Four Noble Truths

A dear friend of mine recently responded to an email I had sent. I loved this response and wanted to share the relevant parts with you:

“I certainly recognize that we all have our own individual frame of reference. Like you, the lens through which I have spent most of my life looking through is the Judeo-Christian one as well. I do feel myself fundamentally in that lineage, my prayers and recitations come from that space however rather than limiting myself there, I have recognized through many studies and self-reflection that Buddhist philosophy offers me an ability to self-correct for me. If my intentions are misaligned with goodness and light, I do create Karma. If my thoughts betray or harm me, I am causing my own suffering. Looking from life with the honoring of the Ten Commandments, The Beatitudes, the Psalms, the Lord’s Prayer and commitment and honor to Mary has provided me so much moral backbone and understanding, however, understanding the Four Noble Truths: The Truth of Suffering, the True Causes of Suffering, both the end and paths to the end of suffering has given me some solutions to my own suffering.

“Just this morning I was gleaning over different parts of my own life. There will always be things and events that come to us from external sources: accidents, injury, illness, the leaving of people in our lives by whatever means. I have found that in many of the situations in my life where I seem to have suffered a disconnect with my spirit/soul have been from my own mind in overthinking, over-analyzing, putting myself in a place of want for things or people that were not for my highest good. As I have had the power to create those situations, so I have the power with the help of my faith and desire to change to alleviate my own suffering.”