Humans hate pain. Humans desire freedom from pain.

And the highest freedom isn’t freedom from circumstances — it’s freedom from the mind’s suffering.

Every human being hates suffering — especially the kinds that feel pointless, uncontrollable, or prolonged.

And at the deepest level, every human being desires peace, safety, and a sense of being whole.

When you strip away culture, personality, background, or beliefs, the specifics differ, but the core is the same.

What all humans universally hate

1. Fear and insecurity

Not knowing if we will be safe — physically, emotionally, financially, socially.

Humans hate the feeling of being vulnerable in a world we can’t control.

2. Rejection and abandonment

Every human brain is wired to fear being cast out of the tribe.

Rejection hurts more than physical pain because survival once depended on belonging.

3. Meaninglessness

We hate the feeling that our life doesn’t matter or that our suffering is for nothing.

4. Powerlessness

Feeling unable to influence our own circumstances, relationships, or future.

5. Being unseen or misunderstood

Humans need to be recognised — not necessarily praised, but seen.

6. Shame

Humans universally hate the sense that “something is wrong with me” or “I’m not enough.”

7. Chaos and instability

Even those who love adventure want emotional or existential stability beneath it.

What all humans universally desire

When you invert the list above, the deepest desires become clear:

1. To feel safe

Safety makes everything else possible — love, creativity, intimacy, ambition, spirituality.

2. To be loved, accepted, and connected

Every human wants to belong in a way where nothing needs to be earned.

3. To have purpose

A life that feels meaningful, valuable, coherent.

4. To have agency

To feel capable of shaping one’s own life — not being a passive passenger.

5. To be seen, heard, and understood

This isn’t ego — it’s the foundation of human thriving.

6. To be enough as they are

To be free of shame and the endless striving it creates.

7. To have inner peace

Ultimately, every desire — wealth, success, status, relationships — hides a deeper search for inner stillness.

If you zoom out even further, it becomes beautifully simple:

Humans hate pain.

Humans desire freedom from pain.

And the highest freedom isn’t freedom from circumstances — it’s freedom from the mind’s suffering.

The Human Predicament

This is paradoxical: Most humans suffer because the same mind that generates fear, shame, and meaninglessness is also the one trying to escape them.

It’s like fire trying to put out fire.

Most of us live inside this predicament simply because we have not noticed that simple paradox. The moment we recognise it, we are on the road to freedom.

Realise the paradox and find peace: a three-step path

1. Notice that suffering is not inherent — it is created by interpretation

Your mind is not the problem. It is paying attention to the mind that creates problems.

For example:

Two people can experience the same event and feel completely differently. The same person can experience something differently depending on mood, sleep, or hormones.

Which demonstrates that thoughts are not facts.

The mind narrates constantly — and the narration shapes the emotional world.

This leads to the quiet insight:

“Oh… so my suffering is not caused by life, but by the way the mind comments on life.”

That is the beginning of freedom.

2. Notice the disturbance at the precise moment it arises

Most of us intellectually know:

“Yes, my mind stresses me.”

“Yes, I overthink.”

“Yes, my fears come from thoughts.”

But we don’t see it in real time.

Learn to catch the moment suffering begins. For example:

• The tightening in the chest

• The mental commentary beginning (“What if…”, “Why didn’t they…”)

• The rising urge to control, defend, predict, or replay

When you feel these symptoms:

Do nothing.

Don’t fight it.

Don’t follow it.

Don’t feed it.

Just watch it.

When you watch the disturbance instead of engaging with it, the disturbance loses its fuel.

3. Immerse yourself in this quest - constantly seek the company of truth

Not as a belief, but as a quiet, honest space where you can see your own mind clearly.

When you sit with others who are also looking inward, the noise of your thoughts naturally begins to settle. You realise you’re not alone in your fears, doubts, or confusions, and this shared openness makes it easier to stop identifying with every thought that appears.

In the company of others genuinely seeking peace of mind, the mind begins to loosen its grip because it’s no longer being fed by constant reaction and distraction. You feel lighter, clearer, and more grounded in the present moment.

Over time, this simple act of gathering in truth gives you a direct taste of peace — showing you that freedom isn’t something you earn, but something that becomes obvious when the mind quietens down.

Start Now by Stopping Paying Attention to the Mind

Peace is not something you achieve.

Peace is what remains when you stop entertaining the noise.

Once we are able to experience this, even for a second, we recognise peace as our true home.

And we begin returning to it naturally.