By Ace Remas |
All the torture in your life comes from your thoughts. The pain and worry you experience does not arise from the external conditions you encounter. Your problems are not caused by other people, by money, by your body, by the government, or by the past. The dissatisfaction in your life arises from thought. If you had different thoughts about your life, you would have a different experience.
At first we don’t believe this. We are very attached to the idea that the world outside is where we will confront obstacles and will find joy. As a consequence, we search outside for the contentment we seek. But as we all probably know already, from the evidence of our own experience, we can’t find happiness out there. Sure, there may be momentary victories and satisfactions. Yet these moments of happiness are always soon threatened by changing conditions.
Although we cannot control outside conditions, we try to preserve our happiness or overcome our problems by influencing what happens in the outside world. We vote, save money, say the right things, do our chores, seek our entertainments, strive for recognition, all with the idea that these efforts will bring us, ultimately, the satisfaction we seek. In fact, these actions seem reasonable and are certainly what the world expects of us. Over time we grow accustomed to the idea that we can control outside conditions if we work hard enough, are smart enough, or are lucky.
Despite our efforts and the many thoughts we devote to controlling our lives, we encounter difficulties. Hard as we work, the work never ends. In many situations we are not smart enough. And most of us aren’t very lucky. We frequently are not successful in getting what we want. We lose what we have through no fault of our own. And passing time is no friend. Our body ages, our beauty and well being diminish, our friends pass away.
All this expectation and angst is created by our thoughts. Since we believe we can control or influence results, we worry about results. When we don’t get what we desire, we think sadly about it. When we lose what we have, we experience sorrow and melancholy. Despite our accomplishments, we continually suffer disappointment. Since disappointment is a painful state of mind, we worry about the future, even develop anger over outer conditions that have, in our view, prevented us from achieving the happiness we seek.
States of mind like anger, disappointment, worry, fear, and sorrow are painful states of mind. You could say they are sufferings. Suffering is a state of mind. Therefore, to avoid suffering we must change our state of mind.
Controlling the mind is a different proposition than controlling the external world. We’ll never conclusively control outside conditions, but we can learn to control our mind. Through a meditation practice and self-discipline, we gradually can enforce a positive view of the world, no matter what happens. Through repeated meditations to gain familiarity with a positive mind, we will find that this renewed state of mind cannot be disturbed by external happenings. In short, we will be happy.
Most people think this is too simple-minded to be true. Many would scoff at this viewpoint because of their conviction that the outside world is the problem, not their mind.
The proof is in the pudding. Where is the experience of happiness to be found? In the mind, of course. If the mind is happy, does it really matter what happens on the outside? Think of all the people you know who have every advantage modern life has to offer. They have health, wealth, beauty, power, comfort. Can you say they are happy? Are they free of suffering? As the tabloids reveal day after day, like all of us they suffer continuously.
Recognizing the mind as the true source of happiness does not mean we ignore the external world. We engage in it fully, using the power of our thoughts to direct our actions. But we stop believing that these external actions will produce the inner results we seek. We rely on an awareness that contentment is up to us, on the inside, not up to what is happening on the outside. With such a mind, success and failure, achievements and obstacles are leveled out. We recognize them as the threads that make up the fabric of our life now. We are happy to have this life. It is me.
For more info, call Ace Remas at 415-760-7300.
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