Happiness within

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“True Bhakthi makes one happy from within”

In yesterday’s post I was talking about bhakthi and grief, let us look at this term happiness which more often troubles us within. We want it; We search for it; We yearn for it; but it evades us. why? Let us dig in for answers.

Happiness is of two kinds, natural happiness and derived happiness.

The next question in our minds is why are we so drawn towards derived happiness rather than to natural happiness?

It is the desire or asai that draws us towards these external objects for happiness, because they can be seen and felt by the senses.

Desire is in turn controlled by two factors:

1. Ignorance of the truth

2. Confusion of the mind

1. Ignorance of the truth

Clouds our understanding and keeps us intoxicated with objects and sensual pleasures.

For eg. We are always preoccupied with what is happening around us and our reaction towards and others reaction towards our actions. We worry about our parents, children, husband/wife and we mistake it to be the giver of happiness and we spend our lifetime trying to please them in every possible way. In the end we are left with emptiness.

2. Confusion of the mind

Once you are drawn out in ignorance, you forget to look within.This leads to confusion about everything around you.

When you look within you will withdraw the senses from outside and concentrate them on God and transform it into bhakthi.

You may ask how we can do it?

"It is impossible", you say.

I say it is not, because everyday at night you do sleep, shutting yourself away from the noise into the blissful state of dreams. If you can do it everyday, then you could do this as well.

In order to get into this state of blissful happiness (True Bhakthi) you need to practice.

1. Reciting God’s name as much as possible

2. Meditating/ remembering Ambal at all times at work, at home, in the garden, on a walk etc.

3. Seeing Ambal in everything and in everybody.

Practice helps you to be more strong internally to understand ambal in the true sense, with unshaken conviction that ambal alone is the giver of happiness and a clear mind to sort out your life and not be dragged into the objects which causes more pain than happiness.