First and Second Cause of Happiness or Misery




While some humans, for some of their lives, lead peaceful and happy lives, there are also huge numbers who suffer from varying levels of unhappiness. The unhappiness may vary from severe distress and trauma as for those bombed in their homes and forced to flee as in Syria or Yemen presently, to just those suffering form daily stress and grind of life. It has been so with me too in my journey through life dear friend.

It is worth reflecting on the cause of all this and do something to make our lives peaceful and happy for how can there be happiness without peace? Once one discovers root causes of misery and the path to overcome them, one can gain huge amounts peace, happiness and exhilarating joy. While the worldly teach us ways to make money or become more successful, the experience of many is that such paths lead to misery more often than happiness.

In the end two things decide course of our lives. First are our own thoughts and actions that create our world and second are circumstances that world around us seems to impose. We may call these First Cause and Second Cause. While some feel that they may be able to do something about the first cause they also feel the second is out of their control.

Mystics since ancient times have reflected deeply on human life and workings of the universe believe that even the second cause is a result of our past thoughts and deeds, our karma. One may not agree with mystics but then one will agree that there is nothing that can be done about it short of curse our fates or someone else for it making matters worse. Better it is not to bother about it at all and just put up with it if there is nothing that can do about it.

As regards the first cause, our own thoughts and deeds, they are in our control.  All would agree that it is best to work with the first cause in a way that improves lives in the best possible way. In fact, if one does that, one may reach the same path mystics recommend for dealing with both the first and second cause, whether we believe in the words of the mystics or not.

It is our own desires, thoughts, and actions that are the only thing in our control and it is this we must work with to improve our lives. What path should we follow for this? Should we choose this path on our own or seek advice from elsewhere too?

As wisdom increases one realizes how little one knows of life and the world but a fool is secure in his knowledge. Therefore the latter would not need the feel to seek any advice from anyone, secure in the knowledge that he knows the best path forward.

What of others who feel that it would be better to consult before choosing one’s path in life? Here too one may face problems. As an example, consider a person who is suffering from a physical ailment such as chronic pain and decides to consult a medical practitioner for it. The doctor he consults may be moved more by greed and the benefits a big pharma company offers him and therefore instead of recommending a safe pain killer or course of action that offers relief, advises a course of opioid pain killers that makes huge profits for the company. These latter may feel like heaven for a bit but they can addict, compromise health and then kill. Thus one has in effect jumped from the frying pan into the fire. This is not a rare instance because large parts of the world are motivated by greed. Enough wisdom is required not just to seek help but also a little more wisdom than that to reject the wrong sort of help.

Similar is the case for those who feel that the best recourse is to surrender to a religion, spiritual teacher or guru for solace when life is in distress. Here too there are many sharks in disguise motivated by greed. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing out to enslave souls and strip them of whatever goodness remains with them after making them feel like they are in heaven for a bit. How does one safeguard oneself?

The good news for those who trust in God and their own heart is that His help is available directly to all. He shall lead one suffering from pain to the right doctor; give enough wisdom to find one or quite often suggest how to just use things like rest, sunshine, pure air, a bit of exercise and patience to overcome the difficulty.

Similar is the case for spiritual help. If some further education is required in this direction, the Lord has scribbled knowledge on every leaf, flower and tree as well as in one’s heart before sending a soul forth into life. Often we smudge that knowledge with things like lust, anger and greed. When we control the latter, knowledge surfaces.

If necessary, He shall lead one to right words, the right path and it shall most definitely not be in a religion that says that only though them you can find salvation, for that is like a car dealer who says it is only in his car you shall find comfort and it is the best. There are numerous types of cars out there each good for someone or the other.

When it comes to the human condition, there are an infinite number of possible conditions and an infinite number of spiritual paths out there, each to discover for himself, with the help of the Lord. While theologians shall continue to debate and quarrel until kingdom come, mystics of the world have spoken the same language from beginning of time and shall continue to until final dissolution. If you would like to know more about these paths than check out the author’s blog on the topic at


As regards the present blog only some of the items have that knowledge for it has a lot of other stuff from life as the title and URL of the blog suggests.

Or if you prefer to read about in a book that you can read and reflect on with ease and which you can keep with you for referring back as and when you feel like, then you may find the contents of that blog in a little book – Mystic Pathways to Love, Peace and Happiness. It can be found at the following link as well as elsewhere if you search for it on google


Comments

Ashok said…
This blog is more than ten years old with more than 400 articles. All through many have wondered at the strange selection of the URL someitemshave. This note finally reveals the secret meaning of that.

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