Stop pursuing, start living! - HAPPINESS SERIES

HAPPINESS - The search for which has been driving mankind since time immemorial... Its funny how everyone runs behind happiness, yet none has been able to find what they’ve been so desperately looking for! When you see an ever-smiling face, you instantly establish the fact that the person really has no stresses and worries in life. The truth though, could be far from what meets the eye. It could simply be that the man has learnt the trick to be happy, no matter the situations and circumstances.

You see the problem with us is we all direct our efforts towards satisfying ‘our mind’. You see we also desire happiness while being non-inclusive. When we want it, we want it only for ourselves or for our loved ones. We cannot achieve happiness while wanting to see others unhappy, because we reap as we sow..... And satisfying the mind through constant efforts is in itself a useless thing to do. Mind, by nature is meant to be unhappy and sorrowful. So all your efforts to make it happy will go in vain. ‘Coz the mind will quickly move from one object of pleasure to some other object that imparts pleasure.

Well it would be surprising to learn that many of the psychosomatic ailments in the modern, materialistic world have crept up from this very hollow hunt for happiness, this attitude of giving in to the whims and fancies of the mind.

Ayurveda has explained the root cause of miseries to be the “mind”. The mind is always looking for something to be unhappy about. It clings to situations instead of remaining a witness to them and enjoying seeing them unfold. The moment the mind is dropped, like during deep meditation, suddenly you become happy for no reason at all. Happiness starts to become your innermost nature. If you simply get out of the mechanism of mind, you automatically start being blissful and happy.

The very intention of coming up with the “Happiness Series” on my blog is to take you through various aspects of the mind, the fallacies that keep us away from our ultimate goals and the simplest ways to achieve equilibrium in life through “Sadvrutta” that find a mention in the Ayurvedic classics. Every chapter in Ayurveda Samhitas is nothing but the means to achieve this balance that generates happiness and stability which is far more wholesome than the feeling that is generated through temporary material accomplishments. We’ll slowly elaborate the points as we go ahead with the series of articles.

To begin with, it would definitely help if we try and understand Ayurveda’s basic definition of “Sukhayu”- A Happy Life. These could be the very first steps to achieve Laukik Sukha which later lead the enlightened one to look beyond worldly happiness.

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1) When you possess the ability to make future plans and decisions.

2) When you are free from physical and psychological illnesses.

3) When you are not merely struggling but the efforts pay off too

4) When you possess power, strength, fertility, enterprise and youth

5) When there is a presence of a higher faculty of knowledge, senses and sense objects...

... then the chances of happiness coming to you naturally are higher...!

Happiness can be categorized into Laukik Sukha and Alaukik Sukha. Laukik Sukha is what one can achieve at a superficial level by an uncluttered, stress-free mind that is completely mindful and in the present. Alaukik Sukha is the higher form of happiness that comes as a result of detachment from the worldly affairs. This can be achieved through yoga, pratyahar, dhyaana and by fulfilment of karmas during the initial phase of life.

The objective of the humankind should always be to go up higher in the quest for the “ultimate happiness” rather than being caught up in the web of joys and sorrows. The road to the higher forms of joy, for sure, starts from where we currently are.

So how can one begin this quest for happiness?

The initial chapters of Ashtang Hridaya begin by explaining the importance of having a daily routine in your life. The whole concept of having a daily routine and being in sync with the cycles of nature hails from the Samhitas which scrupulously lay down the methods & tools to set these parameters based on individual body constitution. In recent years, there’s been a lot of buzz around what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once called “the dull routine of existence.” Now, researchers have found that following a routine can have far-reaching psychological benefits, including alleviating bipolar disorder, ADHD, and insomnia.

THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A ROUTINE

The key benefit of a routine is its regularity: if you find what works best for you and turn it into a process that requires zero thought, you can free your mind for more important things. Also, repetition helps one master the daily acts and helps you reach a deeper state of mind.

WAKE UP, MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!

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The first step to following a routine begins from- “Waking up at Brahmamuhurta” (the last quarter of the night before sunrise). Brahmamuhurta is the time of the creator. During this time, you are the “Brahman” and hold the power to create your own life. The whole earth is in the process of awakening so there is a different energy in the atmosphere at this time. While you are coming out of sleep at the time when serotonin (the brain chemical responsible for modulating mood) is secreted in abundance, naturally your mood is more stable at this time than at any other time of the day. Also, the thoughtless state of mind gives you an added benefit so you needn’t put in extra efforts to calm the mind down. Astrologically, waking up at this time also helps you improve your relationship with your partner/spouse. It breathes a new life into your relationship because you feel more connected to your own self and to each other than at any other time of the day.

What you practice the first thing in the morning is what defines your entire day!

BAD HABITS AND ADDICTIONS

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To win over unwholesome habits and addictions is no easy task. What’s forbidden and bad for you often seems beguiling and inviting! It’s easy for the fickle-minded to pick up such habits. The struggle begins when the focus shifts entirely on getting rid of such habits and addictions. Studies say, the more we focus on the bad habits, higher the chances of feeling frustrated and lost and giving up sooner than one may think.

Well, so the positive is, if you start cultivating wholesome habits without focusing on the bad ones, you automatically and unknowingly start withdrawing from the unwholesome ones. Once the practice begins, make sure you commit to it for at least 30 days, however, hard it may seem. Look at this as something that shall transform your life and open new doors for you in the future.

So you see, it’s not the bad habits that require your time and attention, but the good ones, absolutely and certainly.

SADVRUTTA

“ The path of righteousness however difficult, is the only rewarding and illuminating path in the long run.”

There is no greater contentment than walking the path of righteousness.

Sadvrutta refers to good personal and social behaviour which gives hitaayu (life beneficial to society) and sukhaayu (life which gives individual happiness).

Compassion for all creatures, sacrificing, control of mind in physical, verbal and mental actions with aid of one’s wisdom and considering others feelings as one’s own and acting accordingly - are some of the ways one can get on to this path and embrace one’s life journey with gratitude. There are social, physical, religious and occupational conducts that have been clearly described by Acharya Vagbhata in Ashtang Hridaya.

The path of righteousness, however hard it may seem, to begin with and be hooked on to, will eventually bring you to a point where achieving happiness doesn’t even remain a priority, yet one is bound to be showered by it unconditionally in all stages of life. The very first step to get on to this path is by understanding the depths of our own behavior; to focus on our strengths while letting the weaknesses hold lesser importance. By doing so, we’ll primarily learn to love our own self first and SELF-LOVE- is truly one of the greatest treasures in the world. A person who is happy in his own company, automatically generates happiness in the lives of others through something as simple as his presence and through every act of his without any extra efforts.

REWARDING YOURSELF

In the mundane life activities, we tend to forget about our achievements, about where we were and how far we’ve already come from the starting point. Cultivate the habit of hitting the pause button, sit back and see where you were and how far you’ve come.

Once you recognize this, reward any progress made, because whether we realize it or not, the expectation of being rewarded has driven us from the moment we were born to repeat many kinds of behaviors over and over until they became habitual, and we can utilize this natural process to our advantage when we’re consciously trying to build our life with wholesome habits and the practice of Sadvrutta.

Thus, happiness encompasses all the complex facets of the human body ranging from mind, body, conduct, urges etc. Who would have thought the key to happiness was literally with us and only us! The moment it is given into someone else’s hands, it leads to the disruption of our mental peace and takes away our ability to reach to the ultimate point where our mind, body, soul are united to perfection. Working towards a happier self would also mean that we are creating a happier society. Hence, a healthier society would be a happier society.

So while we’ve started with the Happiness series with an introduction to the points that we would be looking into deeply as we proceed, it would be heartening to learn how it changed your life. Don’t forget to write a diary of your thoughts on a regular basis. How nice would it be to read it in a few months and years down the lane and to look back on the rewarding and productive life you’ve led!

Come on! Hop on over and stay with me all through the journey and to the quest towards happiness!