Happiness
Happiness is a state of mind.
I've done some pretty extensive research on this subject, on behalf of humanity and the consciousness of existence and this would appear to be very accurate as an expression of a truth. The Dalai Lama, a man who's life is a direct reflection of this belief is well documented as saying this is his take on what makes for a beneficial experience here on earth. I have read several books about the subject, which all concur with this theology and ideology too. Whether it is true for you or not, shall remain a matter for your own discernment henceforth.
I recently read something about William Shakespeare that was revealing, and inspired me to write a poem to the honour of the 'Bard of Avon'.
Seeing that he was such a great thinker and had views about subjects way beyond his time was an intriguing treat for me.
But clearly the state of our happiness is not as we might expect, dependant on some outside reality or situation, but rather on our thinking about it. Much like breathing.. If we had to think about it we would be dead. It happens to us without thought, that is to say conscious awareness.
Same with happiness. If we think we are happy, then we are. It is that simple in reality, but we, our egoic mind try to make it more complicated, and thus unachievable. As if to say, “you don't deserve to be happy, because you don't have X,Y, or Z”. And that clearly is not true.!!
An example about the way we think and what difference it plays on our beliefs.
Imagine you lived in Africa, the Sudan, Ethiopia or another drought ridden land. It starts to rain, what do you think that those people would think? “Oh dear, the weather has took a turn for the worse, I'm miserable”.
That is what a lot of people in our society think when it is raining. The fact that it is raining is the same where ever it happens. Rain comes out of the sky and wets the ground. What changes as you now observe, is what the observer feels/thinks about that reality. And so it goes, happiness is a state of mind.
Do you think that having things in your life makes you happy? Do you think that these things bring you happiness?
Think again. People who do have these things still get sick grow old and die. Having anything gives you no happiness at all. Sharing it, using it and appreciating it shows us happiness because we are living the life that is ours regardless of the stuff.
Do you think that having people in our lives brings or gives us happiness?
Do you believe they bring us this happiness?
Maybe what they give us is a way of knowing happiness in their company, sharing our love time and energy with them. True enough, without them being there, life would appear devoid of reason and our happiness would seem to have disappeared, but is it because of them? Or is it in being with them?
Try to watch yourself and what your thoughts are next time you think about happiness. Notice what the patterns are that build up your conviction of whether you are happy or not. Great masters all know that peace comes from realising happiness is already within each one of us, and we need only to find the door to let it out.
Here is an example, that moves me to better awareness.
Eg.
It is raining when we need to go to the shops. We are unhappy because it means we need to put on our coat and the possibility of getting wet and trudging the streets with bags of shopping is creating in us an unhappy thought. As we set out we notice a little girl splashing in the puddles having fun. We remember being young and smile nostalgically because we knew that fun once. We feel happy at that thought, don't we? Then a car passes and splashes us. We are unhappy 'cos we are more wet than ever. We dream of coming in, and taking a nice hot bath/shower to reward us and make us feel human again, (getting wetter than ever) and we feel happy at this thought. The shop is full of noise and chaos and we feel sad, unhappy. Then we meet a real good friend we haven't seen in years, and reminisce for a while, and feel incredibly happy, we'd had a crush on them at school. The queue is long and takes ages, but we are talking so don't bother too much. Then our friend offers to pay the bill at the till because we forgot our wallet/purse. We are happy because of such kindness it will make our day so much better. Flattered that someone took the time to empathise with our situation and help out. Oh what joy... They offer us a lift back home which saves the walk and the inconvenience of carrying the bags, oh joy of joys... what incredible happiness. They tell us old so and so died recently and we are sad and feel very emotional. But that person left all their money to us in their will and the lawyers/executors were looking to find us to give us all the money. (Are you getting the point yet) We are over the moon with excitement. We go to the reading of the will, and a clause says we need to give all that money to a cats charity on their behalf... Sad..... unhappy... life is so cruel.....
No...!!!
Life is...!!!
What we see as happiness is another thing entirely, dependent on our thinking.
The reading goes on to say, when we have given all this money to the cats home, we will receive everlasting life. Damn... Sounds too good to be true, and yet we have no choice if we are decent, to honour the last will and testament of that person, even if we have no idea what it would be like to have everlasting life.
But we are bordering on euphoria... a chance to live forever....after all...
Who could turn that down?
And we do indeed live on forever. As the person who once gave 20 million pounds to a cats charity when we still don't have a pot to p*** in.....
Happiness is a state of mind.
For my friend Jim Benzie.
Eros Painter
