Frustration: A Spiritual Perspective
Is frustration a daily companion?
How is it affecting your ability to be productive and happy?
What I’ve come to know as an important truth about frustration is this: nothing of value was or will ever be birthed with frustration present. (Read that again.)
So learning how to manage frustration is highly valuable.
Per usual, I like to take a spiritual approach to problem solving.
Instead of using the mind, a spiritual approach asks us to look inside our hearts, our souls, for a better answer.
With regards to frustration, I recently read a lesson from a spiritual mentor that was a fresh and inspiring perspective. (A note of warning: this technique of approaching frustrations may actually cause more frustration - until which time you practice it and see the new, improved outcomes.)
We humans are the only animal on the planet that experiences frustration in the way we would define it. This is because our focus is mostly on what we DO NOT WANT or what we want to avoid or overcome. Then, so that we feel better, we need to affirm to ourselves that we solved the problem. (Then our ego wins and settles down.)
Instead, notice how the rest of nature approaches things.
Mother nature speaks the language of “Yes” and does not beat up on herself.
When the beaver is building a dam and one of the logs breaks loose, the beaver doesn’t flap around and bury its head in the water and slap its wonderful tail upon the rest of the logs. It doesn’t get mad; it simply picks up that log and puts it back in the dam or finds another log to take its place. There is not a natural frustration that occurs in that beaver.
When an owl drops the prey destined to become his dinner, he doesn’t squeak and squawk and rush to a tree branch to pout. Instead, he simply goes about finding another target for his talons.
We are all human animals, living in the vast experience of nature, as part of nature.
When we don’t get caught up in fixing all the problems -
When we instead begin to say “yes” to what is being given to us with our concentration on moving forward (versus avoiding)...
We can begin to live from yes, to yes, to yes, and begin to concentrate on the direction of our heart’s calling.
It is then that we can experience nature (and our lives) as thriving.
Where might you be able to experience more joy and less irritation today if you were to allow, go with the flow, and accept what is?
Be the owl. He is, afterall, a wise old bird.
PS: If you found this post irritating, perhaps you’re trying to control too much in your life. Ring true? In that case, it’s time for a new approach! Reach out HERE for a personal, complimentary session with me. I’ll help you quickly break down what is worth your efforting.