No matter what anyone says they want out of life, it all boils down to happiness. Every human being is trying in some way to find or maintain happiness. Do we even know what true happiness is or even why the goal of every human is to be happy? Honestly, I did not know either. What we do know is that we were born a human being while we could have been born an infinitum of other species. Damn good reason to explore more, right?! While all other species live based on survival and instinct, we, as humans, have an ability to do a lot more than that! What are we doing with this ability?
Take some time to write down what you believe makes or would make you happy. Assuming that list is complete, look it over and cross off anything that is impermanent, subject to change or won’t last… Reexamine your list. Most likely nothing remains. Everything we think we are happy for or that makes us happy is outside of us. This is called conditioned happiness rather than true happiness.
A conditioned happiness is dependent on either an external person, place, thing or something that may change. Use an example such as the physical body. We may say I will be happy when I reach a certain weight or look a certain way. When we reach that goal, we find that there is something else we want and therefore our so-called happiness is not so! Another example is finding a life partner. We believe this will make us truly happy. Have you noticed the divorce rate is climbing? It may happen or have already happened to you. No partner is a life partner. We hope it to be that way, but we cannot control the future or another being. If we do find a soulmate and it does last, we still seek something else… the wanting never ends. The truth is that we have no idea what we really want. If we do know, we do not understand that it won’t make us truly happy.
Arthur Schopenhauer says, “It is difficult to find happiness within oneself, but it is impossible to find anywhere else.” The yoga scriptures and ancient philosophy tell us that true happiness exists within us and not externally! Nobody can take happiness away nor give it to us. True happiness is a feeling of contentment that lasts 24/7 without interruption no matter who or what comes or goes. This means if someone leaves you, or you lose your home or even your loved ones you would still be happy. You may think, how could I be happy without my family, home, car, job or business? The greater question is how do I find happiness within myself and not be dependent on my list?
The answer is through YOGA! But, not the yoga postures. Don’t we wish it was that easy? Yoga is not based on postures and breathing techniques. Those are ways to bring and maintain the health of our physical body so that we may actually be able to perform the disciplines that bring us closer to our inner happiness or Self. (Note the capital “S”) We currently know ourselves in terms of our perceptions, feelings/emotions and thoughts. What enables what we know? Beyond our material layers lies our essential Self, Spirit, God, Divinity, Potential or SOUL! Yoga is the union to our real Self, where eternal happiness lives. If you are interested in the methodical process of getting there you are in the right place. It takes particular physical, mental and intellectual disciplines that set the right direction and take us to the pinnacle of our existence. Even if we fall short of that we will be moving closer to who we truly are.
The home of true happiness lives within us. Rather than running around our entire life trying to find joy in outside things and beings, let’s spend more time developing ourselves through yoga. Then, we may experience a lasting happiness and not a conditioned one. Are you willing to do what it takes to truly be happy?
To continue the journey, join our monthly Vedanta study groups via video or in studio. Additionally, inquire about our Life and Teacher Training: https://ensoulyoga.com/costa-rica-training-2019/
Plug EN 2 your true happiness!
CP