What is "The Problem?"

The impetus behind seeking always boils down to one thing - Can you discover it?

Normal life seems characterized by a cornucopia of problems. How could it be that there is only one problem: “The Problem?”

We are all raised to believe we are each a separate person. Further, we are usually taught (especially in the west) that there is some “kernel” of constancy to ourselves, e.g. soul or spirit. These beliefs are erroneous and that is the source of our problems. If that sounds troubling to you, you are in good company. I have written an essay on precautions regarding the seeking/awakening journey here. I would encourage anyone interested in taking the journey to read it carefully.

Because we are raised in similar ways, the “modes” of our problems follow similar trends. No two lives are identical, but the similarities can be helpful to examine. Regardless of the manifold problems of life, each seeker can explore the common themes of the problems across different lives. I have yet to meet a seeker that, after investigating this thoroughly, did not distill their problems to one core Problem.

When that point is reached, it can come as a great relief. Not because The Problem is easily solved, but because there is clarity in trying to resolve a single issue; even if that one issue is “the biggie.” Another bit of good news is that these formulations of The Problem tend to come in a limited number of themes. Therefore, discussing them with other seekers/teachers can result in clarity and direction.

Here are some common themes:

• I feel there’s something wrong with me

• I feel flawed

• I feel incomplete

• I suffer (or am afraid, or am angry) and I don’t want to suffer, etc.

• I feel there’s something wrong with the world

• I want to know The Truth

There are probably others, but these are the most common ones I’ve come across in my discussions with other seekers. The “flawed” and “incomplete” themes were very prominent in my younger days. But as I got older and progressed in my journey, I became obsessed with the last one: a burning desire for The Truth. Regardless of whatever “The Truth” might be — for I had no idea — whatever it was, that was what I wanted more than anything.

If you haven’t yet delved these depths, hopefully the above considerations are helpful. Once you can articulate your personal version of "The Problem,” things can become a lot less haphazard in your seeking journey.

There is another silver lining to the storm cloud of The Problem. All statements of The Problem stem from exactly the same root cause. Once you come to understand the root cause, the seeking journey becomes even more focused and more efficient. I found this out the difficult way, so I’d like to offer it freely to save others time, energy, etc. What is the root cause of The Problem?

You have forgotten who/what you really are.

This deserves very careful contemplation. If you look at that list above, can you see how each problem statement would be a natural result if you had, indeed, forgotten who/what you are?

We were raised into this forgetting. A baby hasn’t “forgotten.” A baby doesn’t know anything but who/what they really are! The confusion and forgetting come later. It’s par for the course when the parents who’ve forgotten who/what they are are tasked with raising children. When this fundamental confusion is adequately appreciated, then the seeking journey becomes very direct: can you figure out what you’ve forgotten? The entire point of the spiritual seeking journey becomes laser-focused:

Come to understand who/what you really are.

This is entirely possible! Once you realize who/what you are, then you will see The Problem was build upon an erroneous assumption. Once the erroneous assumption is corrected, The Problem itself falls away; it becomes a non-issue. THIS is the threshold-crossing that has been called many names in the traditions: Liberation, Moksha, Release, Nirvana, etc.

The journey of life does not resolve until death comes. Even then that’s not so much resolution as transformation. Pains, difficulties, and challenges will continue to arise as long as the journey of life continues. But after the threshold-crossing, those circumstances will be free from suffering (as I use the term). In other words, once the threshold is crossed, pains, difficulties, and challenges are just what-they-are: pains, difficulties, and challenges. They are not problems! They’re just what’s going on. And they’ll stop going on in this life only when death comes in this life. None of this is a problem.

Unlike the journey of life, however, the spiritual seeking journey very much can resolve — and resolve definitively. Once the threshold of this “full awakening” is crossed, it can’t be “uncrossed.” It can’t be forgotten. It can’t be overlooked. It’s revelation is utter and final. And it all pivots on realizing who/what you really are at bottom: realizing your true Fundamental Nature.

Are you ready to see it? The funny thing is you already are seeing it — constantly! You just don’t realize it yet. That’s why we’ve “forgotten.” It’s not even hiding in plain sight — it is plain sight. Or, should I say, plain sight is an aspect of it. It’s more than that. Much, much more.

Trying to solve The Problem directly is unspeakably difficult. Perhaps even impossible. But if you get clear on what the Fundamental Nature is — what you really are — then The Problem will fall away naturally and permanently.