From an old thread, but there's life left in it ... and the writer was male.
I have been pursuing happiness from the day that I gained consciousness. I am sure I was happy before that, as a baby. Warm, taken care of, free of societal rules and with no other expectation over my shoulders other than to breathe, eat, sleep and poop. The occasional smile or "gah!" was celebrated though not demanded.
I have tried way too many things in life, and none of them has brought me happiness. The occasional grin of satisfaction, but not more. The closest I have felt to something I'd define as happiness is when I have served my fellow humans spontaneously and without expecting (nor getting) material nor societal reward.
Something else I have just discovered is that gadgets are, also, not happiness. I felt happy with my smartphone for the first week or so. But then it became... well... just a phone. Nothing else.
Originally posted by KewpieI find it interesting that the US constitution says that every American has the right to "pursue happiness" (Please correct me if I'm wrong-I'm not a yank for starters).
From an old thread, but there's life left in it ... and the writer was male.
I have been pursuing happiness from the day that I gained consciousness. I am sure I was happy before that, as a baby. Warm, taken care of, free of societal rules and with no other expectation over my shoulders other than to breathe, eat, sleep and poop. The occasional smil artphone for the first week or so. But then it became... well... just a phone. Nothing else.
So as we think , we create the world, or so I (and others contend).
So in the back of every Americans mind, (well nearly every American), is this "pursuit of happiness" clause.
I believe it is deliberately worded like that so that , on the surface of it, it seems positive, but if we look deeper into this, I (and others), have wondered why it did not say something like : "It is every Americans right to FIND happiness (through self determination (?). )
It may seem like a small change but if we do create the world with our minds, then it seems to me that happiness must be elusive. We (Americans) can "pursue it" , but does it say say anything about actually finding it.
This is just some food for thought. Some may think that I am nit-picking and that there is no need to ammend that clause, but in my way of thinking, the way this is worded says to me that we may "pursue" , but not actually find it.
Nit picking, or is there more to this than meets the eye?
(The spiritual master Osho pointed this out while he was still alive, and it struck a deep chord with me. I mean why this "pursuit" business? )
Thoughts?
It seems to me only natural to want to be happy, but short term happiness produced by things like drugs and sex ,(etc.) has it's inevitable counters. ("coming down", dealing with the emotional drawbacks very often accosiated with sex).
Long term, permanent happiness takes understanding and proper education-especially
in terms of understanding ones psychological condition. Starting usually with understanding the function of the ego.
When we are young, we 'sow our wild oats', but as age catches up with us , those who are attached only to physical happiness often face a 'mid-life crisis'.
I believe that psychology is still in it's infancy and though Freud may not have had it exactly, right, he definately struck a chord with a lot of people. Yung then went further, but as far as the average person in the street, I believe that they look in the wrong place for long term happiness, if that is indeed what they want.
"Ignorance is bliss" is a term that springs to mind.
The journey to lasting happiness is often a long one, but well worth the effort, which all begins with understanding the functioning of the ego and the role it is supposed to play in our lives.
I dont believe we should get rid of our egos, but we should find it's proper place in our psyches , and then move on from there. Step 1 is often the most difficult .
But if we get that right, (ie find the proper place/reason for our egos), then we are well on our way to finding lasting happiness
Originally posted by karoly aczelThe word "pursuit" is misleading, because it implies a search for something.
I find it interesting that the US constitution says that every American has the right to "pursue happiness" (Please correct me if I'm wrong-I'm not a yank for starters).
So as we think , we create the world, or so I (and others contend).
So in the back of every Americans mind, (well nearly every American), is this "pursuit of happiness" clause. ...[text shortened]... it struck a deep chord with me. I mean why this "pursuit" business? )
Thoughts?
We are all consciousness, truth and bliss, but we have forgotten it.
The path to happiness (I prefer contentment) involves peeling back the layers of fear, habitual thoughts, ego- centric hallucinations and desires.
What you discover, then, is that there is no small "I" (riddled with desires, fears, etc etc) but only a universal "I", which is Consviousness, Truth and Bliss.
Do not search for happiness because it is umbilically linked to unhappiness.
