In our world, I feel so much compassion when I see how important things are to people and what importance people give to them. Not only to physical things, but how much importance people give to situations, what happens and what doesn't happen, a circumstance, and how much power they place in the world of form.
Unfortunately, they always expect something from it that only the formless can give. They expect to find themselves somewhere in there. They expect happiness through the world of form. It can give you happiness, briefly and then it takes it away.So, you become dependent on what happens and doesn't happen. Sometimes it's the tiniest things that can make people unhappy. I can ask someone, "Why are you unhappy?" They'll answer, "Well, this happened and I lost this and look at my bank account." What does it matter?
It is the impossible expectation people place on the world. They say, "Fulfill me. Make me happy." In reality, the world means people, places, situations, and circumstances. That's all the world means. Yet people have these expectations and demands. No place, no person, no situation, and no circumstance can meet those demands for long.
This is why life is experienced by most humans as very frustrating, almost designed by some devious God to anger you. Many people experience their life as designed to frustrate them. It's continuous. They'll say, "I've tried everything. It's so hard." Always something happens to frustrate them, of course because there is an impossible demand being placed on the phenomenal universe. Real happiness is the true deeper sense of knowing yourself and who you are beyond the forms. It's true and lasting joy and happiness.
Yet, they are looking for happiness in some imagined configuration of forms. They think when those forms in their lives, those circumstances, and people are in the right configuration, they'll be fine. No. It could happen for a brief moment that they are in the right order. Maybe you just moved to a beautiful new home, you just fell in love, the stock market has just gone up, and your doctor says you're one of the healthiest he's ever seen. Everything is just right. Then probably the ego would claim some achievement and say you did that. However, it is only for a short time it would last before you're unhappy again.
The world of form or forms looks solid. This is an illusion as you walk, especially around the city with its structures and man made solidity. Just an illusion. Even the most solid building can collapse in a moment. Yes, the solidity of form is an illusion. Yet because of this, you believe there is something permanent in the phenomenal realm through solidity. However very quickly things move, change, shift, and leave you or make you unhappy. Today it makes you happy. Tomorrow it makes you unhappy. Maybe it is a new position at a job or a husband or wife that makes you happy then unhappy. Anyone that has been through more than one marriage knows that the person that makes you happy also makes you unhappy.
The demands people place on the manifested world are impossible. When that demand is dropped, you'll find peace and that can happen when the world has totally frustrated you. So much has "gone wrong" so to speak. Not really wrong, but against the expectations that you wanted and needed. You let go of any further expectations. You let go not in a negative sense because if you let go in a negative sense you are saying, "Who cares. I don't want to know anymore. I'm done with the world." You're not. There's still a lot of attachment. A true letting go, you may even laugh or smile when it all crumbles and no demands are placed upon the manifested. Suddenly, you sense this intense enormous peace. Everything has gone wrong, yet there is a deep feeling of rightness.
You will see this when that readiness comes from within you. Then you'll recognize those demands. Part of those demands you place on the world is the future should make you happy because that is the next moment and the need for the next moment. Yet, it is a great letting go when the psychological need for the next moment is relinquished.every expectation you impose on the world implies future. Then you'll slowly become comfortable with places as they are because in your mind a place can be ideal, until you get there. That's the thing that frustrates you.
It could be demands you place on people. "Understand me. No one understands me." So? Is that so bad? They understand what they can understand, just enough for them. Understand, you get nothing from people understanding you. Nothing is added to you to have them understand you, except a psychological thought form. That is only confirmation. What does that do? Nothing. Look beyond form to realize that is where you'll find your inner peace and happiness.
