Happiness comes after unhappiness

Good morning friends. Do you believe that happiness comes after unhappiness? Many said thein all our sad moments of life there is always a happy times afterwards. I did proved of that in my own experience.

God is in the small things. In the smile of a new-born baby and in the gaze of my grandmother whose face is lined with a smile. I can’t see God everywhere. I feel Her in spaces small and large.

What stops us from being sexy, as well as religious; materialistic, as well as spiritual; happy, as well as sad? We’ve forgotten that our Gods, Rama and Krishna, were princes and wealthy. They lived in luxury and their women, Sita, Kausalya, and Urmila were regal. Jewels, personal maids, expensive wardrobes and luxe living surrounded them. Ayodhya was a kingdom encouraging masculinity and war; Mithila, Sita’s home, encouraged education, world philosophy and equality between the sexes.

We can hold on to faith and still live in luxury. We have a warped notion of spirituality and truth as being states of deprivation. In a society that’s aspirational, like middle-class India, one is seemingly from the West (material wealth) and the other homegrown (spirituality). We’re caught in this mire and coagulated confusion.

Hanuman on my crotch makes me uncomfortable. Maybe Durga on my kurta or my sari pallu works for me. My body is my personal space and even God doesn’t need to validate my sexuality. To be open to adventure, to hold on to the bubble of laughter; never to despair and to remember anger and darkness — these are emotions cut from the same cloth from which beauty and harmony are woven. To be conscious of my breath and the feel of my feet on the pavement anywhere in the world.

To be happy means that one has to also experience unhappiness. I can’t be happy anywhere like the yogis and gurus. I need my home, room, garden and rhythm to find my inner flame. I’m easily distracted and need to consciously focus and withdraw from external stimuli to remember that I have every right to be happy every minute of my life. – The Times of India

timeslife@timesgroup.com

Happiness is a good night’s rest’

Good morning friends. Some says that when you have a good night rest, the following day it will be a perfect one. When the day is perfect and no problem at all then we will have the happy time. It was a story of the author which I want to share id with you after I read it. It’s a nice article.

My spiritual quest began rather early in life and progressed into academic study when I decided to major in religion and philosophy in college.

The choice was made with the intention of finding a few answers to my many questions, to study the ‘different’ religions of the world. I oscillated from believing to not believing to questioning the faith I was born into.

May be there was a better alternative for me? One that I was to choose for myself and hence be more willing to accept. There was a moment in my life when I contemplated conversion — when I was drawn to a particular faith. It was introspection that made me realize that what I sought was not a path, what I sought was a union with the constant evolution that surrounds us.

The fact that our reality, ourselves and our beliefs are in constant flux. That there is an impermanence that is ever present and our ability to cope with it, has more to do with our changing self than a path we choose. As it turned out I chose to stay in my faith, to understand it for myself and to be free in the understanding that the essence of all religions is the same. In times of peril, there are many verses I recount, I make annual pilgrimages, not all of these are to temples.

Do I practice my faith? Yes, I do. My practice is in the interactions I share with people. My spiritual quest continues. Do I view material possessions negatively? Not necessarily — I am however cautious of not letting what I possess define me, nor judge others by their possessions. It is one of my spiritual victories, to be able to do that very easily. There are other things that I struggle with; often I struggle with as much of the good in my life as I do the bad.

At times I feel grateful and then on some days undeserving — of the good and the bad. Today, there are enough and more things we encounter, a lot of times it isn’t so much about choice, it’s more about learning what to step around — with practice, I side step pretty easy now and sleep well. And isn’t happiness above all else a good night’s rest? - The Times of India

(Advaita Kala is an author)

In pursuit of happiness

Good morning friends. Anywhere you go, anything you do, I believe you can see God anywhere - in your garden, on the road or by the seaside.

But since I like Gucci shoes, I don't think of God in connection with the label. I believe one can really be in love with luxury as well as be meditative, because one is not exclusive to the other in any way. But putting life on hold to go off on a journey in pursuit of happiness or even seeking spiritualism outside the realm of daily concerns would be a bit dull.

Life comes in many colours and one needs to enjoy all of them. In India, there are very few strict spiritual templates and you can afford to believe anything without moving out of your cultural backdrop. It is a culture that believes in Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and the tantric ethos.

I went to the Kumbh Mela recently and really got a sense of how diverse our culture is in its spirituality and beliefs in God. There is nothing like wrong or right except truth and honesty. I actually stopped living up to somebody else's expectations of me, though it came a bit late in life, but I am glad to have done it now. – The times of India

Be content and let go

Good morning friends. Life itself is synonymous with growth. Various events in my life have been spiritual lessons from which I learnt and grew as a person.

I believe that each individual is guided by a special force that helps him grow and move ahead in life. There have been many ups and downs in my life, like when my mother passed away. That was a difficult situation for me but I found solace in the supreme force called the Almighty.

Contentment and purity lie within oneself and one cannot hunt for it in the outside world. Our relationship with the Supreme Being gives solace and for some, this comfort is found in temples. It’s completely up to individuals to choose their way of connecting with the Supreme Power.

Many fears that we sustain within us also come from our insecurities. So, at this juncture, when the world is seeing so much chaos and unhappiness, I would love to ask God to show us the path to overcome these insecurities. Everyone should keep in mind that material happiness is fleeting and the only constant thing that is here to stay is inner bliss and satisfaction, which is the main wealth one earns in a lifetime.

Looking outwards or going to a spiritual guru may not be the solution for me, but it works for some people who turn to them for attaining peace and contentment. I believe the true nature of spirituality is that silent understanding you have when you “just flow”.

I have discovered that as I endeavor towards my spiritual quest in life, it’s important to be ever so vigilant of the ego. I’m not out to prove that my belief is better than anyone else’s, only to understand what the Great Spirit has communicated. – Jay Panda

Contentment better than bliss

Good morning friends. I came across with an article. It's about contentment. How it is better than bliss. I nice article and I'm sure tha after reading it, even you will agree. I want to share it with you.

I believe spirituality is common to all religions, but religion is very often dealt with in a non-spiritual mindset .

I personally find short-term contentment better, so long live the desire for a new Gucci...if it’s what makes me happy! The equation between spirituality and materialism actually depends on one’s thought process.

If you buy something which makes you happy, you experience contentment. Bliss, however, exists on a much superior level. Donating huge sums of money to religious institutions does not make a person spiritual.

In a fast-paced world, it might be a short cut to nirvana, but most people indulge in charity to justify their ‘bad conscience’ hoping they’ve ‘washed away their sins’! That’s blasphemy.

The mind is like a wild fire with many thoughts running through it simultaneously. Whether a person donates his money for charity or splurges it on the latest Chanel outfit is purely his own decision. Spirituality can be analyzed according to actions, not words. Regarding the presence of God, He is omnipresent as He exists in the mind of every human being.

As a designer, I’ve come across innerwear with God’s images on them. Some of these attract attention. I believe, religious trinkets and symbols are always encouraged by the society. These include tattoos, amulets, bracelets, etc, with the exception of underwear. It’s usually not done as it hurts religious sentiments.

Being ‘here and now’ is about the body being united with the soul in time. Spirituality is the connection to everything, including oneself. -Hemant Sagar

timeslife@timesgroup.com