Secrets of Spiritual Happiness
Secret #3 -- Know Thyself
By Sharon Janis
Secrets of Spiritual Happiness
Secret #3 -- Know Thyself
By Sharon Janis
The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.
-Ben Stein
One important secret of spiritual happiness is to really know, understand, and respect your nature -- your own individual blend. We are all great and magnificent demonstrations of God's glory and nature's creative expression. Even though some spiritual folks like to talk about "oneness" and "equality consciousness," these concepts do not mean that everyone has to be the same in every respect. How boring would that be?
Instead, we can honor ourselves by respecting the unique recipe that God used to make each one of us. Rather than fighting our styles and preferences, we can see if there is a way to integrate them into creating a fulfilling life that honors and respects our individual blend. For example, consider what kinds of work are fulfilling for you. What are you good at doing? What do you like to do?
Someone who fixes cars for a living may be envious of someone else who makes a lot more money by running a successful business. Even though fixing cars may be just the key to their happy life, the person may have been swayed by the opinions of this world to think that running a business would be a better career path.
If you like to fix cars and are envious of someone who makes more money by running a business, then you may very well be experiencing envy for a set of circumstances that you would never even want for yourself. I'd guess that many of our envies are for things we wouldn't want even if they came our way. For example, recent decades of tabloid media have shown that even the most enviable celebrities may not be as happy as they appear to be, or as happy as we might imagine they must be.
Being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be.
- Princess Diana
Maybe your happiness lies in coming home from work and being completely free from work worries, unlike a person you think you are envious of -- who might look like a big shot, but may also be walking around with way too much stress, and working way too many hours to enjoy the simple and peaceful pleasures of life.
Who are you, and why are you here? What is it that you want in life? The more we comprehend our individual natures, and what we may be here to give and receive, the more we can make efforts to bring our outer world in harmony with that vision. Therefore, this secret says, as did the ancient Greek Oracle, "Know Thyself."
An important road to spiritual happiness is to create a life that is in harmony with what our soul is here to give, to receive, and to learn. Our reasons for being here are not firm and clear answers on a multiple choice test, but more like an ongoing essay question that we are writing throughout our lives. Each experience teaches us more about who we are, and each experience also refines who we are.
If you don't know your own nature, then you may be fooled into wanting things that you don't really want, and living a life that is a reaction to what others have, or to what others think you should have. Your mind will first want one thing, then hop to wanting another, and another, until you have a huge pile of tossed arrows of desire - many contradicting one another - using up your time and energy without ever giving the deep satisfaction that comes from dedicated efforts with clear goals and self-knowledge.
Don't wish to be who other people are; wish to be who you truly are. Instead of just automatically wanting what "everyone else" seems to want, contemplate your true nature to find out what you truly want. Notice what interests you most, and what stirs your soul. Happily pursue your dreams with clarity and confidence - always leaving the door open for unexpected twists, turns, and blessings. Follow your bliss.
When your personal nature and your outer life are in harmony, then you are successful, no matter what kind of work you do, and no matter how much money you earn. Do whatever you do with enthusiasm, dedication, honor, and love. If you can't do this where you are right now, then consider taking a look at whether you are devoting your time and efforts in the right places for you. Figure out what you love to do, and find a way to do it. Then, you'll enter a space of spiritual happiness where even time feels timeless and work feels effortless.
If you love what you do, you will never work another day in your life.
- Confucius
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