Sunday, November 6, 2022

Is there a template to happiness ?



I was at the eleven day ritual ceremony for a loved one. In the midst of conversations amongst the gathered people I heard someone saying – “He was too young to leave. He was not happy in his life and that became the cause of his death.”

The thought that immediately ran across my mind was – “Who stopped him from staying happy” OR “Did he fail to figure out the ways to remain happy.”

My mind trapping me more, the questions that started playing in my mind – What do we actually mean by happiness ?, Is there any perfect recipe or formula or a format or a template to happiness that works for all ? How would anyone win that magic wand to stay in that everlasting state of happiness forever ?

Talking about “Happiness”, I am yet to understand a separate definition of it other than simply living every moment peacefully and with contentment in the most natural way of love and respect towards self.  In my understanding, there can never be any fixed formula to remain happy other than this basic one. The universe provides each living being ample number of ways to find its own happiness in its own best suited way. If there is no dearth of ideas and ways to remain happy, why is the human mind remaining so tensed and clueless to find ways to remain happy.

Today with the increasing number of cases of mental health challenges leading to ending life (self destruction or a but obvious natural end), it is so sad to note the kind of clarity we are living with this word called “Happiness”. It is becoming so clear that we just don’t know how to handle this gift called “Life”. As I discuss with people, I realize people are in great suffering and in a miserable state only because of the lack of understanding of this simple thing. “Life” is treated with such casual approach and disregard, as if, its just another thing, what is the big deal to get a human life. When we value things less, its so obvious a fact that we don’t care for it. My most suffocating and helpless response that comes out as a response is – “For God’s sake, can we give a little respect to the creator who has given us this gift for which everything is what it is today.”

The more I grow in my awareness, I realize my care for my own life is the biggest secret to my happiness. This realization has brought me an understanding that …

    My health is important for me
    My mental state is important for me
    My relationships are important for me
    My emotional balance is important for me
    My financial security is important for me
    My learning and constant evolution is important for me
    My love for self is important for me

We are human beings and so in my understanding, these are few basics that help us sustain. These are a basic set of responsibilities that we owe towards ourselves. Once we secure ourselves setting these basics right, we create an environment that is safe and secured, to reside peacefully in. Once Safety comes, the first hinderance to my state of happiness i.e FEAR OF SURVIVAL is taken under control. Once we take this element of fear under our control, other areas of life start blooming on their own and the state of peace and joy becomes a very natural state of existence leading to lasting happiness.

Life is delicate. Slightest of a gap in our understanding can make us pay heavy. Let us be mindful to our own understanding. 

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