Everybody wants to possess more money than the other person and when he has it, he is not satisfied, because he finds there is still someone else who has more than he has. People live in a bedlam of misery created by their own desires. An average American has much more than an average European or Indian or an average citizen in any other land. But still he is not happy. He is besieged with anxieties and worries. So learn to be satisfied with what you get without twisting, or torturing and perverting your mind and without sacrificing your physical health and moral integrity.
Everyone can accept the idea that the purpose of life is to seek happiness. This happiness is nothing but the feeling that comes by constantly experiencing the presence of God, He is the only divine Joy, Sachchidanand that would never go away from your soul. So try to achieve that happiness.
The forces of Nature constantly offer you material pleasures, but such transitory satisfaction ends only in sorrow and bitterness. Even the most favored person, who appears to have everything may not still be happy. One will never be satisfied for long with earthly things, as the whole world has plunged into chaos through greed, materialistic ambition, and cut-throat competition.
The more you exert in the external world, as an extrovert, the less you will know about the glory of the enticing form of God, Who is the dweller in every soul. The more you practice introversion, the less difficulties you would have. Life around you keeps you more or less engrossed in earthly things. It never allows you scope to think about the deeper realities and the real meaning of life. The best way to be happy constantly is to be in tune with the Form (Murti) of Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan. Your paramount desire should be the realization of God Supreme.
It is impossible to deceive God because He is sitting right within your soul. He knows what you are thinking and desiring. If you are truly detached from the earthly things and seeking inner communion with God, He will definitely come to you. But at the same time you must be sincerely aware that you want Him; nothing else. Once that desire for Him is firmly rooted in your heart, He must come.
One must make sincere efforts to please god. Use your hands to pray in adoration before the Form of God, your feet to seek Him everywhere (i.e. visit the holy places with reverence), your mind to remember Him as Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient.
Happiness comes by feeling that you are one with God, through absolute devotion. Keep your mind engaged in remembering the divine glory and the Divine Leela (sportings) of God as much as you can. If you keep your self in tune with Him, you will feel eternal peace and joy. You will be engulfed in the ocean of bliss and peace.
Above all, develop the will to seek God, no matter what obstacles you encounter. Then only you will be victorious in life. This is the journey from SELF TO SUPREME.
PEACE AND BLISS
PEACE is the freedom from the cycle of sorrows and pleasures and absence of boredom. It is a very desirable state of mind. You enjoy floating on the calm sea of peace.
BLISS is greater than peace. It is an ever-lasting and ever-new joy that never disappears, but remains with your soul through eternity. Bliss can be attained only by perceiving God Supreme.
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I do agree that the average american has much more than any other average person in another country, but yet we are very unhappy with what we have. We are always wanting more. A person makes $50,000 a year but then wants double that, a person has a nice and working car but wants a newer and shiner one, a person has a roof over their head but wants a mansion, etc. The wanting of bigger and newer material objects are constantly being wanted. These objects are not better in essence. Our minds trick us into thinking that these newer objects are better. It is our illusory sense, maya, distracting and pulling oneself away from the true path of spiritual liberation. Yes, these objects will bring a person happiness- but for how long? All the physical necessities of life we need are: food,clothing, and shelter. Those are the things that we NEED. Everything else we have is a WANT. I hear a lot of people say "I need this, I need that" and I will admit at times I am that person, but it's not that I truly need it, I just want it. It is a quick fix to happiness. What we should say, but often do not say is "I need to think of God while I perform my daily duties, I need to have enough time in the morning to perform puja, I need to be home to perform ritual duties, I need to visit mandir as often as I can, etc.". Those are some of the things that we NEED to do, but there is not always a WANT to do it. Everyone has probably heard of
ReplyDeletethe quote "You only have one life so live it to the fullest". People translate this as to go party, travel the world, have expensive things, and try everything once. What I can say to this is "There is no life to live unless in the presence of God". This is the realization that we need to come too.
It is not always necessary that the one who is craving more wealth and success is to out do others. It may be that the individual just has a strong desire to succeed. I agree that in the pursuit of success people forget to devote time Lord Supreme. For instance, saints and tyagis who try to become better not to do out do each other but to improve themselves. As such a common householder should always strive to succeed in being both, a best householder and devotee of GOD.
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