Categories: Be Happy 24 hours
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Today, we begin a new spiritual journey together, a practical program with a simple but profound goal: to help you stay happy for all 24 hours of the day (Finding Happiness 24/7). Through this series of teachings, I hope to guide you in understanding your own mind and your own heart. My wish is to share with you a method for achieving mental relief and a state of continuous joy, allowing you to truly enjoy your life, not just endure it.
Think of this as a new way of thinking, a positive approach rooted in the timeless wisdom of the Buddha. He taught us the way to be happy for all 24 hours of the day, and through these reflections, I hope to show you how to walk that path yourself. This practice is essential for finding happiness in our modern world.
A Universal Guide for a Stressed-Out World
This teaching is for everyone. While it is strongly recommended for those already following our practical meditation programs like the ‘Third Eye‘ and ‘Path to Brahma Realm‘, its doors are open to anyone seeking peace. I have spoken with so many of you and have seen the mental burdens people carry.
Whether it’s pressure from family problems, relationship difficulties, challenges with children, conflicts at work, or the stress of running a business or living in a foreign country, I have sensed a deep-seated mental anguish in the world.
Because of this, I felt a strong wish to share the mental happiness and joy I experience with all of you. The method I will teach is the very one I use. It is a path to finding happiness and achieving mental relief and well-being very quickly. I trust the purpose of this program is becoming clear to you.
The Constant Swing: Understanding Happiness and Sorrow
To begin, let’s look at our life as it is. At any given moment, our life is defined by one of two feelings: happiness or sorrow. Our mind is constantly in one of these states. The Buddha, in his teachings, spoke of two powerful forces: attachment (a concept known as Rāga in the Pali language) and aversion (or Dvesha). These two are the very essence of the happiness and sorrow we experience.
Happiness is rooted in attachment to what we like, and sorrow is rooted in aversion to what we dislike. We, and everyone we know, live every moment of our lives swinging between these two poles.
Why Does Happiness Feel So Short-Lived?
If we look closely at our lives, we might be surprised to find that what we call happiness is incredibly brief. Take a moment and reflect on your last 24 hours. How much time did you spend genuinely smiling and joyful? And how much time was spent in a state of worry, frustration, or sadness?
Perhaps you felt happy while eating a delicious meal, talking with a friend, playing a sport, or watching a favorite program. If you are in a loving relationship, you feel happy in those shared moments. If you are with your children, you feel happy when they are behaving just as you wish. But these moments are fleeting.
Sorrow, on the other hand, can feel much more persistent. It has a way of weighing us down, draining our mental energy and making us feel low. However, the deep truth is that both happiness and sorrow are temporary. They are changing states that arise and pass away. The key to finding happiness is understanding their impermanent nature.
Your First Step to Freedom: The Simple Practice of Noticing
So, how do we begin?
The first step is to practice what the Buddha called Sati, a Pali word for mindfulness or moment-to-moment awareness. This is a practical tool, not a theory. From today onwards, I want you to start noticing the state of your mind.
- When you are happy, simply recognize it. Say to yourself, “Right now, my mind is feeling happy.” This simple acknowledgment is profoundly powerful.
- When you are sad, recognize that too. Gently note, “Right now, my mind is feeling sad.”
- Recognize the middle state. Sometimes, your mind is neither happy nor sad. Think of when you are riding on a bus or in a car, just looking out the window, not attached to anything, not fighting anything. It is a neutral, middle-ground state. This is a state of equanimity, known as Upekkhā. Learn to recognize this state as well: “Right now, my mind is neutral.”
This practice of identifying these three states is the fundamental starting point. It is more than enough to begin your journey toward finding happiness that lasts all 24 hours.
The Hidden Lesson in Our Emotions
There is a deeper, more subtle truth here. When we are happy, perhaps laughing, celebrating, or enjoying sensory pleasure. we become, in a sense, intoxicated. We get caught in what is called māyā, or illusion.
In these moments of euphoric happiness, do we remember the Buddha? Do we think of the Dhamma, his teachings? Do we remember that we will one day get sick and die? No. We forget life’s ultimate realities because we are veiled by the intensity of the pleasure.
But when we are sad, everything changes. In moments of suffering, we suddenly remember the Buddha. We seek solace in spiritual teachings. Pain has a way of cutting through the illusion. This is a very profound point, though I state it in simple words. It shows us that suffering can be a powerful teacher, bringing a clarity that joy sometimes hides. Understanding this dynamic is a huge step in finding happiness that is stable and not dependent on fleeting pleasure.
Your Journey Begins Now: A Practical Guide for Daily Life
This teaching must be applied. It is entirely practical. I ask you to begin from the very moment you finish reading this. Always be watching your mind with gentle awareness, with that mindfulness or Sati. Whether you are at work, at home, walking down the street, or even having fun at a party, a nightclub, or on a trip with loved ones, the practice remains the same.
When you are enjoying yourself, dancing, or singing, just watch your mind and recognize, “Ah, right now I am experiencing happiness.” This recognition alone is enough to start your journey to 24/7 joy. Likewise, in a moment of sadness, simply recognize, “Ah, right now I am experiencing sadness.” And when you are in that neutral space, just know that too. This process of recognition is the key that will unlock the door to lasting mental peace. It prevents you from getting lost in your emotions and helps you in finding happiness from within.
Embrace Your Mind with Gentle Awareness
I believe you have understood this first teaching. This was a very short introduction to our practical program, ‘Let’s Be Happy 24 Hours a Day‘. Please take these words to heart and, most importantly, start practicing from this moment on. Look at your own mind. Is it happy? Is it sad? Is it neutral? This simple act of knowing is enough to move forward.
All the teachings from our ‘Spiritual Monks’ series are practical. They are not limited to books, knowledge, or theory. I urge you to apply this in your life.
For now, I will conclude this first teaching. May you understand this practice, and through the power and virtues of the Triple Gem. may you be blessed with the wisdom to apply it and continue on this path. I offer you these blessings.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. We sincerely encourage you to share your experiences and ask questions in the comments section below our article. Your questions will help us create future content that directly addresses your needs. You can also contact us through the contact form.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
