Practice Happiness

With the daily stresses of work and relationships of all kinds, I had to take a moment today and ask myself–what am I really trying to accomplish?  And it came to me–ultimately, I am trying to find happiness.

Wonderful yet elusive, happiness is what we are all hoping to find, isn’t it?  Whether it’s finding the right job, the best friends or a loving partner, what is at the end of the pursuit of each of these is happiness.

Some of us characterize happiness as nirvana–the golden achievement of peace and contentment we all long and strive for with every action we take.  What many of us don’t realize–and I am only beginning to understand–is that happiness is a state of mind. 

So to achieve this blissful state, I have turned my focus to my meditation practice to see if I can get a little bit closer to the finish line, so to speak.  The first thing I had to do is accept the fact that happiness is not just a state of bliss that magically occurs, but instead it is a practice.  And the most successful practices in yoga and meditation begin with understanding what we want to do and be. 

There are several forms of happiness. The first I would call simple, easy happiness, when our lives seem to be coasting along in a very positive way, no problems, no concerns.  My favorite form of happiness is what I would consider the unexpected moments of happiness we experience–when great things happen out of the blue, blissful moments that surprise and delight us.  But the most complete form of happiness is that which comes from living a mindful, present life.  We learn to enjoy each moment we are given, and are fully capable of experiencing these positive emotions as they are occurring.

Being present and mindful is something we can all achieve through our meditation practice, and all the better that it can help us open our minds, spirits and hearts to welcoming the feelings of peace and true bliss as they take place.  Our personal growth through meditation is so important to helping us get to this critical state of mindfulness, where each and every moment is felt and considered for what it is–and that is what can truly make us happy.

Mindfulness is so important to helping us achieve true and unfiltered feelings of happiness.  Before we can understand ourselves and all the complex feelings that present roadblocks to our growth, we must work through our own individual web of feelings,  as complex and different as they are, and one of the most revealing ways to do this is through meditation and practice.  To see what is true and good and real, really does require understanding where you are and how you got there. 

Building a practice that will yield true happiness does not happen overnight.  I’ve only just begun and I have a long way to go.  But I am beginning to identify obstacles and emotions that take me in the wrong direction through meditation.  Centering myself, finding a peaceful core and quieting my mind have given me a glimpse of what may lie ahead.  And it is kind of beautiful. 

For now, I am going to enjoy the journey and open my mind and heart to it.  I hope you’ll join me.  I think this might end up being the most rewarding trip that I’ll ever take.

Peace.