The Wisdom of Adversity

Unconditional Healing with Jeff Rubin

This episode is about attitude. How do we face adversity when it inevitably comes into our life? What tools do we rely on when the going gets rough? In answering these questions, we need to begin where we are, by looking at our current state of mind. How much of our views of the world are wrapped up in our biases, and what others think about us? One bias that we typically share is a belief in a solid “self” that seeks to maintain control, and around which, the world revolves. At every moment, that belief is in question, but when things go well, when they go “our way”, it becomes easy to gloss over our doubt.

That is where the wisdom aspect of adversity comes in. Significant adversity in our life reveals that the so-called “controller” is not in control, and at that time, we may lose the entire sense of “who we are”. However, as painful as this is to live through, there is another side to the story. Adversity brings with it a golden opportunity to face ourselves, with our defense mechanisms and biases no longer working on auto-pilot. It might be the first time in our life that we ask deep and profound questions about our life and its purpose.

But we needn’t wait for adversity to visit us to start the process. In this episode, I explain how we can begin the work of seeing how our mind works by bringing mindfulness practice to bear, and by adopting a larger perspective. We can notice how attached we are to our thoughts, and we can question their origin. We can realize that impermanence and uncertainty are always with us, no matter how hard we try to avoid that fact. We can seek a more “enlightened perspective” through reading and contemplation.

There is more to say about the wisdom of adversity in the episode. As someone living with a chronic illness for many years, I have thought deeply about my life and its purpose. It has changed the way I think about health and well-being and the way we typically view those elements through a very narrow lens. The notion of unconditional health, an inherent sense of well-being that transcends one’s circumstances, has certainly sprung from those efforts.

And after you listen, learn about, and register for our next Healing Circle here. It’s virtual, there is no charge, and you’ll find like-minded folks with whom to practice meditation, and share the journey toward unconditional health and well-being.

You are always invited to join our Unconditional Healing Facebook group here.