The cover referenced an article, titled, "Pain is Beauty," which is a profile of vocalist Chelsea Wolfe, who's lead a challenged life, that has ultimately influenced her music. "Life is always bringing sh_t our way," she relays in the article. "When we deal with it, we come out wiser and stronger and have a more beautiful outlook. Pain becomes beauty."
I suppose that's one way to look at it and, certainly, we have to look at things at however they work for us. But seeing that article made me think about how much "pain" we are willing to put ourselves through in this world, in general, sometimes for something as superficial and surficial as selective plastic surgery (as opposed to more pertinent surgery to restore one's appearance resulting from birth defects or accidents, etc.); other times for something more compelling as spiritual development.
For centuries we have been led to believe by the ways and teachings of Buddha and Jesus, that suffering is the ultimate way to life.
I disagree with this belief and propose another way:
Love is the best way to life true fulfillment and enlightenment.
But that is a difficult concept for many to grasp in this world, especially those who seem so h.e.-double-hockey-sticks bent on feeling the need to embrace suffering to find or experience any kind of true Love, be it spiritual, romantic, sexual, familial; or finding it through the brother and sister hood of humanity.
The truth of the matter is this:
The real Love of Heaven knows no suffering, and we have been tricked into believing that we must suffer to discover and experience Love on Earth.
Indeed, over time, many millions have been born into this world with birth defects, disease, and so forth. And many more millions have been blessed with beauty, pure health and wealth.
Such are the results of karma, which is party to the decisions we all make with and in Heaven, or at least a lower form of Heaven, before we come into this world.
But if it is true that Jesus suffered and died for our “sins” and, as a New Age Catholic Christian, I believe that to be real, then, that suffering is over and we have already been “saved.” In fact, we have been “saved” ever since, and even through the time we previously spent in Heaven before we were born into this world.
That all said, if you have been blessed with purity of body, mind, spirit, health and riches, you are not one of the “lucky” ones, but rather, one of the “lovely” ones – for there is no such thing as “luck” and there is only Love and the absence of Love; and into the conversation of the Absence of Love unrests suffering.
However, do not allow any one individual, group of individuals or religious or spiritual organization lead you to believe that suffering is the path to enlightenment.
It may be “a” path – but it would serve you more productively to take the “higher path” – through Love; to understand that Love conquers all suffering; and that through Love, suffering does not even exist.
So, call and take Love upon yourself, and toss away the false belief that suffering is a path to enlightenment.
Confirm suffering instead as the big trick of this broken world; and instead fully embrace Love; and never be tricked again.
In your troubled times, and certainly these times are troubling for us all, in one way or the other, try not to give more power to your pain; try not even to acknowledge your pain or your struggles, as numerous as they may be. Certainly, one core law of the Universe states, whatever we concentrate on, expands. If you focus on the bad, things get worse; but if you focus on the good, things get better.
So focus on the good; don’t allow this broken world to which we have all fallen from Heaven trick you into thinking that suffering is your only choice for enlightenment.
To that I say, "baloney" and "phooey"; ‘tis all a jest of the lower god of this world; and has nothing to do with the True God of Love in Heaven; nothing; nothing at all to do with Heaven.
However, this does not mean that we are not to have compassion and understanding for suffering or for those who are suffering. But what I am saying is this:
In your darkest hour, pray one prayer and one prayer only:
“Dear Light of Heaven, shine your Love upon me. Amen.”
From there, your suffering will subside and, one by one, over time, we will, singularly and collectively, bring Heaven on Earth, minus any false belief in and credence given to pain of any kind, shape, size, form or lowly sort.
For you are not a lowly sort – you are a Child of the Light of Heaven.
Start acting like it, and don’t allow the false god of this world to make you believe otherwise.
