A Powerful Force

There's a powerful unseen force that exists that causes a multitude of problems for anyone who encounters this force. While this force cannot be seen directly, it is definitely felt, and its results can be seen. This force is a force of repulsion called Aversion.

Obviously, not all repulsive aversion is bad. The repulsive force of a magnet is not negative, for instance. The feeling of aversion within though, is a negative force. This force affects the way we perceive. This leads to a negative change in our views. If left to be as it is, aversion keeps winding itself upward. It takes practice to recognize aversion for what it is, and to prevent its destructive force from consuming you.

Aversion is a dislike toward someone or something that has a tendency to cause you to turn away, to avoid it. This seems to be not all that bad, as there are things you may need to turn away from and avoid. Yet, to not differentiate when to turn away or not, allows the destructive force of aversion to take you over. This leads to a number of other destructive forces taking you over, wrecking havoc on you psychologically. Which leads to physical effects too.

Anxiety is one of these forces that may develop out of aversion. Laziness or apathy is another force that may arise out of aversion. Both of these forces or feelings may arise due to aversion because you will naturally want to avoid the person or thing that is perceived to be the cause of your aversion. Yet, if you change your view, you change the way you feel. This takes wisdom. Wisdom is what this simple path is all about.

First, start the practice of recognizing aversion as it begins to arise. (See the mindfulness post.) Next, understand why it is arising. This means seeing the object that seems to be causing the aversion with compassion, or possibly pity. If it is a person, as it usually is, that is causing the aversion within you, then contemplate why this person would be the way they are. Contemplate the factors from their life that they must have experienced that would have to be present for them not to be a pleasant person, say.

Then, learn not to react to them, as it is not a personal attack, but a general defensive move on their part. Having compassion means that you understand their disgruntlement for life and what it is that caused them to become the sad person that they are. Then leave it at that. If you have to get out of the relationship or not be involved with that person then do so. If they are a work associate, sometimes you have to allow the cycle of their destruction to arise so that their 'way' can be understood by others.

The point here is that you want to garner wisdom so that you are not affected by someone else's destructive tendencies. Aversion is a powerful feeling, that left uncontrolled, leads to destruction within yourself. Acting on it towards another, while at times may seem to be the right action, it most likely is not. This is what a wise person determines at the time of the arising situation.

A daily meditation practice allows for us to ingrain the required elements to prevent 'defilement's' of the mind, like aversion, from arising. As a result with daily practice we gain a powerful resistance and strength of character towards defilement's of the the mind. We then become wise.