As you may suspect, it takes a great deal of discipline and understanding about life to maintain balance with regard to samsara. It is not so much about forcing yourself to feel a certain way as it is to understand the feeling. When we are angry, we must look at why. We must consider if it is a worthwhile thing to be angry over: is it going to matter in a month's time if someone was rude to you today? The person being rude was doing so because they could not see that whatever they were angry about would probably be of no significance in the scope of a longer view. When we are laughing and happy, why are we happy? Can we fully appreciate that happiness in that very moment, or will our minds soon begin thinking about the bills again? We can eventually see that it is imperative to our long-term happiness to truly be present and enjoy life as it is, not how it could be perceived in the future or in the past - things we can't readily control.
I used to panic subconsciously when I would feel sad, as if the feeling was going to last forever. The truth is better times are always ahead, but so are worse times, eventful times, boring times. Now, knowing that sadness is a built-in component of being alive, I try to acknowledge the feeling of sadness for what it is and let it calmly pass me by. There is a vast spectrum of emotion we will feel in this life whether we want to or not. The key is to shed the wanting, and not wanting. Simply be. Experience each frame of emotion for what it is.
I used to panic subconsciously when I would feel sad, as if the feeling was going to last forever. The truth is better times are always ahead, but so are worse times, eventful times, boring times. Now, knowing that sadness is a built-in component of being alive, I try to acknowledge the feeling of sadness for what it is and let it calmly pass me by. There is a vast spectrum of emotion we will feel in this life whether we want to or not. The key is to shed the wanting, and not wanting. Simply be. Experience each frame of emotion for what it is.
It isn't easy, and it takes a lifetime worth of practice because we are always practicing - whether we realize it or not. Whether we follow a particular religion, employ a certain philosophy, or resolve that we follow 'nothing', we are always practicing. Practicing to become a better person, a smarter person, a faster or stronger person. At the heart of it all we are practicing happiness. We all have that in common.
Enlightenment if often referenced to outside of Buddhism and before I knew what it meant, I figured it meant a steady state of happiness of wisdom. The truth is you can never fully achieve enlightenment without always practicing enlightenment. It is a dynamic state, and it cannot be nailed down and sat upon forever. Buddha was heralded as someone who achieved enlightenment, but he did so by living the rest of his life practicing enlightenment, or living mindfully in each and every moment. This is Buddhism at its core: we all have the capacity to live in an enlightened state like a Buddha. We all have the basic tools to do so. To me it is less a religion and more a set of principles to be cognizant of.
So realize the fluidity of life. We can't corner the market on glad, mad or sad. We can merely appreciate each present emotion, knowing another will soon come. Looking at life this way has made me more understanding and with understanding comes happiness. If we can understand something, we have nothing to fear about it, and this gives rise to true happiness.
Enlightenment if often referenced to outside of Buddhism and before I knew what it meant, I figured it meant a steady state of happiness of wisdom. The truth is you can never fully achieve enlightenment without always practicing enlightenment. It is a dynamic state, and it cannot be nailed down and sat upon forever. Buddha was heralded as someone who achieved enlightenment, but he did so by living the rest of his life practicing enlightenment, or living mindfully in each and every moment. This is Buddhism at its core: we all have the capacity to live in an enlightened state like a Buddha. We all have the basic tools to do so. To me it is less a religion and more a set of principles to be cognizant of.
So realize the fluidity of life. We can't corner the market on glad, mad or sad. We can merely appreciate each present emotion, knowing another will soon come. Looking at life this way has made me more understanding and with understanding comes happiness. If we can understand something, we have nothing to fear about it, and this gives rise to true happiness.
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