InSights

Kensho: The One Side

We have two ways in which life pushes us to grow; one is through “pain” and the other through “insight”. And it is critical for us as individuals and human beings to understand this for the sake of our personal growth. ‘Kensho’ is growth by pain. We lose a loved one, face heartbreak, lose money, fail an important exam, cope with a disease, fail in business, someone cheats us; these are all incredibly painful and heartbreaking moments in our life. They can break our spirit. But the wound is where light enters.

Somewhere in this pain, there is learning, there is an upward growth of our soul, an expansion of the spirit. Often this heartbreak leads to something far greater than we could have imagined. How often a breakup has led to a beautiful, lasting relationship, or a failure has led to greater success? Your pain makes your heart more resilient and you learn to love and appreciate yourself more. 17th century Austrian psychotherapist Alfred Adler said, “Trust only movement (action). Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement.” So take the next step forward after acknowledging your Kensho moment. It is a precious gift, do not let it waste away.Your Kensho moments show you growth by pain, it is so gradual and subtle that you may not even notice your growth. But a few years later, when you look back, you will see how it shaped you.

Satori: The Other Side

There is one more route to growth. These come in as “a-ha” moments, a random idea, a sudden revelation from a seminar or a book, a new form of wisdom that suddenly hits you. This is Satori. Zen Masters described it as sudden enlightenment. These are far smoother and happier, and also less frequent, compared to Kensho.

A quote from Rumi explains the essence of Satori moments. He wrote, “What you seek, is seeking you”; if you can only stand still, let go of judgement and control (rising from ego), and truly allow the flow of life to come to you, you will experience these moments of inspiration. It is devoid of that desperation to get an answer. By letting go of baggage and trusting the flow, we can access our Satori moments of growth.

How many people have claimed that their best ideas come to them as soon as they wake up, or in the shower, or while driving?

Understanding these two concepts can help us to see our lives differently. Maybe you have lost precious things in your life. And when you look back now, you see how you did become stronger because of it. The idea is to learn to respect your Kensho and Satori moments . Our goal through this section is to hopefully provide you more Satori or insightful moments by dropping a few gold nuggets here and there that will help.

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The contents of the website are for educational informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your condition.  © since 2001 Safe Place for Male Survivors.com   Gray Matter Coaching. Sacramento, CA