Confronting Pain or Loss

June Singer, Jungian analyst and author tells us this having made the journey from suffering and pain to compassion and creativity:

"Whether it is physical, emotional, whatever kind of pain, don't storm against it.  Don't resist it with questions like, Why me?  Why this?  Instead say to yourself, This is what the situation is , This is where I am and this is what is happening right now, What can I make of this?  How can I deal with it?  How must I change?  How can I change the situation?  You really have to take it on without deluding yourself, without denying how hard it is, that's what I've learned about pain".

Resilience and Compassion

In the book, The Resilient Spirit, the author tells us that true compassion is a powerful antidote to our suffering and pain because it prevents us from feeling isolated and separate from others.  When our lives and understanding take on a bigger context, we don't feel so alone.   What we are going through begins to have meaning in the larger picture.  
The author says" sometimes, the direct experience of authentic pain can propel one completely beyond old neurotic habits,  as I've seen in a few people who have encountered serious illness, betrayal, or loss unexpectedly.  They were suddenly able to move beyond their neurotic quirks  to become compassionate."