Michael Singer Podcast E136: The Root of All Stress—Resistance to Reality
Dec 8, 2025
Stress isn’t caused by external events, but rather our internal resistance to them. Fear and desire create tension, leading us to cling to pleasant experiences or push away the unpleasant. Unprocessed past experiences turn into recurring stress, while surrendering allows life to flow freely. Michael Singer uses metaphors of rivers and oceans to illustrate non-resistance and emphasizes that consciousness is distinct from the ego. He encourages practicing relaxation to release internal blockages, guiding listeners toward inner peace and spiritual freedom.
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Stress Is Resistance To Reality
- Internal stress is created by two opposing forces: life’s incoming events and your inner resistance or clinging.
- Michael A. Singer says fear and desire (preferences) are the roots that make you oppose reality and produce stress.
Fear And Desire Form The Same Blockage
- Fear and desire are the two root causes of inner opposing force and thus suffering.
- Singer explains resisting (fear) and clinging (desire) both block experience and create identical stress.
The Rattlesnake Example
- Singer uses a dramatic example: drop a giant rattlesnake in the room and you will freak out.
- The snake triggers fear-based resistance, unlike ordinary neutral inputs that just pass through.