JonW wrote:We cannot manipulate our experience so that it transpires in a certain way.
Do we have choice, or just the illusion of choice?
Are all our experiences pre-determined and the only real choice we have is the way we respond / react to those experiences?
Example: One of my biggest passions is playing videogames and has been since I started playing as a kid around 35 years ago. If I had the choice, I would keep playing videogames, but that seems to be a 'fight with the universe' now that I have all this pain that is making it very difficult & unenjoyable to keep playing the way that I used to. So it seems I have two main choices here:
A) Keep playing, despite the pain, which may be a continuing fight with the universe / clash with reality.
B) Stop playing, which would allow my pain to heal to an extent, but this may be more 'compatible' with the experience the universe appears to be throwing at me these days.
Or, is there a third choice:
C) Keep playing, despite the pain, and find a way to reduce the suffering aspect, even IF this is a clash with reality (but then, ANY clash with reality seems to induce it's own level of pain and suffering).
Is this situation, as JonW suggested, a fight with the universe that I will never 'win' in the way that I want to win?
This seems to be a situation where it's going to be painful whichever choice I make. Either continuing physical pain or the pain of losing an activity that has been such a cherished part of my existence for so much of my life so far. Could mindfulness meditation help me answer such a dilemma? My perception is that meditation may be able to help me to accept this change in such a huge aspect of my life & self, and / or reduce or even resolve any suffering caused by the issue. Are they realistic expectations of meditation?
Anyone care to comment on this?