The Ultimate Happiness Prescription

1. Happiness is the Goal of Every Other Goal

The purpose of life is the expansion of happiness.

Happiness as the foundation: Contrary to popular belief, happiness is not the result of success, wealth, or good relationships. Instead, it is the foundation that leads to these outcomes. When we are happy, we make choices that naturally lead to success in various aspects of life.

The happiness formula: Researchers have identified three factors that contribute to happiness:

• Set point (40%): The brain's natural tendency towards happiness or unhappiness
• Conditions of living (7-12%): External circumstances
• Voluntary activities (50%): The choices we make daily

Beyond the formula: True happiness lies in discovering our core consciousness, which transcends the mind, intellect, and ego. This discovery leads to a state of enlightenment where suffering ends, and we experience eternal bliss consciousness.

2. True Self-Esteem Comes from Within

When you shift your identity from your self-image to your true self, you will find happiness that no one can take away from you.

Self-image vs. true self: Most people confuse their self-esteem with their self-image, which is created by identifying with external things. True self-esteem comes from connecting with our true being, which has five qualities:

• Connection to all that exists
• No limitations
• Infinite creativity
• Fearlessness
• Powerful intention

Ego vs. true being: The ego, in contrast to the true self, is characterized by:

• Feeling isolated and alone
• Feeling limited and bounded
• Preferring routine over creativity
• Fearing the unknown
• Struggling to get what it wants

Shifting to true being: To move from ego-based living to true being, practice mindfulness and awareness. Notice when you're seeking approval or feeling insecure, and gently redirect your attention to your true self.

3. Detoxify Your Life to Find Joy

Contamination can be the result of toxic emotions, habits, and relationships, as well as toxic substances.

Sources of toxicity: Unhappiness often stems from invisible roots, particularly conditioning that creates toxicity in our lives. This conditioning begins in early childhood and sets lifelong patterns in our brains.

Seven steps to detoxify: To rid yourself of toxins at a subtle level, follow these steps:

1. Take responsibility for your present response
2. Witness what you are feeling
3. Label your feeling
4. Express what you feel
5. Share what you feel
6. Release the toxic feeling through ritual
7. Celebrate the release and move on

Simplifying life: As you detoxify emotionally, you'll naturally want to simplify your life in other areas:

• Declutter your surroundings
• Practice one-in-one-out with possessions
• Spend money to help the environment
• Do something not for profit
• Be generous, especially with intangibles
• Nourish your body instead of defiling it

4. Give Up Being Right to Find Peace

An enormous amount of energy becomes available once you give up the need to be right.

The cost of being right: Insisting on being right creates conflict and confrontation, as it always makes someone else wrong. This approach damages relationships and leads to unhappiness.

Shifting perspective: Recognize that there's no single correct perspective. Your view of the world reflects who you are, and others see the world as they are. This insight is liberating, as it allows for unique perspectives and co-creation with the universe.

Surrendering to the path: Instead of surrendering to another person or even to each other in relationships, surrender to the shared path. This involves:

• Committing to where the path is taking you both
• Focusing on the space between you and your loved one
• Asking questions like "Which choice is more loving?" or "What will bring peace between us?"
• Being open to the mystery that arises from love

5. Focus on the Present Moment

If you focus on the present, your life will be constantly renewed.

The power of now: The present moment is the only time that is eternal. It never dies and can never be taken away from you. By focusing on the present, you experience the timeless and find your true self.

Time and unhappiness: All unhappiness exists in time. When we're caught up in evaluating experiences, comparing ourselves to others, or building up stories, we move away from the natural state of happiness in the now.

Cultivating mindfulness: To focus on the present:

• Ground yourself in your body
• Tune into your sensations
• Pay attention to your breath
• Embrace what is, rather than imposing what was or could be
• Separate the present moment from the present situation
• Catch yourself when you're distracted and gently return to the present

6. See the World in Yourself

When you see the world in yourself, there are no more outward obstacles to happiness.

Mirror of consciousness: The inner and outer worlds are mirrors of each other, changing according to your level of consciousness. If you vibrate at the level of fear, both worlds will reflect that. If you vibrate at the level of love, love will be present in both worlds.

Levels of consciousness: Consciousness functions to create change at four fundamental levels:

1. Being: The highest level, characterized by spontaneity, wonder, joy, and playfulness
2. Feeling: Arousing the deepest values of life, such as loving-kindness, compassion, joy at others' success, and equanimity
3. Thinking: A constant flow of creativity accompanied by feelings of joy and compassion
4. Doing: Clear action that benefits everything around you, beyond personal gain

Uniting inner and outer worlds: To change both inner and outer reality simultaneously:

• Connect to your being through mindfulness and meditation
• Access the highest level of feeling by recalling experiences of love
• Ask for guidance from your deepest awareness
• Take action from the highest level, knowing it benefits everyone in the situation

7. Live for Enlightenment

To seek enlightenment is to seek your true self.

The journey home: Enlightenment is the most aware state of existence and also the most natural, as it's where we came from. It's a place of profound love, peace, and joy, where we experience oneness with the divine.

Stages of consciousness: The journey to enlightenment progresses through several stages:

1. Ordinary waking consciousness
2. Soul consciousness
3. Cosmic consciousness
4. Divine consciousness
5. Unity consciousness

Indicators of progress: You can tell you're making progress on the path to enlightenment when:

• Your life flows with effortless spontaneity
• Love becomes the motivating factor in your life
• You discover hidden sources of creativity and imagination
• You accept higher guidance into your life
• Your choices benefit you and all those around you

Daily practice: To keep alive your vision of enlightenment:

• Remember that ecstasy is your primordial energy state
• See your thoughts, body, and surroundings as a single process in consciousness
• Keep to your path when distracted by the outside world's demands

Last updated: September 2, 2024