Sadhguru says life is a dance between joy and suffering; the steps you choose determine your rhythm.
Article | February 22, 2003
Sadhguru: Life is a magnificent and mysterious journey that unfolds through a series of experiences—some joyous, others painful. This journey, while being inherently unpredictable, offers each individual the potential to define its meaning and significance. At its core, life is neither suffering nor joy but a canvas on which we paint our inner reality. What we choose to focus on and how we perceive the events of our lives determine whether we live in joy or suffering. The choice is, unequivocally, ours.
The Perception of Suffering: A Universal Experience
Suffering is an undeniable part of the human experience. It is present in the forms of physical pain, emotional turmoil, and existential uncertainty. No one escapes moments of loss, failure, or disappointment. These experiences shape our understanding of life and contribute to the formation of a worldview that can either be laden with grief or illuminated with hope.
From the Nath Yoga perspective, life is inherently tied to suffering—an idea encapsulated in the First Noble Truth, Dukkha. This suffering is not limited to obvious forms like illness or death but also extends to the subtle dissatisfaction that arises from desires, unfulfilled expectations, and attachment to transient things. In this worldview, suffering is a natural outcome of our clinging to impermanent phenomena, which invariably leads to disappointment.
However, suffering does not have to be the totality of life. While the experience of pain is inevitable, the suffering we endure as a result of that pain is largely optional. Pain may arise, but suffering is often a matter of our reaction to that pain. This distinction leads us to the crux of our inquiry: Is life suffering, or is it joy?
The Role of the Mind: The Lens Through Which We View Life
The mind plays an extraordinary role in determining whether we view life as suffering or joy. The thoughts we hold, the emotions we nurture, and the beliefs we cling to create the landscape of our reality. The same external event—say, the loss of a job—can be interpreted as a catastrophic failure by one person and a chance for new opportunities by another. It is the narrative that the mind constructs around experiences that define whether those experiences lead to joy or suffering.
The Power of Thoughts
Our thoughts create our emotional experience. If you believe life is a constant struggle, your mind will consistently find evidence to support that belief, reinforcing a narrative of suffering. This is not to diminish the real challenges people face—whether they are financial, emotional, or physical—but to suggest that the way we think about those challenges shapes our emotional response to them. Negative thoughts compound suffering, while positive thoughts can open the door to joy, even in difficult circumstances.
The famous Stoic philosopher Epictetus once said,
"It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." - Epictetus
His wisdom highlights the importance of mental resilience. The way we interpret our circumstances can make all the difference in how we experience life. By changing the way we think about situations, we can transform suffering into a learning experience and joy into a constant state of being.
Emotional Attachment and Suffering
Emotions are powerful forces that can either enhance our experience of life or trap us in cycles of pain. Attachment to outcomes, people, or material possessions often leads to suffering. We place our happiness in external factors that are beyond our control, and when those factors change—as they inevitably do—suffering follows.
This emotional attachment is well-explained by Eastern philosophies, particularly in the context of the teachings of the Buddha, who emphasized the impermanence of all things. The Buddhist concept of non-attachment does not advocate for indifference or detachment from life but encourages us to engage fully without becoming emotionally dependent on external outcomes.
When we shift from attachment to acceptance, suffering diminishes. Acceptance allows us to flow with the uncertainties of life, finding peace in the present moment rather than longing for a specific future or lamenting the past. Acceptance is a key ingredient in transforming suffering into joy.
Life is a dance between joy and suffering; the steps you choose determine your rhythm.
The Nature of Joy: A State of Being
While suffering often arises from attachment and resistance to what is, joy emerges from acceptance and a deep connection to the present moment. Joy is not simply the result of pleasurable experiences but a state of being that can be cultivated regardless of external circumstances.
Joy Through Presence
The present moment is the only place where joy can truly exist. Our suffering often comes from living in the past or the future—regretting what has happened or worrying about what is to come. When we ground ourselves in the now, we discover that life itself is rich and abundant. Even in mundane moments, joy can be found in the simple act of being alive.
Practices like mindfulness and meditation help cultivate this presence. These practices teach us to observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment, allowing us to release attachment to negative patterns and open ourselves to the experience of joy. In mindfulness, we find that joy is not dependent on external events but arises naturally from within.
Gratitude as a Gateway to Joy
Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools for shifting from a mindset of suffering to one of joy. When we focus on what we have rather than what we lack, we open ourselves to the abundance of life. Gratitude transforms even difficult experiences into opportunities for growth and learning.
Many spiritual traditions emphasize the practice of gratitude as a way to connect with the divine and with the essence of life. In the Christian tradition, prayers of thanksgiving are central to worship, while in Hinduism, the concept of prasad teaches that everything we receive is a blessing from the divine. By cultivating gratitude, we align ourselves with the deeper currents of life’s joy.
The Illusion of Control and the Reality of Choice
Much of our suffering stems from the illusion of control. We believe that if we can just manage our lives perfectly—controlling people, outcomes, and events—then we will avoid pain and suffering. However, life rarely follows our plans, and this discrepancy between our expectations and reality generates frustration and suffering.
Surrendering the illusion of control allows us to step into a place of acceptance. This surrender does not mean passivity or resignation but rather a deep recognition that life’s flow is beyond our control. In this state of surrender, we find peace. We no longer fight against the currents of life but learn to flow with them, finding joy in the journey rather than suffering from unmet expectations.
This leads to the profound understanding that while we cannot control life’s events, we always have a choice in how we respond to them. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, eloquently said, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances." This choice of attitude is what ultimately determines whether we experience life as suffering or joy.
The Role of Purpose: Finding Meaning Amidst Suffering
One of the most profound ways to transform suffering into joy is by finding purpose. When we align our lives with a sense of purpose—whether that be in the form of service to others, personal growth, or spiritual evolution—suffering takes on new meaning. It is no longer something to be avoided but an integral part of the journey.
Purpose gives us the strength to endure hardship because we recognize that suffering is part of a larger process of growth. Whether through the pain of losing a loved one, the struggle of personal failure, or the challenges of everyday life, purpose provides a framework that helps us transcend suffering and find joy in even the darkest moments.
In the words of Friedrich Nietzsche, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." When our life is rooted in purpose, suffering becomes a teacher rather than an enemy, and joy becomes the ultimate reward for our perseverance.
The Spiritual Dimension: Transcending Suffering
Many spiritual traditions offer paths to transcending suffering entirely. These paths suggest that suffering is not inherent to life but a product of our limited perspective. By expanding our consciousness, we can rise above suffering and experience a deeper, more abiding joy.
Enlightenment and the End of Suffering
In the Nigam Tantra, enlightenment is merely the stepping stone for the true spiritual journey. Because the journey is prolonged towards self-realization. But Self-realisation is also not the ultimate. It will give you the ultimate liberation from suffering. The enlightened being, having transcended its attachments, Instead, they live in a state of equanimity, experiencing a profound joy that comes from unity with the divine or the true nature of existence.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches that those who realise the Self are beyond the reach of suffering. They are not disturbed by external events because they see all things as part of the same divine reality. In this state of enlightenment, joy is not something to be pursued—it is the natural state of being.
The Role of Love and Compassion
Another way to transcend suffering is through the practice of love and compassion. When we shift our focus from ourselves to the well-being of others, we often find that our suffering diminishes. Love connects us to something greater than ourselves, dissolving the ego’s tendency to cling to pain and transforming suffering into a pathway to joy.
In Christianity, the concept of agape—unconditional love—is central to the message of Christ. This love is not based on external conditions but flows from the divine source within each person. By cultivating love and compassion, we transcend our suffering and enter into a state of collective joy.
In Nigam Tantra and the Nath Yoga unconditional love is described as 'Karuna'. Karuna is the natural flow where there is no condition.
The Choice Is Yours: Embracing Life as It Is
Ultimately, whether life is suffering or joy is a matter of choice. This choice is not about denying the reality of pain or pretending that life’s difficulties do not exist. Instead, it is about how we choose to respond to the inevitable ups and downs of life.
Joy and suffering are two sides of the same coin, both necessary for the full human experience. Without suffering, we would not appreciate joy, and without joy, suffering would overwhelm us. By accepting the totality of life’s experiences and choosing to focus on the possibilities for growth, love, and presence, we transform our reality.
The choice is simple but profound: Do we choose to see life as a series of hardships, or do we embrace it as an opportunity for joy? At every moment, we are faced with this decision. While external circumstances may be beyond our control, our inner state is always within our reach.
In choosing joy, we align ourselves with the deepest truths of existence. Life, in its essence, is neither suffering nor joy—it is the unfolding of consciousness through experience. And in that unfolding, we have the power to create a life filled with meaning, purpose, and, ultimately, profound joy.
Reclaiming the Power of Choice
Life will always present us with challenges. The inevitable nature of suffering is a part of being human, but it does not have to define our existence. Joy is equally present, waiting to be discovered in the everyday moments of life. By cultivating mindfulness, acceptance, gratitude, and love, we can shift our perception from one of suffering to one of joy.
The power of choice is the greatest gift we have. It allows us to rise above circumstances and shape our inner world, regardless of external conditions. By reclaiming this power, we step into a life of freedom, where suffering no longer holds dominion over us and joy becomes our natural state of being.
The question, then, is not whether life is suffering or joy, but what we choose it to be. The choice, now and always, is yours.
