What do you want in life above all else?
Perhaps for some, it is good health, loving relationships and a secure job. Perhaps for others, it is to start a successful company or change the world in some meaningful way. Certain seekers may concern themselves with more spiritual pursuits—it may be to find god or reach enlightenment. Or to live more fruitfully in the next life.
Reflect on the question for a moment.
I want to move through this together with you—if you’re willing to play along.
Yes? Okay, then:
Right now, what do you want for your life above all else? What comes to mind?
Got it? Okay, let’s move forward.
Why do you want what you want?
No matter what comes up for you, with a little introspection, it should become obvious that the reason you want what you do is because of the belief that it will bring you peace, happiness or fulfilment.
It isn’t the objects, activities, state or relationship you inherently want, but rather the happiness, peace or fulfilment you think will be attained due to these things.
[Disclaimer] Of course, happiness, peace and fulfilment are just labels…
What I am pointing at here regarding happiness is that which brings an end to seeking for you. The highest attainment. That which is done purely for its own sake. If you prefer to call the label ‘bliss’, ‘love’ or ‘truth’ or ‘fulfilment’ or ‘liberation’ or ‘the end of suffering’, you are welcome to.
The label is the answer you should reach at the bottom of a five why's inquiry.
Let’s not get stuck on labels.
Whatever you call your particular frame of happiness, it is (like mine and everyone else) that which you desire to attain for its own sake—above all else. It is that which the objects, activity, relationships and situations are believed to bring about and so bring your seeking, suffering, lacking or misery to an end.
The realisation that your worldly pursuits aren’t sought for their own sake can become more apparent when you consider them on their own:
Imagine you were told that the job you wanted, the house you needed or the relationship you desired, would bring only misery and suffering to your life. Would you still pursue these things? Of course not…
So again—what you want is the happiness, peace or fulfilment that you believe an object (activity, situation, state of mind or relationship) you desire will provide, not the object itself.
Happiness is Within You
So you desire something that you think will make you happy. Let’s say it is a particular role at a company.
What happens?
You seek the role in the belief it will make you happy and fulfilled. After some time, hard work and sacrifices, you get the job! Whoop!
And then?
And then the happiness fades, just as quickly as it arose.
The gaping hole that you believed the new job would fill, does so.
But only temporarily. Only for a moment.
And just like that, you’re onto the next pursuit—which feels way more important than the previous pursuit. The thing that you actually always wanted. The thing which will finally bring your eternal yearnings to an end. This time it’s different.
Such is the treadmill of life, right?
Feel a desire for something, seek it in the world, attain the worldly thing, feel happiness for a moment… and repeat… repeat… and repeat… until you die.
But is that really the truth of happiness?
Is that really how happiness works?
Perhaps not…
Look at your happiness closely. What do you notice?
You may observe that happiness is always experienced within you—which is obvious, but an important and overlooked characteristic.
What else do you notice?
It may appear like happiness is created by external events, but unlike air, food or water, you do not take your happiness in from the outside. It exists independently of the world.
—which means happiness must lie as potential within us all the time.
Do you see that?
I could say the same thing about suffering or unhappiness. It is experienced within us and so is always latent within us.
We don’t consume and excrete suffering or happiness.
If the nature of happiness is understood, then a question like this may arise:
If happiness is latent within us, it should be possible to have direct access to it and remain constantly in reach of it in any moment, without our external circumstances having to be organised in a particular way.
The True Source of Happiness
As opposed to understanding happiness as something that is attained in the world, what if you understood it as innate and simply something that is veiled or obscured by suffering?
If that were the case, then it may become clear that your innate happiness is always present. Sometimes it is veiled, but it is never absent.
According to this understanding, all that is necessary to access your inherent, natural happiness is to move beyond the veil, into the depths of one’s being, behind the layers of thought and feeling responsible for the suffering.
The Direct Path
We all seek happiness. But most of us seek it in objective experience. This is the perpetual treadmill of worldly pursuits. And there is nothing wrong with it.
But there is another way: To seek peace and happiness at its source, namely in ourselves. Or more accurately—as our being.
This is the direct path.
It is the path I am on, and increasingly, many others too.
If you’re interested in this way, feel free to reach out.
I’d be happy to support you with this understanding in any way I can.
Turn in,
Away from out,
Until out is within,
And in is with out
Take care,
David
Art by me (with a little help from my AI friends over at Midjourney)
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