Learn where to look for Happiness - Swami Sukhbodhananda

The morning sun was accompanied by a cool breeze. The rain overnight had soaked the earth. Crimson rays of the rising sun played on patches of water to create a riot of colours on the ground. Chirping birds sang in chorus. Butterflies flitted about in step with the song of the birds. It was a mix of wonderful sights and sounds. A bird invited me to its world of melody. Why is love a stranger in our lives?
Where is the urge to overcome separation in love? When physically apart, we can feel the separation — we pine for the loved one who is far away. At the spiritual level, however, physicalities do not matter. At this level, you do not have to strive to become One, for you are One. The urge to become One at the physical level alone is a great source of unhappiness.
A young man once asked me: "Is it possible to be happy in this competitive world? It appears that we succeed only when we cheat others. Can one really build a happy life on a foundation of distrust?" An Indian maxim goes like this: "However hard you search in the mouth of a crow, you will not find any teeth there". Many of us search for happiness where it does not exist. The Bible says, "The Kingdom of heaven is within you". The Gita says, "Happiness is within". But we search for happiness not within ourselves but outside. We get lost in the details and forget the essence... that lies in ourselves.
Most of us are busy with the trivialities of life and in the process miss the essential. We are unhappy in life because we are victims of our expectations. We have to learn the art of side-stepping our expectations. You might ask: "How can we live without expectations?" My question is: "Have expectations made our life easier or more difficult?" We suffer on account of expectations. We do not trust our intelligence; but we trust our expectations.
Have expectations, but let not your happiness depend on them. Operate from love, not expectations. Love provides caring energy. This energy will make you effective and happy. There was a Zen master. He was frail but had a powerful presence. He could push huge boulders effortlessly. Someone asked him, "What is the secret of your strength? Where does it come from?" The Zen master replied, "Before pushing a boulder, i communicate with it, request its permission and support in my effort. And then the boulder gets moved miraculously...."
Power comes from the mystery of love, not from our expectation of how others should behave. A carpenter from China created a unique piece of furniture. It was a piece of art, and was liked by many. When asked how he made it, the carpenter replied, "Before cutting a tree in the forest, i talk to it and take its permission, intuitively understanding which tree would submit to being felled. The furniture made out of such a tree will always be a piece of art". Love has power, the power to create. It is this power we should learn to draw from. If our expectations emerge from love, we become masters of our expectations. Otherwise we are slaves to them. Misery is not a product of a cut-throat world; it is the result of expectations from a world bereft of love.

It Is Not Difficult To Lead An EXTRAORDINARY Life-Shri Nimishananda

You can lead either of two kinds of lives: An ordinary life or an extraordinary life. When you lead an ordinary life, you move along with the current of your desires, preoccupied in fulfilling your own goals, aims and agendas. Ordinary beings are only conscious of their own life. Extraordinary beings are conscious of their life and are also constantly aware of Divinity. They are confident that God's Grace will resolve all their problems. They know that whatever life brings is ultimately for the best. Those who lead an extraordinary life enjoy every minute of it. To them, every moment is precious. Even ordinary circumstances elicit a different response from them. If you believe that you are extraordinary, then you start looking at the world differently. When you think that you are born special, you will lead a special life. Constant hope makes our life extraordinary. Without this, life is drab and ordinary. If we look at life as a problem, it becomes ordinary but if we look at it as an opportunity, it becomes extraordinary. This bowl beside me is full of fragrant roses. If i pick up a single rose and look at it, it is really beautiful. There is no need for any comparison. Like all the other roses here, it is unique. If we have the habit of comparing ourselves with others, our self-confidence sometimes soars and sometimes crashes. A truly extraordinary life is never based on comparison. It is the result of constant blossoming within. Human life is a rare privilege. Why waste a single minute of this precious gift or lose a single opportunity to make it extraordinary? If we cultivate the art of savouring every moment of life even when it brings unexpected challenges to us, our life becomes extraordinary. When there is interest, we feel exuberant and joyful. When there is no interest, life is mechanical and ordinary. If we are travelling and our vehicle breaks down in the country-side, do we take the opportunity to revel in the natural beauty around us? Or do we fret, fume and grumble? When we perceive the best in everything, life becomes extraordinary and memorable. When we live life like this, a special feeling arises in us. Our life is full of zest and joy. We can never completely control what happens in the external world around us, but our internal world is in our hands. We can allow it to be ugly or choose to make it beautiful. When we enjoy every moment and every circumstance that comes our way, one negative element that flavours each day of our present existence disappears. This element is TENSION. Stress, tension, boredom, depression, impatience and frustration become things of the past. These emotions which were slowly draining away the energy of the Soul disappear. When we enjoy every moment of life, it is always full of wonder and never grows stale. Each and every situation that comes our way is not custom-made to fit our present frame of mind. If every circumstance were to our liking, internal growth and transformation would never take place; our life would become stagnant and sub-human. So it is our own perception that decides whether our life remains ordinary or becomes extraordinary. Life will always pose challenges; it is up to us to make it joyous. Flow like a river, revelling in every moment of life.

Inspiring Poem

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you think you dare not, you dont.
If you'd like to win but think you cant,
its almost certain you wont

For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will.
Its all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You have to think high, to rise.
You've got to believe in yourself,
before you win a prize.

Life's battle doesn't always go,
to the stronger or faster one.
For sooner or later the one who wins
is the one who thinks 'I CAN'.

To Feel Good About Yourself

• Be true to yourself. Forget what everyone else thinks. So, be honest, even if it costs too much. you wil be rewarded with a guilt free heart and the (eventual) respect that comes from speaking the truth.
• Accept and pay compliments. One of the easiest ways to feel good about yourself is to see the beauty present in others.
• Nip jealousy in the bud. It not only corrupts the mind, but also causes ill-will towards the person you are jealous.
• Praise yourself - give yourself a pat on the back when you've done something well.
• Unplanned behaviour is not connected to your self-worth. Remember, if you've done something silly, it doesn't make you a bad person. Consider where and how you went wrong, and make sure you dont commit the same mistake twice.
• Dont procrasitnate. Whether it's housework or an apology you owe someone, get it done. Procrastination is like a grey cloud that looms above, casting a shadow over everything and everyone you deal with .
• Compartmentallise. This means that when there is a problem, find a solution to it as soon as possible and then learn to separate it in your mind. Don't let a dark spot colour your whole day black.
• Treat your body well. Remember, it's the only one you have.
• Stay around good people and people who are better than you. You will always learn from them.
• Read inspirational books.
• Let people know how you expect to be treated. Set an example by the way you treat yourself.
• Learn to forgive. This includes yourself and others.
• Dont be afraid to dream. Picture in your mind what and how you want to be.
• And , lastly, think happy and positive thoughts.