Our Journey towards FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS must necessarily be actionable and take into account our practical lives comprising activities, desires, ambitions and responsibilities.
Hi Friends,
I'm back. My work takes me to Mauritius around this time every year. It's a lovely place. What I like most is the proximity to nature. I love to do the 'under sea' walk. Once you descend into the world of fish and other marine life, where the rules are different, your overwhelming attachment with your 'own world' diminishes. That helps. My wife and I also went to the Casela Nature Park, where we played with lion cubs! Here are some snap shots:
Now let's dwell on the proposition stated at the head of this post.
By now readers are able to understand that the journey towards FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS is not some out-of-this-world kind of experience. Rather you remain very much a part of this world, though you start viewing it from a vantage point of higher awareness. You get a better, richer view of your world.
Some may be speculating that soon I will be asking you to give up attachment to this material world. That sense comes from the availability of a lot of advanced spiritual literature. The basic theme is more or less the same, but what is often missed out in such literature is the actionable and practical aspects of our daily lives.
These advanced books are excellent for those who have understood the spiritual language, have embarked on the journey and, so to say, are more advanced than others. Many have mastered the spiritual vocabulary and can give discourses. But those attending such lectures or reading similar literature, may end up doing only a mental exercise.
No amount of mental exercise is going to contribute to spiritual progression. Once you understand the stance and the steps that I am recommending, you will see that the exercises suggested by me are at the level of body and spirit. Yes, body too has a role to play! You will see that soon. The mind plays the limited role of understanding the theme, gathering courage, staying authentic and remaining committed. The conviction initially comes from the mind, and then is supported by spirit itself. So, spirit helps you discover more spirit! Isn't that great?
I have myself read good books on spiritual exercises. I have preferred writers who have written from their own experience, and whose writings you can relate to. Whatever I have written in this blog and I intend to write in future, is entirely based on my own experience spanning four decades.
That includes my struggle for years to find the answers to basic questions about life and existence. I have tasted both ends of the spectrum: deep despair, melancholy, angst, meaninglessness, void, restlessness on the one hand, and glimpses of joy, peace, tranquility at the other end - the FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS.
That does not mean my journey has come to an end. It continues. FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS is not a static position in human consciousness. You keep moving towards it. Once you have stabilized on this journey, you can still go to the pub to enjoy your beer, create wealth for yourself, pursue your jobs or professions, get into relationships, but all from a significantly different stance, from a vantage point. You will now notice a space between you and all this. Previously you were probably too identified with such attachments. Managing your wealth is not only a perfectly good objective to pursue, it is also your responsibility. But now you would have created that space between you and your wealth. Prior to this changed stance, you had probably 'become' your wealth.
I was keen to dwell on this practical aspect since I am aware of a certain stereotype that is associated with persons seeking spirit. They are often seen as religious mystics, people living in seclusion, or some very different kind of persons with whom you cannot identify.
I want to reassure you that throughout my journey, I have maintained my practical life. Being a finance professional, I do take care of my wealth. I have progressed in my job, am functioning as a CEO, and I love my wine.
The time that you commence this journey, especially those who are consciously suffering today, you may have to take a very brief holiday from life. We all go on holidays, but have we ever taken a holiday from life?
More about that in my next post. Keep reading and sharing.
Cheers!
Apart from Facebook or Twitter, you can also keep track of my posts by becoming a 'follower' in the blog itself.
Deepak Chatterjee
http://fundamentalhappiness.blogspot.com
chatterjee.deepak33@gmail.com
http://facebook.com/deepak.chatterjee.944
twitter: @Deepak33C
Views are personal
Hi Friends,
I'm back. My work takes me to Mauritius around this time every year. It's a lovely place. What I like most is the proximity to nature. I love to do the 'under sea' walk. Once you descend into the world of fish and other marine life, where the rules are different, your overwhelming attachment with your 'own world' diminishes. That helps. My wife and I also went to the Casela Nature Park, where we played with lion cubs! Here are some snap shots:
Now let's dwell on the proposition stated at the head of this post.
By now readers are able to understand that the journey towards FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS is not some out-of-this-world kind of experience. Rather you remain very much a part of this world, though you start viewing it from a vantage point of higher awareness. You get a better, richer view of your world.
Some may be speculating that soon I will be asking you to give up attachment to this material world. That sense comes from the availability of a lot of advanced spiritual literature. The basic theme is more or less the same, but what is often missed out in such literature is the actionable and practical aspects of our daily lives.
These advanced books are excellent for those who have understood the spiritual language, have embarked on the journey and, so to say, are more advanced than others. Many have mastered the spiritual vocabulary and can give discourses. But those attending such lectures or reading similar literature, may end up doing only a mental exercise.
No amount of mental exercise is going to contribute to spiritual progression. Once you understand the stance and the steps that I am recommending, you will see that the exercises suggested by me are at the level of body and spirit. Yes, body too has a role to play! You will see that soon. The mind plays the limited role of understanding the theme, gathering courage, staying authentic and remaining committed. The conviction initially comes from the mind, and then is supported by spirit itself. So, spirit helps you discover more spirit! Isn't that great?
I have myself read good books on spiritual exercises. I have preferred writers who have written from their own experience, and whose writings you can relate to. Whatever I have written in this blog and I intend to write in future, is entirely based on my own experience spanning four decades.
That includes my struggle for years to find the answers to basic questions about life and existence. I have tasted both ends of the spectrum: deep despair, melancholy, angst, meaninglessness, void, restlessness on the one hand, and glimpses of joy, peace, tranquility at the other end - the FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS.
That does not mean my journey has come to an end. It continues. FUNDAMENTAL HAPPINESS is not a static position in human consciousness. You keep moving towards it. Once you have stabilized on this journey, you can still go to the pub to enjoy your beer, create wealth for yourself, pursue your jobs or professions, get into relationships, but all from a significantly different stance, from a vantage point. You will now notice a space between you and all this. Previously you were probably too identified with such attachments. Managing your wealth is not only a perfectly good objective to pursue, it is also your responsibility. But now you would have created that space between you and your wealth. Prior to this changed stance, you had probably 'become' your wealth.
I was keen to dwell on this practical aspect since I am aware of a certain stereotype that is associated with persons seeking spirit. They are often seen as religious mystics, people living in seclusion, or some very different kind of persons with whom you cannot identify.
I want to reassure you that throughout my journey, I have maintained my practical life. Being a finance professional, I do take care of my wealth. I have progressed in my job, am functioning as a CEO, and I love my wine.
The time that you commence this journey, especially those who are consciously suffering today, you may have to take a very brief holiday from life. We all go on holidays, but have we ever taken a holiday from life?
More about that in my next post. Keep reading and sharing.
Cheers!
Apart from Facebook or Twitter, you can also keep track of my posts by becoming a 'follower' in the blog itself.
Deepak Chatterjee
http://fundamentalhappiness.blogspot.com
chatterjee.deepak33@gmail.com
http://facebook.com/deepak.chatterjee.944
twitter: @Deepak33C
Views are personal
Holiday from life sir? looking forward to your next post.
ReplyDeleteYes!
ReplyDeleteMr. Chaterjee
ReplyDeleteNice posts!. A study of our treasure of scriptures will get one to know that fundamental happiness within oneself.
Systematic learning will get one to understand one's own nature which nothing but Ananda. Knowing this, one will have that inner space as you have rightly mentioned - 'You will now notice a space between you and all this'
YOu can continue functioning in this world , continue your 'Vyavahar' with that inner leisure!!.
Keep writing!!
Thanks :)
DeleteSir, the spontaneity of Series 9 is captivating. I highly appreciate the fact that you are writing this blog and the book based on your own experiences, rather than relying on borrowed knowledge. True spiritual knowledge is born of our own experience and not from extraneous inputs. J Krishnamurty never read any scriptures, yet knowledge flowered into him. Buddha, while he was breathing his last, was requested by his close disciples to give his last sermon, and that last sermon he gave was " Be a light unto yourself" i.e. try and discover the truth yourself; so also, do not believe me, try and test the veracity of what I am saying and then believe it. Best wishes for release of your book.
ReplyDeleteAjay, it's not that I have not read other books. In fact, good books have helped me a lot. Two writers, James Leonard Park and Eckhart Tolle have helped me come out of the misery that I was experiencing. I have acknowledged both of them extensively in my book and have also quoted from their texts. I have built further based on my own experiences, on what worked for me, pitfalls etc. You will enjoy reading the book.
ReplyDelete