“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything－anger, anxiety, or possessions－we cannot be free.”
－Thich Nhat Hanh
The Nature of Happiness is clear and simple. Paradoxical though it may be to the ever-seeking monkeymind, which is totally devoted to being stubborn, for one to “have it all” one must give it all. . .up, that is. In giving up the hunt we practice the Tao of surrender and lose interest in controlling that which in fact was never ours to control!
The river of Tao flows eternally onward; this way, that way, winding and twisting sometimes with such tremendous sustained force we may wonder with each pass, “Is this how it ends?” Then, there are parts of the journey wherein the river is so still it appears nothing is happening at all and one is going nowhere. Madness abounds! Yet the difference between being truly happy and being miserable in the river of life lies in ones responses to what is as well as what is in fact the unchanging nature of the constant change that is Nature itself.
Learning to recognize and accept the many patterns of control you have will inevitably emancipate yourself from your unique mental, emotional, physical and spiritual obstacles and subsequent slavery to a predetermined set of behaviors. The simple yet profound powers of self-reflection and self-observation will completely transform ones experience of life into the elevated state of being in perpetual wonderment–which in turn puts you in the position of autonomously burning through karmas (also known as your own bullshit)—and making it look easy—when really you’re just woke as fuck.
Waking up to the moment, moment after moment, is all that’s required to sustain happiness. Easier said than done…yet this, too, shall pass. Remember!
This blog entry is a slightly modified version of a social media post I made for VitaliTree Tattoo in 2016, used and modified with permission. Photo used in the quote-meme I designed is courtesy of Adriana Michima.
Sarah Farah’s Magickal Inner-Net 