At one time or the other each one of us have experienced beauty, peace, love and joy in our lives. If one looks back, one would find it invariably happened when either the mind was overwhelmed (seeing a beautiful flower, smile of child, whole range of snow clad mountains or expansive sea for the first time in our lives etc.) or when one need not keep one defence mechanism on (being with one’s beloved, listening to some music, dancing with friends in care free atmosphere etc.) or in a state when there is no desire (when one has achieved what one was aspiring – old desire is fulfilled and the new one is yet to arise and take roots – the time gap between fulfilment of old desire and arising of next one). These are the situations where the mind is not active as it is overwhelmed (stunned into silence) or there is no need for it to be active. In such a situation the mind accidentally stops – in that moment there is no thought or the thoughts are few and far between – the mind does not travel into the past or future. When in a state like this, mental curtain is absent, we get a glimpse of our real Self (like when there is no cloud the sun, moon or stars become visible) and experience beauty, peace, love and joy – all attributes of the inner Self. Experiencing the Self is the state of meditation. Whether we know it or not, each one of us has experienced this meditative state.
But the problem is that such experiences in our lives appear once in a while and that too accidentally. Soon mind comes back, the real Self is hidden and life is routine again. A song aptly describes this state of our lives when it says – sukh hai ek chchanv dhalati, aati or jaati hai, dukh to apna sathi hai (there are fleeting moments of happiness in our lives but sorrow is our continuous companion).
To elaborate a little on the brief and transitory nature of these glimpses, as for the situations which overwhelm the mind, once we experience something like that in a particular setting or situation, we try to create same setting or situation to replicate the experience but by that time mind has memory of the setting or situation and does not get overwhelmed and the experience is not that great. If one tries to repeat it again and again it may become boring and even troublesome.
In our relationship with others (spouse, children, parents, friends), the moments when one is actually in the state of love – where nothing else matters – are few. By very nature of mind, this state is not sustainable for long. And thus mind comes back in a while.
As for success in the external world, one may achieve a success (not necessarily) after huge effort and may feel a high for a while (when one does well in exams, achieves a position of power or breakthrough of some kind) and then one has something else to do. Life again becomes routine and burdensome. And if one does not succeed, one will feel frustrated and miserable. This is huge cost to pay (in terms of long time and effort) with fleeting reward in terms of a brief high.
That is how all our efforts to attain peace and happiness in the life by managing our external situations come to a naught.
Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva beautifully describes this situation when he says that these accidental glimpses of happiness are like sweet spots on the skin of a fruit. The source of sweetness is in the fruit within. The existence believes in our intelligence and expects us to reach for the fruit and do not remain stuck in the skin.
It is something like a game in which a few things are hidden in various locations and the participants are expected to find them out. One who finds them is a winner and the game is over.
But the problem is that such experiences in our lives appear once in a while and that too accidentally. Soon mind comes back, the real Self is hidden and life is routine again. A song aptly describes this state of our lives when it says – sukh hai ek chchanv dhalati, aati or jaati hai, dukh to apna sathi hai (there are fleeting moments of happiness in our lives but sorrow is our continuous companion).
To elaborate a little on the brief and transitory nature of these glimpses, as for the situations which overwhelm the mind, once we experience something like that in a particular setting or situation, we try to create same setting or situation to replicate the experience but by that time mind has memory of the setting or situation and does not get overwhelmed and the experience is not that great. If one tries to repeat it again and again it may become boring and even troublesome.
In our relationship with others (spouse, children, parents, friends), the moments when one is actually in the state of love – where nothing else matters – are few. By very nature of mind, this state is not sustainable for long. And thus mind comes back in a while.
As for success in the external world, one may achieve a success (not necessarily) after huge effort and may feel a high for a while (when one does well in exams, achieves a position of power or breakthrough of some kind) and then one has something else to do. Life again becomes routine and burdensome. And if one does not succeed, one will feel frustrated and miserable. This is huge cost to pay (in terms of long time and effort) with fleeting reward in terms of a brief high.
That is how all our efforts to attain peace and happiness in the life by managing our external situations come to a naught.
Sadguru Jaggi Vasudeva beautifully describes this situation when he says that these accidental glimpses of happiness are like sweet spots on the skin of a fruit. The source of sweetness is in the fruit within. The existence believes in our intelligence and expects us to reach for the fruit and do not remain stuck in the skin.
It is something like a game in which a few things are hidden in various locations and the participants are expected to find them out. One who finds them is a winner and the game is over.
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