Spiritual Warriors

One day in the West there was a beautiful little girl who grew up in a traditional environment that strongly prohibited sexual relationships. In such an environment she was bombarded with the message that sex was dark and evil. In the midst of such confusion, suddenly one day her father who became the principal of the school reportedly committed sexual harassment. Even this beautiful little girl experienced very frightening sexual abuse, until she doesn’t trust anyone. Including not believing in her parents. In the midst of such a dark and stuffy life, this little girl later learned Tantra in the depths of a forest in India.

In summary, after returning from India, she was not only recovered from the profound trauma of sexual harassment, but also managed to heal a great number of people who were deeply affected by sexual abuse. This beautiful woman, who later was called by many people as a spiritual hero, was known to the world as Psalm Isadora. Dipa Ma is another mighty woman. At first her husband died. Then two of her three daughters also died. With such a heavy burden of suffering, Dipa Ma then came to a meditation class with a half-paralyzed body.

Decades after this catastrophe happened, many spiritual seekers admired Dipa Ma’s presence. Just being around her, not yet listening to the story, it feels like there is an aura of unconditional peace, kindness and love. Pema Chodron is also a powerful woman who evolved from victim to hero. After being married to the same man for more than 20 years, every day just being an ordinary housewife at home, suddenly her husband confessed to falling in love with another woman and wanting to get married. It is not a spiritual hero, if she committed to suicide. In the midst of a sky which is absent of light, Pema Chodron learned meditation from a native Tibetan spiritual teacher. Several years later, she was appointed as one of the first generation women to teach deep meditation in the West.

The story of the last three luminous women is deliberately share here, to inspire spiritual friends. Suffering can guide the soul into drop into the abyss. Or it can lift the soul to fly high. It will bring the soul to enter the abyss, if someone commits suicide, or runs into dangerous things like drugs and free sex. Suffering will make the soul fly, if someone bravely encounters suffering, and processes it into spiritual nutrition that enriches the journey of the soul later. It is called courageous, because only those who have spiritual courage has enough courage to meet suffering.

Devotion as a magnifying glass

Deeper than that, the darkness of suffering is not permitted to produce anger and resentment, but the darkness of suffering is used as the opening key to meet light. And the flash of light began to show itself, when someone met the true Master. Together with the true Master, suffering mud is processed into lotus flower of peace. And the power that can make spiritual heroes successfully process the mud of suffering into a lotus of peace is a very deep devotion to the true Master.

For that reason, there was a teacher who made an analogy like this. Suffering is similar to dry leaves. Holy teachings are like sunlight. Deep devotion to true Masters is the same as a magnifying glass placed between sunlight and dry leaves. In the end, the dry leaves of suffering are burnt out. Fly up along with the wonderful smoke of peace. This series of spiritual steps is not only experienced by Psalm Isadora, Dipa Ma and Pema Chodron, but also experienced by many legendary spiritual heroes which are very well known by the world.

Jetsun Milarepa was a very legendary spiritual hero born in Tibet. His spiritual journey was also opened by deep suffering that was very unbearable. All his father’s inheritance was forcibly taken by his uncle and aunt. Milarepa’s mother’s revenge made him learn black magic, which was then used to make graveyard mistakes. After being pursued by guilty feelings, this young man then cried simply after hearing the name of his teacher Marpa. By his teacher Marpa, Milarepa’s sins was cleansed bloodily. At the end it was very beautiful, when Milarepa died, not only did humans respect him deeply, the realm of Light also respected him deeply.

Stories like this are deliberately raised to the surface, to inspire spiritual friends to use suffering as a vehicle to go home. Especially in the middle of a time cycle where nature comes with a frightening face like an earthquake, volcanic eruption, tsunami, etc. One of closest friends in the Compassion family, was also a victim when a large earthquake struck Lombok island in 2018. His hotel and restaurant were flat on the ground. Some workers were injured. Not to mention witnessing the loss of many human lives there.

Learning from stories of spiritual heroes such as Psalm Isadora, Dipa Ma, Pema Chodron, and Jetsun Milarepa, spiritual friends are encourage not to run away from suffering. Learn to meet suffering like flowers meeting hot sunlight. Equip yourself with very deep devotion. Believe that devotion is a magnifying glass that can burn all the dry leaves of suffering. One of the characteristics of humans who have spiritual guts, he does not easily give up, not easily disturbed by nerves. Borrowing an old message, the important thing is not how many times you fall, but reminding yourself to always stand up after falling. Like snakes which change their skin, that’s the way suffering forcibly opens the fake skins of soul.

Anyone who is diligent and sincere on this path, one day will understand through personal achievement, you don’t need a goal. Life itself is a goal. In short, the human body that has been purified and perfected by deep suffering is the body that is very radiant in this nature. That is why, all Buddhas experience complete enlightenment when wearing a human body. Borrowing an old holy book, which is more than 2,800 years old, found in the depths of the forests of Peru, which are located just behind the island of Bali, the human body is the peak of all evolution in nature.

Author: Guruji Gede Prama.
Photo: Pinterest.
Proofread By: Kirsty Spence.