CIRCUMSTANTIAL UNHAPPINESS VS FUNDAMENTAL UNHAPPINESS
Hello Friends,
I begin this post by clearing the air between the two kinds of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, depression or despair we feel, and often mix up with each other.
I am prompted to take up this topic by a deep and interesting comment posted on Series 19 by Suprabhat Ganguly. You can read his comment by scrolling down this blog to Series 19, and then clicking 'comments'.
The first point extracted from Suprabhat's comment is: "is unhappiness all that bad and it has only negative connotation? If man always remains happy with what he gets and in whatever condition he remains, will it be possible for him to progress and develop? Will it be proper for a student to be happy with low grades that he might have got in his school or a professional who may not be doing very well in his career?"
I respond by stating that neither in my book "ARE YOU REALLY HAPPY?" or in this blog have I conveyed that unhappiness is bad. It certainly is painful and can appear ugly to us. Rather, my focus throughout has been on acknowledging whatever unhappiness you can feel within you, and then embracing it to move into a wonderful new life. The problem arises when we deny our unhappiness. It is then that In-Authenticity creeps in and we get into messier issues.
The second point extracted by me from Suprabhat's comment reads: "Man's unhappiness in jungle life of prehistoric age had led to formation of society. Had man remained happy all along probably the great discoveries and inventions of science would not have taken place. Historic revolutions have taken place through the ages because of unhappiness of people."
Yes, I fully agree that our dissatisfaction with so many things in life has led to great innovations, discoveries, inventions, reforms, correction of past injustices, removal of prejudices etc. India would probably not have got its independence unless an entire generation of Indians was thoroughly dissatisfied with the situation under colonial rule.
But one aspect needs to be clarified here. This has been dealt with in detail in my book, and I have touched upon it at several points in this blog, but another detailed treatment here will help all readers:
We all do feel unhappy due to various 'reasons' external to us. They can be our surroundings, situations, persons or whatever. When we are able to remove the 'external' causes, we feel better again.
However, deeper than this circumstantial unhappiness, which all of us would have felt some time or the other, is a malaise that dwells in our spirits. This FUNDAMENTAL UNHAPPINESS lurks beneath the circumstantial unhappiness and often stokes it. Also, our circumstantial unhappiness can trigger this fundamental unease which, for most of the time, is kept tightly under wraps, so we don't quite feel it. This deeper unhappiness is un-caused. While we are mostly successful in keeping it suppressed, we do get hints of its presence - when we feel lonely, bored and do not have enough distractions. We divert our minds and get on with our lives. Sometimes we even manufacture external causes for our basic inner unease. We may, thus, end up blaming others for some pain that we feel inside. This pain is innate, and has nothing to do with the supposed cause.
Some of us are likely to feel this malaise deeply. If they do feel it and are truthful about it, without getting into the trap of manufacturing a 'cause' for this suffering, they can do something wonderful. They have the opportunity and motivation to embrace this pain, give up all resistance to it, submit to it, and break out joyfully on the other side. This is FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS. Just like the basic unease or fundamental unhappiness, this joyful state of being is also very much within us, but deeply buried. I have given detailed steps towards how this can be done in my book, as well as in previous posts of this blog.
However, deeper than this circumstantial unhappiness, which all of us would have felt some time or the other, is a malaise that dwells in our spirits. This FUNDAMENTAL UNHAPPINESS lurks beneath the circumstantial unhappiness and often stokes it. Also, our circumstantial unhappiness can trigger this fundamental unease which, for most of the time, is kept tightly under wraps, so we don't quite feel it. This deeper unhappiness is un-caused. While we are mostly successful in keeping it suppressed, we do get hints of its presence - when we feel lonely, bored and do not have enough distractions. We divert our minds and get on with our lives. Sometimes we even manufacture external causes for our basic inner unease. We may, thus, end up blaming others for some pain that we feel inside. This pain is innate, and has nothing to do with the supposed cause.
Some of us are likely to feel this malaise deeply. If they do feel it and are truthful about it, without getting into the trap of manufacturing a 'cause' for this suffering, they can do something wonderful. They have the opportunity and motivation to embrace this pain, give up all resistance to it, submit to it, and break out joyfully on the other side. This is FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS. Just like the basic unease or fundamental unhappiness, this joyful state of being is also very much within us, but deeply buried. I have given detailed steps towards how this can be done in my book, as well as in previous posts of this blog.
So, friends, I have not labeled any kind of unhappiness as 'bad' or 'undesirable'. In an earlier post (Series 6 posted on Aug 5, 2013), I had stated thus:
"I understand the dilemma that many of you face in a similar predicament. That dilemma arises from the interaction between two kinds of dissatisfaction – that from within and from without. One is existential dissatisfaction, the other is circumstantial dissatisfaction. Because they mix up, we are not able to recognize the more basic form of dissatisfaction."
"I understand the dilemma that many of you face in a similar predicament. That dilemma arises from the interaction between two kinds of dissatisfaction – that from within and from without. One is existential dissatisfaction, the other is circumstantial dissatisfaction. Because they mix up, we are not able to recognize the more basic form of dissatisfaction."
Even when we feel unhappy due to some real external cause, often the deep seated basic unhappiness also gets triggered. Although deeper unhappiness stays locked up, but often rears its head. Then the two kinds of suffering get mixed up. We are not able to distinguish between the two, and often our circumstantial dissatisfaction gets exaggerated.
Hence my focus on trying to locate that un-caused unhappiness within us, which can be used as a portal towards FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS. However, even as you move closer to this new joyous state, you will still feel the unhappiness or dissatisfaction about things external to you. The difference is that you will find more space between you and the external cause of dissatisfaction. Your approach to the problem will be better. You might be more effective in correcting a wrong and creating a better life.
The last part of Suprabhat's query is even deeper: "It is the unhappiness of many people with the material world that leads them to spiritual quest."
I fully agree. As I see mankind more and more attached to the material world, I also notice a significantly troubled existence. The generally dissatisfied stance in human existence appears to be getting more pronounced. This could actually be good news. I quote from the last page of my book, ARE YOU REALLY HAPPY?: "Also my guess, and hope, is that the sheer severity and all encompassing nature of this collective human misery will itself be the cause for much of humanity to move towards FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS in the years to come."
Cheers!
Deepak Chatterjee
chatterjee.deepak33@gmail.com
www.facebook/deepak.chatterjee.944
@Deepak33C
Views are personal
The last part of Suprabhat's query is even deeper: "It is the unhappiness of many people with the material world that leads them to spiritual quest."
I fully agree. As I see mankind more and more attached to the material world, I also notice a significantly troubled existence. The generally dissatisfied stance in human existence appears to be getting more pronounced. This could actually be good news. I quote from the last page of my book, ARE YOU REALLY HAPPY?: "Also my guess, and hope, is that the sheer severity and all encompassing nature of this collective human misery will itself be the cause for much of humanity to move towards FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS in the years to come."
Cheers!
Deepak Chatterjee
chatterjee.deepak33@gmail.com
www.facebook/deepak.chatterjee.944
@Deepak33C
Views are personal
Circumstantial suffering and fundamental unhappiness are right there in front of us, raising their ugly head moment to moment. In contrast, fundamental happiness is a promise, which can be fulfilled provided we follow a regimen of acceptance and non-resistance. More often than not, the fierce reality takes over the esoteric promise. In the end, fundamental unhappiness reigns supreme and manifests with its negatives of anxiety and depression and also its positives of intellectual growth, material progress and sublime overtures of poetry and literature. The world has been, but an expression of fundamental unhappiness of humans. I wish your vision of fundamental happiness being a routine experience of man comes true one day.
ReplyDeleteWell written, Ajay. The bigger problem arises when the fundamental unhappiness is not recognized for what it is, and is confused with other circimstantial unhappiness which, in the process, often gets exaggerated.
DeleteMany many thanks for this blog post, written brilliantly bearing the stamp of erudition and scholarly analysis. To me happiness appears to be most elusive and intriguing thing in the life and it is indeed heartening to find that you have chosen this subject on your blog and for your book. With regards.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Suprabhat Ganguly, for your kind words. Do raise questions and doubts. It helps me to keep writing. Other readers too benefit from such interaction.
DeleteOne thing I learnt from here is how to release worries from the mind (specially when we Get obsessed with something) and that mind is just another part of the body. This helps to take off unnecessary pressure from the mind. Bought one copy of the book from Flipkart for a friend. I will continue to read your blogs.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, as we learn to observe our mind as any other part of our body, we create a space between ourself and the mind, and open ourselves to spirit. As we become less mind identified, we discover more spirit!
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