Community > General Discussion

Topic: Self Analysis
Jess642 Joined Sat 03/31/07 Posts: 22732	Thu 05/12/11 05:55 AM
I don't want to be happy.... there is no 'want' involved...I am content...because I created the mindspace to be so...there is no striving, no attachment to material wants.. It's a state of mind...nothing more...to 'want' something is to decide that something is already lacking in you or your world...it becomes a sense of less, with that kind of mindset. I can remember a story shared a few years ago... An old monk sat in his garden enjoying the warm rays of the spring sunlight, when some of the town's most successful and erudite people came to see him... They asked, "Oh Father, please show us what this enlightenment is, and how to attain it". He quietly raised his arm and pointed down to the creek, where the Village Idiot was merrily playing in the shallows. The Towns folk reared back in indignation, and said, "Surely you mock us!" Again, he quietly raised his hand and pointed, and again a few of the Town's folk voiced their contempt. A third time he raised his hand and pointed, and a young man, who had wandered over to see what all the fuss was about, said, " Ahh father, you are so correct!...see how content and joyful he is, in everything he does!...he wants for nothing and enjoys the moment he is in!" Happiness is for the Enlightened Village idiot. That's because ignorance is bliss. If I, being of sound mind, could chose between ignorant bliss and knowledge with discontent I would not chose ignorant bliss. But if you look at the world and you have no passion or preferences for anything and you don't decide or chose what you want or don't want anything then you will create and attract things into your life by default and not on purpose. You said, ".to 'want' something is to decide that something is already lacking in you or your world...it becomes a sense of less, with that kind of mindset." I disagree. To want something and to intend to have it is your power to direct your attention to the things you want and bring them into your experience. It is your conscious will to create your life on purpose. The thing that creates lack is attention to the thing you do not have and attention to the state of not having it. Once you decide and know what you want with the intention that you have it, then it will manifest into your experience. Or you could just chose to take whatever comes and be ignorantly blissful, but that does not appeal to me. I hear what you are conveying JB...and you are correct in your response....i do not disagree at all. For me...and only me....I heard something in the story I shared...there's a form of surrender involved....relinquishing the constant striving, and the mousewheel of 'I'll be happy when I.......', I just chose to be joyful in the calm moments and not be as reactive to the not so calm ones. I have INTENTION...and ironically, had the same conversation today with a group of friends...there's will, and intention, and there is also surrender...your intention is set, your will is in place, and there is also a surrender to the uncontrollable elements that shift you along the way to your intention(outcome). Flex....learning to flex, and to relinquish the potential rigidity of will....and allowing. When I wrote the post above, my mindset was relative to this being a dating site....(it is ???)...and the continual thread/current that runs through many Threads of 'Why can't I find Mr/Ms Wonderful?...Why am I unhappy with this, that and the other?...Why am I unable to find Mr/Ms Perfect?'.. I guess I am saying, I found my internal (ignorant for some) bliss, by relinquishing the whole 'lacking' mentality....and just get on with my day to day world, in blissful contentment. I know, sucks to be me.

sweetestgirl11 Joined Fri 09/12/08 Posts: 30087	Thu 05/12/11 06:03 AM
In order to know more, do more, and be more we must have more; we must have things to use, for we learn, and do, and become, only by using things. We must get rich, so that we can live more. I totally disagree with this statement. The only thing required to learn is observation, which doesn't cost a penny! And no reward is necessary for learning to occur. This has been proven in countless experiments with both animals and humans. Thus, money cannot buy you knowledge, nor happiness. Happiness can be obtained through learning, but learning is done all the time, whether we make a conscious effort to do so or just observe stimuli in our environment. Therefore, the statement that "we must get rich, so that we can live more" is ridiculous. We live more by learning more, and we learn more just by being alive each day...new experiences teach us new things. It's pretty cool actually! actually the most effective learning is experience which can be quite expensive depending on the task (equipment, transportation, supplies) and this differentiates learning "about" something which is observational

sweetestgirl11 Joined Fri 09/12/08 Posts: 30087	Thu 05/12/11 06:11 AM
it would be nice to be able to worry about happiness I have had other concerns occupying me this last year seems as though I was close - oh so close recently - but I think I work toward the goal of happiness without even being concious of it after some thought, the closest definition of happiness I can come up with is being free from worry and (being in love would be the icing on the cake) and I do believe I deserve them both

fireflysgirl Joined Mon 10/18/10 Posts: 2957	Thu 05/12/11 06:47 AM
I don't want to be happy.... there is no 'want' involved...I am content...because I created the mindspace to be so...there is no striving, no attachment to material wants.. It's a state of mind...nothing more...to 'want' something is to decide that something is already lacking in you or your world...it becomes a sense of less, with that kind of mindset. I can remember a story shared a few years ago... An old monk sat in his garden enjoying the warm rays of the spring sunlight, when some of the town's most successful and erudite people came to see him... They asked, "Oh Father, please show us what this enlightenment is, and how to attain it". He quietly raised his arm and pointed down to the creek, where the Village Idiot was merrily playing in the shallows. The Towns folk reared back in indignation, and said, "Surely you mock us!" Again, he quietly raised his hand and pointed, and again a few of the Town's folk voiced their contempt. A third time he raised his hand and pointed, and a young man, who had wandered over to see what all the fuss was about, said, " Ahh father, you are so correct!...see how content and joyful he is, in everything he does!...he wants for nothing and enjoys the moment he is in!" Happiness is for the Enlightened Village idiot. That's because ignorance is bliss. If I, being of sound mind, could chose between ignorant bliss and knowledge with discontent I would not chose ignorant bliss. But if you look at the world and you have no passion or preferences for anything and you don't decide or chose what you want or don't want anything then you will create and attract things into your life by default and not on purpose. You said, ".to 'want' something is to decide that something is already lacking in you or your world...it becomes a sense of less, with that kind of mindset." I disagree. To want something and to intend to have it is your power to direct your attention to the things you want and bring them into your experience. It is your conscious will to create your life on purpose. The thing that creates lack is attention to the thing you do not have and attention to the state of not having it. Once you decide and know what you want with the intention that you have it, then it will manifest into your experience. Or you could just chose to take whatever comes and be ignorantly blissful, but that does not appeal to me. I hear what you are conveying JB...and you are correct in your response....i do not disagree at all. For me...and only me....I heard something in the story I shared...there's a form of surrender involved....relinquishing the constant striving, and the mousewheel of 'I'll be happy when I.......', I just chose to be joyful in the calm moments and not be as reactive to the not so calm ones. I have INTENTION...and ironically, had the same conversation today with a group of friends...there's will, and intention, and there is also surrender...your intention is set, your will is in place, and there is also a surrender to the uncontrollable elements that shift you along the way to your intention(outcome). Flex....learning to flex, and to relinquish the potential rigidity of will....and allowing. When I wrote the post above, my mindset was relative to this being a dating site....(it is ???)...and the continual thread/current that runs through many Threads of 'Why can't I find Mr/Ms Wonderful?...Why am I unhappy with this, that and the other?...Why am I unable to find Mr/Ms Perfect?'.. I guess I am saying, I found my internal (ignorant for some) bliss, by relinquishing the whole 'lacking' mentality....and just get on with my day to day world, in blissful contentment. I know, sucks to be me. I get what you are saying jess! The village idiot does not consciously will happiness...it comes from living in the moment! Animals gave me this wonderful gift. Don't live in the past or the future, but right here, right now. Laugh when you can, cry when you need to! Don't worry so much about what you don't have that you can not enjoy what you do have!!! The surrender comes from knowing that you can handle what life throws at you and appreciate the gifts given! Happiness is just there waiting to be acknowledged. I don't worry about happiness, I just open my heart and feel it!

Jeanniebean Joined Wed 01/30/08 Posts: 40028	Thu 05/12/11 11:34 AM
Yes I think that what makes people unhappy is that they dwell to much and too long on what they don't have or the things that they don't want. Do you feel sorry for yourself? Do you complain a lot? When was the last time you felt grateful for something? Do you expect people to cater to your needs? What is going on in your thoughts that causes you to be unhappy? That is what you have to find out. Happiness is a natural state! If you are unhappy, that is unnatural. You are the primary cause of your unhappiness. If you knew you only had 6 months to live, how would you change your life so you could be happy?

fireflysgirl Joined Mon 10/18/10 Posts: 2957	Thu 05/12/11 05:48 PM
Post from a friend on FB..."• Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melodie Beatty

navygirl Joined Sat 06/02/07 Posts: 8118	Thu 05/12/11 06:20 PM
Why do we want to be happy? I suppose it depends on each individual. Me, I just want to win the lottery to be happy. The question is not 'how' rather 'why'. Why do you want to be happy? Oops misread the topic subject. Okay, it takes less muscles to smile than frown.

galendgirl Joined Sun 07/06/08 Posts: 24728	Thu 05/12/11 06:21 PM
Why do we want to be happy? Why not?

Dragoness Joined Wed 10/17/07 Posts: 23320	Thu 05/12/11 06:45 PM
Why do we want to be happy? The concept of happiness is the human concept of contentment. It is only illusive because people look for it outside of themselves in things and other people when contentment is a state of our own mind. It is resolving all our own issues and learning how to deal with the daily issues as they come in a positive manner.