Imagined Suffering

‘We suffer more in imagination than reality’.

An infamous quote by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, who was a prominent Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and advisor to Emperor Nero.

In today’s contemporary society, we as humans tend to ruminate on past situations, or overstimulate our minds with our inability to control one’s future. Such thinking models provide mental instability and emotional turmoil, a citadel in our minds where we do not feel safe to retreat too. 

The key however is to grasp the concept that the mind is not real, nor is past or future abstracts that we create. They are simply constructs imagined by our sub-consciousness. To alleviate such stresses would be to live in the present, and observe the mind. This process is an idea I came across by reading enlightened Eckhart Tolle’s ‘The Power of Now’, a text that speaks to the extreme importance of living in the present moment. 

“You are not your thoughts”, Tolle stresses.

Simply sit back, and observe the thinker. Watch your thoughts impartially, and non-judgmentally. To do not, would be to let your thoughts control your mind once again. Understand that there is the ‘I’ which is the thinker, and the ‘being’ which is the true self observing the thinker. One’s ability to distinguish the difference between both realms, is the initial determinant toward one’s ability to become more still, to find inner serenity, to find their tranquil sanctuary.

As I conclude this thought process, I would like to draw from an insight by philosopher Allan Watts:

“You take so seriously what the gods made for fun, that is why you suffer”.

People who take life so seriously, dictated by particular outcomes or external factors, treat one’s own existence as a rigid and fragile burden. Rather than seeing life as nothing more than a playful, wondrous, cosmic game. By letting go of one’s overthinking, rumination, and control, one can begin to reduce pain and embrace a lighter perspective.