How many of us wish we could do something else, be someone else and be somewhere else; that really our lives are not what they are supposed to be and we wish for a different state of being?
I know many of my clients have asked me in one way, shape or form that exact question.
Of course they do not wish to sound ungrateful, nor do they want to be that person who cannot find satisfaction in anything. Instead, they tell me they want to aspire for bigger and better things. They wish for a better life. This is not a bad desire or wish; this is the reality of the play of our minds. See, our mind isn’t going to let us rest, it simply isn’t. It’s going to keep asking for things that may or may not truly be beneficial to us, but will promise a short term gain.
I’ve talked about this very topic in many ways before, hoping and perhaps wishing that it would affect my readers.
I’m always lost for thoughts when I see people with so little give so much, people with no hope of their own inspire hope in others, people with lives that we can’t imagine, inspire those with incredible lives to have more. How does it work? This is the question which puzzles me, and a timely question with Christmas around the corner I might add.
A friend of mine says ‘because the heart wants it makes it so’. That is, if he wishes for a thing it has to be.
I’d like to tell him that this idea of his is completely childish. That just because he ‘thinks’ is heart wants it doesn’t mean it does…and besides, when did the heart become some separate thing from a human being anyway. It’s not like it is a separate entity, it’s in our own bodies with our own control around it. It can no more command humans will than your big toe!
I like to think that peace comes from within and happiness from enjoying what we do have rather than desiring what we do not.
There will always be things that we don’t have, there will always be things we want to do, places we want to be and change we want to see. The common thread around them is they arise from exactly the same place every time…desire. My message for you today is that you should understand that desire will never be satisfied and that it will only grow with more. It is a self serving emotion and feeling that has no limits.
Keep in mind, I am also the same person that says reach for the stars; so I am not saying simply do nothing. Instead, I’m saying study yourselves and determine where that desire is coming from, what it will serve, and ultimately what will it lead you to. Remember that we do not know if winning the lottery will make us happier and more peaceful (studies suggest it does not) . All we know is that everyone we know has the desire to win one though. I could likely make that statement about anything by the way, about height, weight, hair color, eye color, place of residence, status, clubs, experiences etc It is indeed a never ending list…much like the desire that feeds it.
The most bizarre part of my little discourse today is my believe that it is in fact the desire to have more peace in our lives and more contentment that is at the root of the desire. That in fact we have confused and lied to ourselves so much that we actually believe that if we were to have all those things and changes we want in our lives we would become more peaceful and happy. The reality is quite far from the truth. I contend that all of those things you have to do to get the things that lead you to peace and happiness are precisely the same ones that take you away from it.
Instead, trust this fact. Peace and Happiness are always around us; all we need to do is slow down and accept what IS
Namaste