What is Happiness?

The Center of the Self is Happiness

We begin with the question: What is Happiness? But, this may not be the best way to pose or the correct way to frame the question. In fact, it may be more accurate to ask: Who is Happiness? Why is that?  

The reason is a very simple one: At the Center of the Self is Happiness and at the Center of everything lies the Self.

Does this answer anything or merely add additional muddle to an already altogether confusing and paradoxical concept?


However it is said, simplied or clarified; the challenge of the Self (i.e., who am I?) remains.
This is the most fundamental existential question that you must find the experiential answer to for yourself.

Although, the end can be told and the means may be shown, who and what your Self is must be known directly through experience. None can answer the question of Ultimate Identity for you.


All that can be done is to tell you the "A" and the "B" of this whole Enlightenment thing...as for "C," you will have to see it for yourself!


a.) you can be told what you will find.

THE WHAT.


b.) you can be shown the way to get there.

THE HOW.


The extent of any assistance that any teacher or teaching can offer anyone towards Enlightenment consists of just these two points: What and How.


Granted most teachers convey energy that can be helpful in the process and some even transmit energy that will bring others immediately into Self-awareness...but, most of this is just fishing!


Knowledge is better than luck in all areas and even more so in the spiritual. It is much better in the area of spiritual realization to make one's own luck.


Let's begin with a more thorough exploration of "A" or "what you will find when you get to Enlightenment."

First, I must give this disclaimer: Telling you is not showing you, knowing is not realizing and thinking you understand is not experiencing. What I am saying is the following: There is no substitute for a real experiential answer to the question, "who am I?" I hope that my meaning is clear.


So, what is Enlightenment?


Enlightenment is a happiness that is without any cause but awareness of Self...it is a self-happiness that is perfect...a clear luminous Light shining throughout all of creation, that is Love, Happiness, Joyous Blissfulness...this is not emotion...it is spiritual...a continuous medium of Life within which all of existence flourishes...it is a wonder that there is such a seeming incongruity as 'death,' within this teeming sea of spiritual life...can anything die? This, I, cannot...what is not born cannot die...simple as that...I was, I am and I will be...a perfect Wholeness, Oneness that incorporates, includes and unifies everything...did I say continuous and uninterrupted Joy?...Love and Happiness are one and the same...a transcendent Peace, not one that is dead or sterile but a Peace filled with Grace, Creativity and Beauty...you, I, we, It, That, is, are the very Space of Creation...what more do you need to know about Enlightenment? What more can be said? It is worth the struggle, the journey, even the pain, loss and loneliness, come what may...I wouldn't trade my Self-Realization for anything in this world, the next or the next even with all of the challenges I have faced in this lifetime! Understand what Enlightenment, Self-Realization is really about; it is about everything, including your Ultimate Identity which is the True Being of Everything...there is nothing greater than the ALL and EVERYTHING or bigger than the NOTHING of SPACE!


You see, Enlightenment will make you crazy...but it is a good crazy!



Now, that "A" is sufficiently elaborate and detailed, let us touch upon the big "B," "SHOW ME HOW TO GET THERE!"


But, you see, here's the real problem: you already are there. So, what do we do, now? We could start by scratching our head, banging it against a wall or by just giving up...but it is not all that bleak.

You see, there is a way to the goal and it lies in a simple insight that makes all methodologies clear, as to why they work and as to why they do not. The question rests with the emphasis of the particular method. What is the purpose of the given method? What is the method trying to achieve? How is going about it? Will it work?


The why of the methodology must be established before we can address the how.


The question is a single and overarching one: What is the goal, aim or purpose of any approach to Enlightenment regardless of means?


Think about that one for a second, a minute or an hour...what is the why of the methodology? Once we have that clear, then we are in a position to evaluate all methods according to a simple criteria and apply only those methods that actually are most effective and least inefficient.

So, why are we doing anything to reach Enlightenment?

Not, because we need to do anything to be Enlightened but...we must return awareness to Self and achieve Self-Awareness.

But, it is more specific than this. What we need to recognize is a basic principle of awareness and it is the fact of focus.

Awareness is focused. What does this mean? Why is this important?

Awareness always has a focus. It is like this: If awareness can be focused, awareness can be unfocused.

Awareness with any focus is typical and awareness that is unfocused is atypical and also happens to be Enlightened Awareness.


Why then are we applying any practical method towards Self-Awareness? We need to transition from a focused awareness to an unfocused awareness, through defocusing awareness.

A method that focuses awareness such as in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is actually counterproductive. In fact, the correct approach to seek Enlightenment is not through narrowing focus but rather through expanding or broadening it.


Once this point is clear, then one must only evaluate methods for Enlightenment according to a single criteria: Does the given method focus or defocus awareness?


Methods that defocus awareness are effective means towards the end of Enlightenment.

Whereas, those methods that focus awareness are merely psychological exercises that may
nevertheless have relevance or value to mental or emotional development. As far as energy practices are concerned, they are a special case that are worth incorporating into a spiritual practice for their value to energy flow, circulation, health and well-being, regardless of their direct value to Enlightenment.


How does one defocus awareness? The best way to seek the answer to this question is to ask oneself: "How and why is awareness focused and upon what objects?"

The first step towards understanding defocusing of awareness is to understand focusing of awareness...but, then the short answer is, yes, there are a few basic ways to defocus awareness:


1. STOP FOCUSING AWARENESS!!!

2. Expand your awareness outwardly in all directions.

3. Turn your awareness inward toward Center.

4. Perceive the Space between all forms.

5. Do a Patanjali and focus upon a single object until you perceive the Oneness between your own Self and the object, then focus only upon That Oneness.

6. Relax and open your awareness to allow all into your field of Awareness.

7. Just let go, surrender, give up and drop all notions of self, body, mind, etc.

8. Get a Real Teacher.



Now, go, defocus, get unfocused, get unplugged!