Happiness is a State of Mind

 

                                  Happiness is a word which is very difficult to abstract its real meaning because it is the cognitive process of the mind of the person and it is influenced by the motivation of the environment in which one lives.

                                  Ease, simply means freedom from pain or anxiety. We cannot always be at ease because of the varying effects of the energy we possess. Energy is not a state. When energy is low we become disease bound and consequently we become unhappy. So we say health is a parameter of happiness.

                                  A person was walking along with his friend. Suddenly he felt a terrific pain in his chest and become unconscious. When he returned to normality he found that he was in a hospital being taken care of. He knew that his friend took the timely action to save his life. He was so happy because of the simple fact that a friend in need is a friend in deed. Here we see action besides health as a parameter for happiness.

                                   The great philosopher Socrates was alleged by the Athens for corrupting the youth. The jury imprisoned him and sentenced to death by drinking the cup of hemlock. He drank the poison happily by saying “but whatever you do, know that, I shall never change or alter my ways not even if I have to die many times.” Here we are drawn into a paradigm that happiness is nothing but mindset.

                                    Happiness in a sense is very simple when we hear it, nimble when we experience it, complex when we try to interpret its real meaning but essential for the human survival even though it remains at large by tantalising in throughout our lives.

                                     The illusory nature of happiness is that we believe it is something we have to get from outside of ourselves. The greed of the mind masquerades as happiness and bring all miseries. If one gets ten, he will yearn for hundred, if he gets hundred will yearn for thousand and the mind satiation goes on and on. Here comes the importance of the famous quote “Give a Man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a Man to Fish and you feed him for a life time.” It is more worthwhile you teach someone to do something than to do it for them.

                                      The cream of heavenly life is what we are striving for. Heaven is the vision of the noble soul where we live in harmony, peace and happiness. It is where we see the oneness and ecstasy. That is what life is meant for human beings. It is the highest order of the capacity of humanity. But to the earthly living mind is sometimes like a Pandora’s Box filled with all the junks and evils. In the mind’s hallucination all the subjective pleasures are seen as happiness. It is here the nobility excels the commonality and the purity of heart is counted. Happiness is the purity of heart and is the harmony of feeling thoughts and action.

                                        Life is all about choices. Right choice motivates to the right action that lead to happiness. It is that which ensues. It differs from person to person because of “as you think so shall you be.” The half glass empty mentality propels them to see only the negatives instead of the positives. To them happiness is a mirage. The feeling of being happy is happiness; it is intangible and related to the here and now living. It doesn’t exist in the past or in the future. It is the logical fallacy of the people to neglect the happiness for future achievement there by straining themselves and sacrificing the peace of mind. Happiness is a journey not a destination.

                                          Happiness is neither relative nor comparable. It comes from self realisation and is the result of compassion, humility, honesty and patience. Happiness begets happiness. Contentment of the mind is the sparkling of happiness. It is the spirit of liveliness radiating from the person and is contagious.

                                            As a social being, happiness is through giving and taking, means giving through love and taking through compassion which enables the release of endorphins, the happy hormones in the human body resulting in happiness which in turn boosts the immune system of the body. In order for that there are simple truths of life that we do have to adhere. Those are respect, fairness, acceptance, admiration and accordance.

                                            Based on spirituality the novel principles such as self awareness, logical thinking, healthy relationships and good behaviour, worth living, positive attitude, consciousness and self realisation will alleviate sufferings. A candle light is enough to allay the darkness. If the intensity of the light is high it gives a shining glow. Just like, even if one is living simply following the above principles he will be experiencing happiness. If one is a strong follower of these basic principles, becomes the ‘Enlightened’ and experiences the absolute happiness and can utilise for the benefits of mankind.

    According to Mahatma Gandhi, “Happiness is when, what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”