What are some ways to be happy? What is happiness? In a course I took a few years ago, I
realized the entire weekend was dedicated to one thing…making us realize that happiness
is a choice. We have the choice to be
happy now! We spend so much time
dwelling on the past / worrying about the future that we forget about this
amazing present moment. Each time we
catch ourselves drifting into never-never land glorifying the past / worrying /
dreaming about the future, snap your fingers three times and say “now now now”
in your head!
Dream the Impossible.
There’s an amazing Puja Bhanu Didi sang in her CD that Swamiji Jayanth
shared with me at the Bangalore Ashram.
The Puja, he said, takes you beyond imagination. After listening to the Puja on my drive back
from Boone, NC after Christmas 2013, I realized some profound questions coming
up…thoughts from layers in the universe to the spherical present moment. We have so much to wonder about. I’ve heard Rajshree Didi say Gurudev’s
offered us only a drop in the ocean of consciousness. We are not ready yet for the rest of the
ocean, but Gurudev’s hopefully going to share more expanders like Shakti Kriya
and Sudarshan Chakra Kriya.
Cultivate the Habit of Listening. How often does our small mind chatter and
think of thoughts that refer to I, me, or my?
Why does the small mind or ego constantly or often enough want to chime
in with thoughts or opinions, &/ incomprehensible or mindless chatter from
past impressions? How do we quieten the
mind? Through knowledge, disciplined
sadhana, seva, satsang, and a gentle smile, the mind may be able to let go of
the chattering mind and reach that space of peace and tranquility. From this space, we can listen. We can listen like that part of the movie,
Peaceful Warrior. Just being present to
the moment can really open up something for us.
Just wondering and allowing the mind to stop focusing on me, my, or I
can open up so much space for the mind to calm down and be quiet.
Make Meditation a part of Life. Just taking 20 minutes out a day twice a day
can significantly enhance your happiness and centeredness. Sometimes I feel like it’s simply a clearing
for the day’s activities in the mind.
Sometimes meditation can take you to a whole different world. Why not experience a vacation twice a day? Why not recharge the mind similar to how we
recharge our cell phones?
Follow Truth. Why not
dive deep into knowledge and learn great life lessons. One of the most important lessons I’ve
learned is to become a witness to the mind.
Our mind is often chattering and not quiet. If we can shift from experiencing all of
these thoughts to being a witness of these thoughts, this can be a wonderful way
to relax and become happier and more peaceful.
Share your Joy.
Gurudev recently tweeted that we should share our problems with the
divine and our joy with others. I
decided earlier this year to choose happiness and to also stop complaining. The complaining mind can be addictive. When we can shift to unloading our complaints
and problems on the divine and sharing our joy with others, we can create a
happier and more loving environment.
Think Fresh. I
recently heard a statistic that we have the same thoughts over 90% of the time
day after day. How do we break this
cycle of negative thoughts that don’t serve us?
One traditional method is Japa.
Another is meditation. In deep
silence the mind can settle down and let go of the stresses / fear / anxiety
that it’s holding onto.
Be Sincere. Being
sincere really means being simple, honest, and humble…being authentic and
natural. When we are sincere we connect
with others and are more vulnerable and also more sensitive to others. Sharing ourselves by spreading both joy and
the journey that we’ve been on allows others to connect with us in a personal
way. This sincerity helps create an
environment of sharing and caring.
Learn to Forgive.
Forgiving others helps not only the ones we’re forgiving, but also
ourselves. When we begin to see others
with compassion and love, we move from a space of responding out of immediate
ego, to a place of knowledge with compassion and empathy. Forgiveness is the first of the five
principles in the Ashtavakra Gita.
Stop Worrying. Often
times, we’re worrying about the future.
What will the future hold? Will I
do well on exams? Will my kids turnout
ok? The way to alleviate worry is to
become present to the moment at hand.
When we are fully present to this moment, we realize greater happiness
by not dwelling on the past / worrying about the future. If we can surrender the past to destiny, and
the future to free will, and give our 100% to this present moment, we can
achieve so much right now!
Have a Sense of Humor.
You know, in Jai Guru Dev, “Dev” means “playful, yet dignified” among
other possible definitions. Our dear
Gurudev is a perfect example of this and he was recently caught on video
enjoying a good laugh with one of India’s great comedians. So fun to see! Once when I was in Canada with Gurudev, he
even mentioned how to really authentically laugh. He said we laugh with the “hehehe” from our
gut / stomach…where you can really feel it…almost uncontrollable. Gurudev said that an insincere laugh is one
that’s controlled like the “mwuhahahahahaha.”
Seeing life as a game and realizing we are only here to look around for
a while can help us lighten up a bit!
Take Responsibility.
Responsibility brings power. When
I say power, what I mean is Empower.
When you take on a responsibility you become empowered to do it…similar
to the law of intention. Recently a man
asked Gurudev why he could not simply live like he was when he was a baby /
young boy with everything taken care of for him. Gurudev responded that there’s a time in your
life when you are taken care of and a time in your life when you take care of
others. As adults, we have an
opportunity to serve others and take on greater responsibilities.
Be a Student Always.
I recently spent two months at the Bangalore ashram in back-to-back
courses and I had one teacher who taught my last six weeks of the courses while
I was there. I remember when I first saw
him over the first few days, I thought will this young guy who seems so laid
back, humble, and playful, be assisting the teacher / when will the teacher
arrive? Little did I know he was the
teacher, Kashi Bhaya, humbly referred to in the Ashram. Kashi Bhaya not once took on the heir of an
arrogant teacher / made decisions in a vacuum.
He often said that he would check-in with Gurudev and see what Gurudev
will say. Kashi Bhaya is an inspiration
as an ongoing student as he not once asserted himself in front of us. Kashi Bhaya felt like both our classmate and
teacher...he seemed like the perfect example of a student! This quest to have inquiry into the unknown
and go deeper in our Sadhana allows us to open up to the vastness of what’s
unknown. There’s so much to study and
I’ve even heard the Vedas take 120 years to study completely.
Spread Happiness.
This is beautiful. We have a
Happiness Program now that focuses on taking people from stressed out,
miserable, anxious, and or depressed, to simply happy and peaceful. The more people we can share this happiness
with, the more people benefit from this practice. I have a business card with a quote from
Mother Teresa that says, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of
love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” When we share our happiness with others, not
only do they feel better, we feel better as well.
In Loving Kindness,
Jai Guru Dev,
Ritesh Mukul Sheth
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