Day 09: Happiness

Happiness Vs. Desire

Most people seem to believe that happiness is the result of getting whatever it is that one desires.  So they conclude that attaining whatever they desire is the only way to achieve happiness. In reality, desire is the exact opposite of happiness.  Desire makes us believe that our happiness lies somewhere in the future on the other end of some object which we will ulitimately lose or throw away, or some achievement that will make us finally believe that we are important or good or worthy of whatever we believe we are missing.

Happiness means to be satisfied, to be completely content.  When was the last time any object or accomplishment actually made you feel satisfied?  If you believe that something did, then why are you still buying other things and struggling to achieve other goals? In truth, the moment we achieve our goal or gain possesion of a coveted object our attention immediately shifts to the next goal or object.

There is no satisfaction in attaining anything because there are always other things you don’t have which are far more alluring than what you do.  This is an endless cycle and it leads anywhere accept to happiness.

Happiness comes only in this moment right now.  You cannot find it anywhere else.  Happiness comes from inside, it cannot be bestowed by exterior things or events.  At most, an event can remind you of this state of being which you already possess and give you a space to really be present with it as it envelops your being.  But, you can remind yourself of this state at any moment you choose.

Happiness is complete, it is dependent on nothing.  Happiness is pure joy and inner freedom.  Happiness comes when we forget ourselves in the beauty of the moment.

You have experienced happiness many times.  What did it feel like?  What were the circumstances?

Exercise:

Create that feeling of happiness inside your self right now, imagine the environment which reminded you of it.  Recreate these circumstances as vividly as you can.  Feel the senses that accompanied this experience.  Let this sensation fill your body.  Notice as each part that isn’t happy gets swallowed up in the happiness.  Continue this process until you’ve stopped thinking about the process and are completely one with the happiness you have created.

Now go and share that feeling with someone else.

Assignment:

Write a comment below telling me what was your image or memory, what reminded you of happiness?  We’re you able to really feel this happiness still inside of you?  How is this possible?  If the object were necessary would you be able to create this experience on your own?  What does this mean to you?

Our experience is not a product of our environment, but rather our perception of our environment.  Where we place our focus is what determines our experience.  This is equally true for the emotions as well as the body and mind.  Notice that today’s exercise used the exact same process of Emo Trance as yesterday, but we installed a good experience rather than release a bad one.  This is the beginning of emotional freedom, learning that we actively create every emotion we have by what we focus on and how we interpret this information.

Live the light,

SaTek