We have a tendency to postpone our happiness. A child thinks he will be happy when he goes to college. Those in college think happiness is in finding the dream job. Ask someone who has a job and they will tell you they are waiting for the perfect life partner. Ask the retirees if they are happy, they might tell you they miss the old days. It is like preparing your bed to sleep all night and never getting to sleep! What are you waiting for to be content?
Worrying takes you away from yourself
The creation wants you to be happy. God wants to see you full of enthusiasm, joy, compassion, and happiness. But we keep worrying about this or that. Don’t judge and don’t worry about what others think of you. Whatever they think, it is not permanent. Your own opinion of things should matter as people keep changing all the time. So why worry about what others think of you? Worrying takes a lot of toll on the body, mind, intellect, and alertness. It is like an obstruction that takes us far away from ourselves. It brings us fear. Fear is nothing but a lack of love. It is an intense sense of isolation.
This can be handled by relaxing and doing some breathing exercises. Then you will realise that “I am loved, I am part of everybody and I am part of the whole universe.” This will liberate you and the mind will take a complete shift. You will then find so much harmony around you. Every day make a resolution — “Today, I am just going to be happy. I will not let anything disturb my happiness. I am going to be contended, happy.”
Move from contentment to contentment
Normally, people move from frustration to frustration, lack of fulfilment to lack of fulfilment, but on the spiritual path, one moves from fulfilment to fulfilment. But it’s important not becoming lethargic in the name of fulfilment. Usually, fulfilled people just become lethargic, which is not right. Fulfilment and dynamism go together. When frustration and dynamism combine, it becomes destructive for society. People who are frustrated become dynamic and that is why the world is in chaos. On the other hand, those who are fulfilled but lethargic do not contribute either. There needs to be a delicate balance.
Being happy and yet alert
A wise one is happy even in bad times. And a foolish one is unhappy even in good times. Usually, when you are happy, you become spaced out and lose focus. When you are unhappy, you are very focused. Whenever you are only thinking about yourself, your mind shrinks. Whenever the mind shrinks, it is bound to bring unhappiness. And when the mind expands, it brings joy. But a beautiful combination – of being happy and alert and focused at the same time – can be experienced in spiritual life.
Going back to the self to deal with loneliness
Happiness does not come from a talent or skill that you develop. Unless you realize who you are, and what the nature of consciousness is through your own introspection, happiness remains a far-fetched reality. The spirit of self-inquiry in the true sense leads to meditation and is absolutely essential in this quest for happiness. The 6th century Indian philosopher and thinker Adi Shankaracharya has said that it is dispassion towards the ephemeral and connection with the eternal that brings true joy. In fact, he goes further and asks, “What joy does detachment not bring?” The word for solitude in Sanskrit is ‘ekant’, meaning ‘the end of loneliness’. Loneliness cannot end by changing company, even if it is more sympathetic and understanding. It can only end when you discover your real nature for yourself.
The author is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher and an ambassador of peace. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Read all the Latest Opinions here
Comments
0 comment