and hardship. This second arrow’s name is suffering.

This really hit home with me!

I realized it happens constantly in my daily life and is the cause of much of my suffering.

I essentially take a small discomfort or inconvenience and turn it into a large amount of pain for myself.

For example, I have always had stomach problems and from years of drinking, I think I’m traumatized from being stomach sick all the time.

So instead of just having a mild stomach ache or some nausea I also add in my own anxiety worrying about things like…

Will this last forever?

Will I not be able to do anything today and feel guilty?

Do I have something seriously wrong with my stomach?

All those sorts of things.

I turn a molehill into a mountain of emotional pain, all over a little stomach ache.

I also do this is many other areas this is just a very frequent example for me.

The reason I’m writing about this today is because just noticing what was happening has really taken away the power of it.

I now notice and can really limit the amount of pain from the second arrow now.

So next time you something unfortunate happens, notice if you are shooting yourself in the foot with a second arrow, causing even more pain.

Only by noticing it can we stop some of the suffering.

I’ve been able to lessen the pain of the second arrow drastically just by understanding what’s going on.

I hope this resonates with you and provides some relief from that damn second arrow of suffering.

Happy April,

Patrick

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