Discontent has no answer ( 27 Aug 206)

Discontent has no answer

What is it that we are discontented with? Surely with what is. The what is may be
the social order, the what is may be the relationship, the what is may be what we
are, the thing we are essentially - which is, the ugly, the wandering thoughts, the
ambitions, the frustrations, the innumerable fears; that is what we are. In going
away from that, we think we shall find an answer to our discontent. So we are always
seeking a way, a means to change the what is - that is what our mind is concerned
with. If I am discontent and if I want to find a way, the means to contentment, my
mind is occupied with the means, the way and the practicing of the way in order to
arrive at contentment. So I am no longer concerned with discontent, with the embers,
the flame that is burning, which we call discontent. We do not find out what is
behind that discontent. We are only concerned with going away from that flame, from
that burning anxiety.

…This is enormously difficult because our mind is never satisfied, never content in
the examination of what is. It always wants to transform what is into something else
- which is the process of condemnation, justification or comparison. If you observe
your own mind you will see that when it comes face to face with what is, then it
condemns, then it compares it with 'what it should be', or it justifies it and so
on, and thereby pushes away what is, setting aside the thing which is causing the
disturbance, the pain, the anxiety.

Book of Life - August 27th