strings: What does it mean? What is it that is suffering? Not why there is suffering, not what is the cause of suffering, but what is actually happening? I do not know if you see the difference. Then I am simply aware of suffering, not as apart from me, not as an observer watching suffering—it is part of me, that is the whole of me is suffering. Then I am able to follow its movement, see where it leads. Surely if I do that it opens.up, does it not? Then I see that I have laid emphasis on the 'me'—not on the person whom I love. He only acted to cover me from my misery, from my loneliness, from my misfortune. As I am not something, I hoped he would be that. That has gone; I am left, I am lost, I am lonely. Without him, I am nothing. So I cry. It is not that he is gone but that I am left. I am alone. To come to that point is very diffcult, isn't it ? It is diffcult really to recognize it and not merely say, "1 am alone and how am I to get rid of that loneliness ?" which is another form of escape, but to be conscious of it, to remain with it, to see its movement. I am only taking this as an example. Gradually, if I allow it to unfold, to open up, I see that I am suffering because I am lost; I am being called to give my attention to something which I am not willing to look at; something is being forced upon me which I am reluctant to see and to understand. There are innumerable people to help me to escape— thousands of so-called religious people, witn their beliefs and dogmas, hopes and fantasies—"it is karma, it is God's will''—you know, ali giving me a way out. But if I can stay with it and not put it away from me, not try to circumscribe  or deny it, then what happens? What is the state of my mind when it is thus following the movement of suffering?