The Path to Happiness

If everyone on the planet were to read, understand and internalize this teaching we would see an end to violence and conflict almost over night.

The mind is an amazing creation. For centuries science thought that the mind was fixed. It thought that personality was set at birth. Today science understands one of the greatest teachings of the Buddha, the teaching that the mind can be transformed.

What does this mean to us? For one thing it means that the personality is not set in stone. When you encounter someone who is unhappy, angry or joyful, it literally means they chose to be this way. When someone says "This is the way I am, I can't change that", they are incorrect.

How is it that someone who is poor or sick can be so very joyful? Why are the richest people often the unhappiest? Happiness or suffering is not caused by ANY exte
al circumstance. It is caused by how the mind perceives these exte
al circumstances.

Have you ever thought to yourself, or heard someone else say. "As soon as I have this or achieve that I will be happy." Yet when they reach this, if they do, happiness is fleeting only lasting for a short time, then they are back to their old selves.

Every person has wants and needs. These wants and needs cause us to suffer, especially when we don't get them, and get them quickly. Law of Attraction teaches us to focus on what we want, yet why does this cause us so much pain? First and most importantly we need to become happy in the place we are! This will remove resistance in us (suffering) and we can pursue our goals and dreams.

Happiness is a decision, not an event. If you find you are unhappy about certain circumstances in your life you don't need to change the circumstances you need to change your perception of the circumstances. When you are in difficult times you often think you are the only one that is. You feel detached from the world. Yet all the problems we face are the same problems that have always existed. We need to change our focus and view these problems differently. We need to transform the mind.

Chose to be happy no matter what! Stop the negative comments and feedback's about these problems. If the horse is dead stop beating it! Snide comments only reinforce your unhappy state. Stop complaining about the kids, the husband or wife, your job, the government, were you live etc, etc. Look for the things to be grateful for. If you are still breathing you have a lot to be grateful for.

If every person could understand that happiness is not found exte
ally our world would be a much better place to live in. Happiness is the only way to breed peace in our world. A happy person is always compassionate. Happiness is like fire, it spreads and infects those around you. Teach the people in your life this truth. Do it by example.

The happiest people I have ever encountered in my life are Buddhist Monks. I have had the joy and privilege of talking and meeting with several over the years. Here is an interesting example of their happiness at work.

Washington DC has one of the highest crime rates in the USA. Back in 1993 several thousand Zen Monks and Lay people descended on Washington and spent 6 weeks in meditation on peace. The crime rate in the city dropped by 24% during that time. Another group did the same in the UK in Merseyside. They saw a 60% drop in crime compared with the national average. Interesting isn't it?

We will never change our world with causes and demonstrations, only by working on making ourselves HAPPY. Does this mean you will not experience anger and sadness? No, but you will chose not dwell in these emotions. You will instead return to happiness.

If I chose how I feel from moment to moment. Then I chose to be happy.