Chapter 10: Life's problems

Question: Do you feel that a problem is not a problem if we know how to look at it?¹⁵⁰

Sri Chinmoy: If we know how to look at a problem, half the strength of the problem goes away. But usually we try to avoid the problem or run away from it. When something unfortunate happens in our life, we immediately feel that we are at fault, that we have done something wrong. But this may not be the case at all. All around us there are wrong forces, undivine forces, hostile forces that may attack us at any moment. We believe in the law of karma — that if we do something wrong, we suffer later. But even if we do not do anything wrong, the ignorance of the world may come and torture us. Think of the Christ. He embodied the highest Truth. He did not have any bad karma. He did not do anything wrong. But the ignorance of the world crucified him. Of course, we cannot compare ourselves to the Christ. But at our own level we have to feel that if we are suffering, it is not necessarily our own fault.

If somebody else is creating the problem, then we have to stand like a solid wall and not allow the problem to enter into us. If it is my house, my wall, I will not allow anybody to break through. Again, if I am the problem itself and the problem is already inside me, then this kind of situation is infinitely more difficult to deal with. But by blaming myself and trying to hide, I do not solve the problem. Even if my own ignorance has caused the problem, I still have to face it. The best way to do this is to feel that I am not the problem-maker but the problem-solver. Then, by aspiring and practising the spiritual life, I have to develop inner strength and detachment. Slowly and gradually, I will become inwardly strong, and eventually I will be able to solve the problems caused by my own inner weaknesses.