I know someone who agreed to live in a place that is killing her to get a job. Her health has declined horribly. Is she frustrated, and if so how would it be about the environment?

In order for her to earn a living, she has to be subjected to harm? This is her belief, yes.

She is in a soul-ripping place, but feels she must stay until the contract is up or forfeit the money, etc. No pain, no gain? It’s a very common belief, but really a half truth.

I hope she comes through it stronger. It is to be hoped, and it’s very possible. Even in her case, the frustration is in her. The break isn’t between her and her environment. The environment is just being. The environment doesn’t have any disagreements with you.

She could leave and be destitute a while. Which might also be soul ripping, we don’t know. That’s true. That’s where we get to the heart of the matter.

The unknown? The what if? Nope. It’s very known actually, but people don’t realize what they know.

When the frustration does come from the outside; if we can correctly assess that, we must rise above it and learn from it. How can frustration come from the outside?

From destructive actions of others? How can another’s act of destruction frustrate your intention? Do you believe it’s more powerful than your intention? The opposite of frustration is not actually patience, it’s conviction. A person with conviction has no energy for frustration.

It depends on how strong I feel. Actually, it isn’t even about how strong you feel. It’s about how congruent you are. If you are full of contradictions, how can you feel conviction? If your being is in complete agreement among its members, how can weakness be a factor?

Most people are still not aware of their role in creation or creating. It doesn’t have to get metaphysical for those who don’t care for those trains of thought.

Imagine what you would be like if you were in entire agreement that you should be allowed to be fully. If you put for yourself the inner spirit first, rather than giving all this attention to ideas that are really outside of ones ability to accurately perceive anyway. What if, say, rather than love but think of things that you can’t love, or think of ways you can be hurt, maybe love from inside and just do whatever comes from your spirit in any given situation? If you acted from these arising aspects of your nature, what could frustrate you ever?

You must have one center first and not many little conflicting desires? Yes, but the center need not be an idea. That is just falling into ego.

The ultimate question you have is “What do you want?” You don’t decide what you want. You are moved like being moved by music or a child’s laughter, and you are even moved by your own nature. It’s like the world has a message for you written into its very substance, and as you experience things you specifically (the you you know to be yourself) is called upon to be your unique part. How can that be stopped?

We need to conect to that part of ourselves. It’s readily available, and the world offers countless ways to experience it. Shamanism, mysticism, religion, meditation, naturalism. We are well blessed with options. Art. An artist always creates their self. It’s not a short list, and if you act from communing with this inner self, where would there be any contradiction?

Just creative play with the energies available. Exactly. Couldn’t that be a great life? How could it be in any way unsatisfying? But really, we are all artists. Whatever we create is self, not the world. The world is just ready to receive. As a rule it accepts.

Unless it’s a hostile environment? Actually no exceptions. It accepts hostility also. It accepts depression and anger and envy and doubt and love and hope and wisdom and beauty.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~