Suffering dissolves when met with acceptance because acceptance reveals that which is true and real. When fully accepting the present moment the mind becomes silent resulting in the disappearance of painful, past memories and anxiety-laden, future imaginings. When thoughts of the past and future stop, the sustaining truth of reality is revealed as oneness, peace, love, and joy.
Our negative, subjective judgments, evaluations, and beliefs about truth dissolve in the objective light of knowing truth. Therefore, it can be said that recognizing the truth and reality of “what is” dissolves the illusions which are the source of suffering. Illusions are necessary for suffering to exist. Pain is sometimes a part of life, while suffering is optional.
Suffering requires that one view the relative as absolute. Bringing acceptance to an experience exposes and dissolves this illusion and reveals the absolute – the absolute and deepest truth of life.
Throughout the ages, many psychological and spiritual teachers have suggested that suffering is grounded in ignorance. In modern times, Byron Katie asks us to recognize “what is absolutely true” and “to love what is,” Eckhart Tolle suggests “living fully in the now,” and American psychologist Albert Ellis invites us to recognize and challenge the negative, irrational beliefs fueling our suffering.
There is nothing wrong with thinking as long as we recognize that thoughts are only thoughts. Thoughts are harmless and it is advisable to accept all of our thoughts as long as we don’t become attached to our thoughts and believe them to be true.