HomeFeaturesFeatures › AZ Health: Breaking the Second Arrow
 
 
 

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A hard true fact in life is that we will experience pain. Many times this is literal pain from an injury, accident or diagnosis. Other times it is emotional pain in experiencing the death of a loved one or a difficult breakup. This pain can even be trivial, like when a driver cuts us off or when our children spill the milk in the morning.  

Buddhists call this pain the first arrow. We all must endure the pain of the first arrow because it is just part of life.  

How we humans react to that first arrow is called the second arrow. The second arrow may present in the form of stress, anger, pouting, lowered confidence, etc. Often we feel that we are victims to this second arrow. In the Buddhist parable, the second arrow is “suffering.” The real phenomenon about suffering is that we have a choice in accepting this second arrow at all. The parable challenges the learner to break the second arrow instead of suffering from it.  

It is easy to become stressed, overwhelmed and lack work-life balance in today’s fast-paced society. Social media reminds us that we aren’t keeping up with the Joneses. Depression rates are at an all-time high as is the prescription of anxiety medications. Sleep is elusive.  

There is a clear need to make mental health a priority whether you are a parent, employee or employer. Strategies in preventing the strike of the second arrow are paramount to our happiness, success and enjoyment of life.