The Benefits of Suffering, Distress, and Other Difficult Moments

 In classical mindfulness there are six different realms, including the human realm which is considered the best one in which to wake up. One of the reasons for that, is that it’s not easy being human. We get old, we get sick, we die. We lose things and we also lose people. We get into arguments and if we’re lawyers, those can be consequential for us and for our clients so we have to win. The world hits us hard. And there’s so much to do: every day we have to earn a living plus take care of ourselves and so many others. So why this is such a great realm? Wouldn’t it be nicer to live in a realm where all is bliss? Not really. Because if we lived in one of those, we’d be surrounded by ease, and we might just sit around and eat bon-bons. We wouldn’t have to learn how to be kind to those who seem like they don’t deserve kindness, or compassionate to those who are afraid, or calm when the world is on fire.