#107

What do you want most in life? Is it a house (shelter), a car (vehicle), a partner (sex, companionship, kids), food (sustenance), travel, eating out, drinking (enjoy your senses), money in the bank (security)? We spend most of our waking time to get these things. If we sleep 8 hours, work 8 hours, and commute 2 hours, then we must buy groceries, cook, clean, shower, and get ready-what remains for us to enjoy life: maybe 2-4 hours a day at best. if i multiply 3 hours x 365 days x 80 years, it turns out that we only enjoy life for 10 years at best.
We keep the things that give us pleasure or make us feel good and everything else we tolerate or get rid of. If something needs too much repair, its time to get rid of it. If your relationship or friendship has too much fighting and conflict, you replace it or live alone.
In short, we go where there is pleasure, and we avoid pain. Too much pleasure inevitably becomes a problem and too little also becomes a problem.
The Vedas tell us that some things give pleasure in the beginning, like instant gratification, such as food, sweet things, alcohol, drugs, etc, and if we have too much, we suffer. Then, some things give us pain in the beginning, such as exercise or a new skill, but in time, they give us immense pleasure as we learn to navigate them. But all pleasure is short-lived and offers diminishing returns. In time we no longer feel the same rush.
Our society and conditioning are based on “if it feels good do it.” Which means if it is pleasurable, do it. If you examine this idea further, all pleasure is short-lived, temporary, fleeting. We spend our entire life hoping to get some pleasure at the end of the day or month or year, but if it doesn’t come, then we feel disappointed and let down.
Is chasing pleasure the goal of life? To understand that, we need to ask, “What is it I really want?” Is it temporary pleasure or lasting happiness? What if you could feel good anytime, anywhere, regardless of the situations or circumstances life throws at you? Is that possible, and would you be interested in pursuing that instead of these flimsy, unreliable, short-lived sensory pleasures? Good.
So, where can one find lasting happiness? It’s right here, within you, hidden away from the world and your mind and senses. Your soul is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss (ananda). You can access it by learning to quiet your mind. It’s an art, a practice, and millions of people have declared that it works over thousands of years. You feel your soul’s inner peace and bliss when your mind gets quiet. Then, as you connect with the source of your soul or God, that bliss multiplies many times and ultimately turns to ecstasy. Now, that is something worth devoting your life to. What do you think?