“How to achieve happiness?
Not by giving, not by talking,
But by being.”
– Sri Chinmoy
“Those who run after happiness
Will never be happy.
Happiness is something
That has to come to the fore
From within.”
– Sri Chinmoy
Happiness does not and cannot come from outer phenomena, achievements, possessions or experiences. Its source is within, in stillness and silence. Once we find inner stillness and silence, happiness is automatically there. Our inner happiness is then reflected around us, in what we see, what we feel and what we receive from other people and circumstances, so our happiness may appear to be coming from outside. It is like shining a torch light – when our torch light is switched on, we see everything clearly around us for what it is; when our torch light is switched off, we do not see the things around us, we see only darkness. When our inner happiness-torch light is on, we see and feel happiness everywhere and in everything – otherwise, we can never see or feel happiness anywhere; we remain in unhappiness-darkness.
We often view happiness as a prize or a gift. We tend to assume that happiness is something to be pursued; that we acquire or receive or earn happiness as a reward for our actions or as a result of something we do.
Yet – happiness is not something we do; it is not a verb. Nor is it something we know, or own, or have. Happiness is not a state of doing, or even becoming: happiness is a state of being. Happiness is who we truly are.
Happiness is not achieved without; it is discovered within. It is not attained through activity; it is revealed in stillness. We cannot conquer happiness; we must allow happiness to claim us.