True meaning of acceptance: Part 1

A student of mine made this astute observation based on a statement by John Keats "The acceptance of grief and pain is necessary to the creation of a unique individual". As she says, “I wholeheartedly agree with these lines because the more we suffer the more greater benefits we reap later on.”

Does that mean we need to seek suffering in order for our life to be successful?

I think the key word that Keats and likeminded others highlight is "acceptance". Many times we, lesser mortals, fail to accept the life we have and wish for something more or something else. Eckhart Tolle in his seminal work A New Earth has numerous quotable quotes that focus on that one issue of acceptance. For instance, “When you fully accept that you don’t know, you actually enter a state of peace and clarity that is closer to who you truly are than thought could ever be.” (90) And another, “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment.” (41)

In a nutshell, Tolle argues for acceptance, as he says, and I paraphrase, freedom from unhappiness equals acceptance. So back to the Keats’ statement – it is only when we accept the “grief and pain” we are exposed to in life can we begin to reach our true potential.