Love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. It is only your aversion to it that hurts, nothing else.
Interpretation
Embrace your suffering instead of avoiding it, as avoidance causes more pain than the suffering itself.
Hermann Hesse encourages us to accept and love our suffering rather than resisting it. He suggests that the real pain comes not from the suffering itself, but from our aversion to it; by accepting suffering, we free ourselves from the additional hurt that comes from fighting against it.
In practice
During a motivational speech on resilience, you can use this quote to illustrate the importance of accepting difficulties.
I shall no longer be instructed by the Yoga Veda or the Aharva Veda, or the ascetics, or any other doctrine whatsoever. I shall learn from myself, be a pupil of myself; I shall get to know myself, the mystery of Siddhartha." He looked around as if he were seeing the world for the first time.
That is where my dearest and brightest dreams have ranged β to hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony.
I, also, would like to look and smile, sit and walk like that, so free, so worthy, so restrained, so candid, so childlike and mysterious. A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self. I also will conquer my Self.
You're quite right there," he said. "I have practiced abstinence myself for years, and had my time of fasting, too, but now I find myself once more beneath the sign of Aquarius, a dark and humid constellation.
I call that man awake who, with conscious knowledge and understanding, can perceive the deep unreasoning powers in his soul, his whole innermost strength, desire and weakness, and knows how to reckon with himself.
Despair is the result of each earnest attempt to go through life with virtue, justice and understanding, and to fulfill their requirements. Children live on one side of despair, the awakened on the other side.
Health, wealth, beauty, and genius are not created; they are only manifested by the arrangement of your mind-that is, by your concept of yourself, and your concept of yourself is all that you accept and consent to as true.
If you want me to speak for two minutes, it will take me three weeks of preparation. If you want me to speak for thirty minutes, it will take me a week to prepare. If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready now.
What we are tempted to call a disaster is sometimes the first, painful stage of a blessing.
When God's hand is on thy back, let thy hand be on thy mouth, for though the affliction be sharp it shall be but short.
The most powerful way to manifest is through subtle intention and choiceless awareness-inten d to let go and flow.
Strive always to excel in virtue and truth.
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