No Big Deal

Reverse the way you see the kleshas [emotional states that tend to disturb us the most]. You could see them as a cloud in the sky and say, "No big deal," and with the attitude of sheer delight, let them go.
-Pema Chodron, How to Meditate, page 151

As we  have discussed, Life can be difficult.  When faced with a so called difficulty  we  are encouraged to ask our selves the  question Eckhart Tolle encourages us to ask, "Is this situation causing me distress or is it what my mind is telling me about it that is making me unhappy?" Nine times out of ten ( and if we answer truthfully) we will say, it is the stuff going on in the head in response to the situation that is screwing us over. Our thoughts lead to a variety of emotions and this emotional energy or Klesha can make us feel terrible.  We may want to avoid it, stuff it or numb from it as a result. Emotions are definitely hard to accept but accept them we must if we want to sink more deeply into the present moment.

Looking at our thoughts and emotions as "No big deal," can help us to not only accept them but embrace them. If we accept our emotional reactions we accept Life for all it is.  We recognize and accept the inevitably of what is.  Whatever is going on right now...a financial crisis, a divorce or an illness...a happy reunion, a birth of a child or falling in love...is going on.  It, whatever that circumstance that is happening in this moment,  is inevitable.  Resisting it isn't going to stop it from happening.  It will only cause more suffering. Allowing it to be and allowing the thoughts and emotions that arise in response to it to be...will free us.

All things of this world are passing clouds .  They are temporary and ever changing.  Good times will come and good times will go.  Life circumstances will be comfortable and blissful one day, challenging and difficult the next.  Nothing of this physical world is meant to last.  It is impermanent.  The sooner we realize that, the sooner we free ourselves from the prison of resistance we create around the life situations we encounter.

Letting things simply enter our experience, our moment, requires much less energy from us.  Whether they be circumstances or thoughts or feelings by looking at them as "No Big Deal," because we know they won't last, we can eventually learn to let go of them and the impact they have on our moment to moment experience. Recognize them, allow them, experience them and then let them go!

In meditation[and in life], our thoughts and emotions  can become like clouds that dwell and pass away.  Good and comfortable, pleasing and difficult and painful-all of this comes and goes. (Chodron, page 5)

All is well in my world!

References

Chodron, Pema (2013) How to Meditate. Boulder: Sounds True.

Tolle, Eckart. (January 2019) Rising Above Thinking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2UKj-Mu2b0