Why do we have less peace despite more prosperity? Panahian tells about 9 ways to overcome the sufferings of life
Why is anxiety and restlessness still an important part of human life today despite more comforts? Is peace limited to removing difficulties or should we learn the way to face suffering? Emphasizing that suffering is an inseparable part of human life, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Panahian says about 9 religious solutions to achieve lasting peace; Solutions that include thinking and love to managing desires, accepting responsibilities, and praying.
According to the Missionary Thought and Culture Base, the increase in comfort facilities and the development of life tools does not necessarily mean achieving more peace; Because modern man, despite having many facilities, still struggles with anxiety and restlessness.
According to the narrative of the field, Hojjatul-Islam wal-Muslimin Panahian emphasizes that suffering is an inseparable part of human life, and believes that managing desires, thinking, loving, understanding the philosophy of difficulties and strengthening the spiritual connection with God are among the solutions to achieve lasting comfort.
Real comfort depends on the management of desires
Comfort is one of the natural human tendencies, but the main issue is how a person can achieve real comfort. While some think that achieving ease means removing all hardships, limitless ease-seeking can lead a person away from the path of growth and excellence. Therefore, what is important is not to eliminate the desire for comfort, but to manage it properly.
Accordingly, man should strive to provide part of his needs with ease and at the same time, learn how to face difficulties. Suffering management can provide a basis for a person not only to be less harmed by problems, but also to benefit from some hardships for personal growth and achieving deeper satisfaction.
Peace and comfort, even in the midst of troubles, are important indicators of a healthy and balanced life. The importance of this issue is not only limited to individual interests, but also includes the social, historical and spiritual dimensions of human life.
One of the misconceptions that can lead to atheism is the idea that religiosity is in conflict with comfort and religious life necessarily means enduring more hardships. While in this view, religious teachings are introduced as a way to organize life and achieve comfort in its various dimensions.
Based on this, religion is not limited to general advice about relaxation, but also offers solutions to improve the quality of life, manage desires and face difficulties properly. Achieving optimal comfort should include all aspects of life, from physical and mental health to personal, social, and professional relationships.
In the following, the most important solutions proposed by Hojjatul Islam wal Muslimin Panahian to reduce suffering and achieve more peace are reviewed.
1. Accepting suffering as a part of life
Suffering is an inseparable part of human life. Unlike other creatures that face a wide range of desires and conscious choices, humans have multiple desires and are forced to choose between them.
Choosing one desire usually means giving up some other desires, and this giving up can be painful. Therefore, part of life's difficulties is not the result of an unusual event, but the natural result of human being having various desires and the necessity of choosing between them.
Accepting this fact can be the first step to change the way you look at problems; Because the expectation of complete elimination of suffering from life itself may become a cause of dissatisfaction and confusion.
2. thinking; A way to relax
Thinking is one of the strategies that have been considered in religious teachings to achieve peace. In a narration attributed to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) it is stated: "A religious person thinks and attains peace." This narration is narrated in Sheikh Mufid's Amali book, page 52.
Thinking about the nature of problems and their real place in life can reduce the intensity of worries. For example, if a person pays attention to the fact that many issues that are very important to him today may lose their current status in the future, his dependence and sensitivity towards them will decrease.
From this point of view, thinking helps a person to distinguish between important and less important issues and not to spend his mental energy on issues that have little value and durability.
Paying attention to the wisdom and philosophy of difficulties can change a person's view of problems. If a person believes that the inevitable sufferings of life can be a basis for growth and improvement, he will be less disappointed when faced with them and will find more possibility to take advantage of difficult experiences.
One of the functions of suffering is the revelation of human capacities and virtues. Many moral characteristics and capabilities of people are revealed in difficult situations; Features that may not appear in a normal situation.
On the other hand, enduring some hardships can keep a person away from laziness and negligence. Just as long-term inactivity leads to physical weakness, absolute avoidance of any difficulty may also lead to stagnation and weakness in some personality dimensions.
Suffering can also be an opportunity to correct moral weaknesses. Arrogance, like a weed that gradually grows in man, may be strengthened by neglect. Enhancing humility and consciously accepting one's true position can help correct this trait.
From a religious point of view, paying attention to the truth of suffering and its consequences, including remembering the consequences of straying from the right path, can force people to make more informed choices. In this way, difficulties do not necessarily mean the loss of peace, but if faced correctly, they can be the basis of personal transformation.
4. Instead of blaming, let's find a solution
One of the common human reactions when faced with problems is looking for the culprit and trying to take revenge. Sometimes the behavior of the people around you, inappropriate social conditions or managerial weaknesses cause discomfort and difficulty in life; Issues that need to be corrected.
However, a constant focus on blaming others can exacerbate existing suffering and hinder good decision-making. Accordingly, it is recommended that a person keep calm as much as possible before taking any action and then make an appropriate decision to solve the problem.
In this religious view, even unpleasant events can be analyzed in the framework of divine wisdom. Such an understanding does not mean ignoring the responsibility of people or overlooking the necessity of correcting the situation, but it emphasizes maintaining mental balance while trying to change the situation.
5. love A way to make difficulties easier
Love is introduced as one of the most important factors in achieving comfort; Because the way a person looks at others and his emotional ties can have an impact on how to endure difficulties.
In this approach, love for God and divine saints makes the difficulties of walking the spiritual path more bearable. Also, loving others can reduce the intensity of sufferings that arise in human relationships and social interactions.
Accordingly, affection is not just an individual feeling, but it is considered a capacity to strengthen human bonds and overcome life's problems more easily.
6. Avoiding baseless and unstable happiness
Another suggested strategy to maintain peace is to avoid depending too much on superficial and fleeting happiness. The more a person's happiness is dependent on unimportant and unstable factors, the more likely he will be unhappy if those factors are lost.
In this view, joys that are based on unrealistic expectations or trivial matters may give rise to more emotional fluctuations. Therefore, recognizing the true value of things and avoiding exaggeration of fleeting factors can help maintain mental balance.
The purpose of this advice is not to abandon happiness and the legitimate pleasures of life, but to avoid excessive dependence on factors that are not stable and important.
7. Conscious selection of some difficulties
Some suffering can be consciously chosen with a worthwhile purpose. In this approach, enduring difficulty to reach a moral or spiritual goal can be psychologically and spiritually different from the suffering that is imposed on a person without choice and preparation.
Giving is an example of this conscious choice. A person who allocates a part of his property or resources to help others may give up some of his personal interests, but this giving up is done in the way of realizing a valuable goal.
According to this view, choosing some difficulties with the right intention can make it easier to bear other problems and give meaning and direction to human life.
8. Accepting the responsibilities and sufferings that come from them
Some difficulties originate from the responsibilities that humans assume in family and social life. From a religious point of view, enduring these hardships in many cases can be the foundation for moral growth and strengthening human bonds.