The Secret of True Happiness
26 January is celebrated as Republic Day in India, commemorating the coming of theConstitution of India into force – a structure that defined law and order in the country to maintain peace and contentment among the citizens. But when we talk about peace and happiness, what do we really mean. What kind of happiness are we talking about? The one that comes from achieving desires?Or is there something beyond it?
A technologically advanced world! That’s where we are today. People are engaged in the race to achieve something or the other. But, people fail to understand that worldly pursuits can never give them the lasting happiness which they actually desire. However, they don’t know any other way to acquire true and lasting happiness. Hence, they remain bound in the vicious circle of desiresfulfillment temporary happinessmore desiresfulfillmenttemporary happiness… and on and on.
Is there any way to acquire True and everlasting happiness? Yes. Abiding in the experience of the real Self – you may call it God, Allah, or Almighty – is the way. When we abide in the experience of the Self, we are not happy, but rather we are happiness itself! Rather, we experience life as the source of causeless happiness.
We fail to understand the very fact that every effort that we make is actually driven only by our desire for happiness. And due to our mistaken belief that happiness comes from external objects and situations, we ceaselessly direct our attention and efforts towards the external world. We tend to forget that the happiness that we are seeking outside is within us.Rather, we are happiness; it is our true nature!
What are desires? Desires are nothing but incessant stream of thoughts that seek fulfillment from worldly objects or situations. Whenever we get the experience of what we desire, or in other words, whenever our desires are fulfilled, the restlessness of the mind caused by that desire subsides temporarily. This allows us to experience the happiness that always exists within us, but for a short while.
However, we fail to recognize that the happiness that we just experienced is already present within us. Hence, we wrongly connect the happiness that was experienced with the objects of our desire. The more we experience such momentary happiness, the more convinced we are that we can obtain happiness from people, objects and circumstances outside ourselves. Hence, we continue to desire those things that we believe to be the sources of our happiness. This, at the cost of losing the very source of happiness that is always available within us!
Since the experience of happiness is momentary, we entertain some other desire as soon as the earlier one is fulfilled. We do not realize that this momentary happiness was because we were calm and centered in the stillness of the Source behind thoughts.
The missing link here is that desire, in itself, is never the cause of sorrow, or the lack of happiness. It is the habit of chasing after our desires, borne out of the conviction that happiness lies in their fulfillment that causes sorrow. The habit of desiring veils the ever-present bliss of the Source.
In 2018, let’s free ourselves from such desires through a small yet powerful and quick meditation.
The ‘Happy Thoughts’ Meditation:
A ‘Happy Thought’, in this context, implies an intention to be rid of all desires. As we have seen earlier, the habit of functioning by desires veils the experience of true and permanent happiness. Desires arise in the human mind every moment.
During this meditation, you will maintain the same body posture from the beginning to the end of the meditation session. If you are seated, then you will remain seated till the end. If you are standing, you will remain standing till the end of the meditation session. If you are walking, you will continue to walk.
In this practice, observe what desires are arising within you. Watch them and tell yourself, “Now, I am free from all desires.” Even if you are practicing the meditation for ten minutes, tell yourself, “Now, I am free from all desires at least for the next ten minutes.”
Do you know how many desires are there within you? There are several desires which you are not aware of. This meditation helps to bring those desires to light.
As you witness these desires during this meditation, you can get rid of the sorrow caused by these desires.
While practicing the meditation, be cautious about every desire arising within you. Be cautious… Be curious… Be aware… Just witness…
A subtle desire may arise, “It is very hot. Let me switch on the fan.” Tell yourself, “I am free from all desires now.” Continue your meditation.
Another desire may arise, “My back is paining. Let me lie down for some time.” Witness this desire and tell yourself, “I am free from all desires”, and continue to meditate.
Whenever any desire arises, just witness it, affirm to yourself that you are free from all desires and continue with the practice.
In this way, remain free from desires during the entire period of this meditation. Don’t entertain any desire during this period.
You will be able to easily observe the superficial and predominant desires arising within you. These desires are easily noticeable. However, there are certain subtle desires which you cannot easily grasp. Subtler desires are those, wherein we desire that something should not happen.
For example, when you want to reach your destination on time, there is a subtle desire that your vehicle should not stop midway. You may not be aware of this desire. You come to know about it only when the vehicle suddenly breaks down or comes to a halt for some reason.
The hindrance in the fulfillment of your desire causes you to experience sorrow. When you observe the rising and falling of desires, both gross and subtle, you begin to realize how desires arise at the first place. You realize the temporary nature of these desires. When they are witnessed for some time without indulging, they subside.
Practicing this meditation is the best way to increase the power of your intention and experience the bliss derived through freedom from desires. Pure happiness that springs from the Source of life becomes self-evident.
Try to experience this state of freedom, at least for 10 minutes.
If you are able to taste the experience of freedom from desires even for a few minutes, the thirst to be rid of all desires can be kindled. Even a glimpse of pure untainted happiness is auspicious, as it instills the perseverance to transcend the realm of thoughts and rest in the blissful presence of the Source.
Our sense of presence is the causeless cause of bliss. Happiness is inherent in the experience that we exist, that we are alive, that we are awake and aware. Just ‘being’ is enough to experience happiness.
When we try to reason and conceptualize happiness, we indulge in thinking. This takes us far away from the presence of the Source. We seek imaginary happiness in the content of our thoughts.
Seeking happiness in the world is like chasing one’s own shadow endlessly. Like the shadow, happiness always eludes us. We experience sorrow, conflict and dissatisfaction when we move away from the Self.
The mind postpones happiness by attaching preconditions to it and keeps waiting to be happy.Happiness can only be experienced in the present. However, this light of bliss is lost in the constant stream of thoughts. We chase after shadows by pursuing our notions about happiness. As a result, we tend to postpone happiness to a time in the future. Happiness can only be experienced here and now, not in the future.
Hence, we need not wait for the fulfillment of any preconditions. We can be happy right here, right now!
Summary:
People are entangled in the vicious circle of desires. The way to acquire everlasting happiness is freedom from desires. Due to our mistaken belief that happiness comes from external objects and situations, we ceaselessly direct our attention and efforts towards the external world. However, we fail to recognize that the happiness that we thus experience is already present within us. Hence, we wrongly connect the happiness that was experienced with the objects of our desire. It is not the desires but the habit of chasing after our desires, borne out of the conviction that happiness lies in their fulfilment that causes sorrow. The habit of desiring veils the ever-present bliss of the Source. We need not wait for the fulfilment of any preconditions. We can be happy right here, right now!
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