Consolation only aggravates the problem.

It doesn’t relieve it. It escapes it.

Consolation is but a distraction. It distracts you from the problem by bringing your attention to something else.

In the same time – it is inseparable with the problem. You can only receive it having paid for it with suffering.

Thus, in fact, consolation is but movement of the suffering.

 

You are upset. “X is not Y”.

You seek consolation. “…but X is Z!”

You find consolation, and with it some comfort.

You now have an effective way of escaping the problem.

What happens when you establish this way of dealing with the problems as a pattern?

You now perpetually escape the problems.

You never solve them – you numb them with consolation.

And the numbing itself becomes a routine. You now seek more ways to numb yourself and more reasons.

A pattern once instigated WILL persist.

It becomes part of your identity.

You now LOVE your problems, LOVE your sorrow, for the consolation you will receive subsequently.

 

The problem is in fact really just irrelevant.

What is relevant is the way you respond to it.

What is the working of consolation?

You admit the problem – and then respond to it with WHY this problem is not so severe. Why the suffering should end.

Instead of understanding the problem, or solving it — you accept it unquestioningly — and then attempt to alleviate it’s effect on you.

“I don’t have X but at least I have Y”,

This is the wrong way of setting about the problem.

This is not even setting about the problem.

At no point do you enquire what it means to “have X”, or why you want to “have X”. Instead, you cover it up with some platitude of “having Y”. Or being this way or that way.

 

Harmfulness of consolation is thus two-fold.

— It wires you to the pattern of suffering and the corresponding drug-like hit of consolation.

— It makes you escape the reality, reality of the problem, and harbour more and more delusion (for every problem you escaped).

 

If the problem is not real — do you still need consolation?

If the problem is solved — do you still need consolation?

Please understand consolation. Emotionally – it helps you balance yourself out.

But intellectually? Intellectually – there’s nothing to console. There’s only the problem – which doesn’t go away when you turn your sight off it.

Problems must be understood.

REALITY must be understood.

This is the only purpose you have in this world – to let the consciousness flourish.

Don’t seek consolation in your troubles.

Seek reality.