By Sejal Shah | Posted: September 04, 2019

Happiness is important to everyone. If you ask any person on the street what their goals are, they will likely say that their ultimate goal is to be happy. The pursuit of happiness lies at the core of human endeavors. We seem hardwired to pursue happiness. Yet the majority of us find it hard to achieve lasting happiness. Why so? Are we looking for happiness in the wrong places? 

What happiness really is?

Happiness seems to be a paradox—the more you reach for it, the more it seems to slip through your fingers. 

Right from the time of Lord Buddha until present day, spiritual masters, philosophers, theologians, psychologists, scientists, and even economists have long sought to define what happiness really is.

The explanation of Happiness given by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a globally revered yogi who is considered the “Guru of Joy” by millions across the world, and who is the mastermind behind the world-renowned Happiness Program, is simple, yet groundbreaking.

He says, “I see happiness as our very nature. Peace and happiness is what we are made up of! The quest is the quest towards the Self.” 

According to him, happiness depends only on your mind. When the mind is free of past impressions and future cravings, happiness blooms.

Happiness is something that we have to carefully pursue. Unconsciously, we all are happy, but somewhere in the pursuit of happiness, we get stuck and miss our goal. If you wake up and see the present, you will find that happiness is right there, and that it is unconditional. Don’t postpone your happiness until some perfect future date: be happy now, and tomorrow will take care of itself. So many people are either dreaming of happiness in the future or remembering happiness from the past, but true happiness is that which is in the present. Only when you realize this will you be happy, and not dependant on others for your happiness.

Personally, I’ve learned on my own journey that once our real Self has been recognized as it truly is—ever-present, infinite, and full—we no longer need to project our happiness onto objects and experiences. Knowing that our nature is happiness, we no longer need to pursue happiness. Instead we can just rest in that recognition.

When I heard this for the first time several years ago, something shifted within me. And it seemed that suddenly my life would have to take a U-turn. Until that moment, I was looking for happiness somewhere outside of myself, and was always dependent on one thing or another in order to feel happy. This journey had already become so frustrating, as the happiness gained through changing experiences, events, objects, actions and people was so fleeting in nature. The recognition that our true nature is happiness itself was so empowering. I felt as if I’d found the master key that would unlock the reservoir of lasting happiness and real freedom within me.

Unlocking the gates to lasting happiness

It’s one thing to understand that happiness comes from within, and that it is your very nature, and another thing to really know it and live it. How do we bring the mind to the present moment? How do we really realize that happiness is our very nature? How do we get in touch with the core of our nature? How do we bring this conceptual understanding to an experiential realization?  How can we become steady and centered in this realization, so that unpleasant and challenging situations don’t easily shake us up? How do we take a U-turn in the way of our living that is so conditioned to the pursuit of happiness?

The secret of happiness lies in our breath 

Ancient wisdom, supported by recent research, tells us that breath is an important element of health and happiness. The breath has proven to be an effective tool to remove stress and impurities from the system and bring clarity and focus to the mind. It plays an essential role in how we feel physically and emotionally. Over 80% of the emotional and physical impurities in the body can be eliminated through the breath. When these impurities and stresses are removed from our body and mind, we can easily connect with our true nature. 

Sudarshan Kriya is a simple yet powerful rhythmic breathing technique that de-stresses and cleanses at the very deep cellular level, and effectively draws you into a profound state of meditation that connects you to your real being.

Lord Buddha said,

“If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.”

This is what exactly happens with the practice of Sudarshan Kriya. The fundamental idea behind Sudarshan Kriya is that everything in this universe and nature has its own rhythm. There is also a rhythm of our being. When there is harmony between all different rhythms, we experience a deep, peaceful, calm and clear state of our being. You realize how vast you are. Sudarshan Kriya brings that harmony.

From the pursuit of happiness to the reality of happiness 

The Sudarshan Kriya (taught in the Art of Living Happiness Program) and meditation have both become an integral part of my daily routine. Slowly but surely, a powerful and definite internal and external transformation has started to happen in my life. I find myself more and more in a perpetual state of happiness that is beyond objects, people, situations, events, and circumstances in my life. I feel so much more in control of my life. And no matter what goes outside, my inner smile and centeredness do not fade away easily. My core remains unshakable and untouched. 

I also realized during my journey that happiness is not a feeling, a mood, a state of excitement or euphoria; instead, it is a state of steady, palpable, and undeniable inner peace that allows you to have a genuine smile on your face and confidence in your heart in the midst of real life with all of its inevitable ups and downs and twists and turns. It is a solid backdrop that constantly remains in the background of the stage on which the drama of life continuously plays. 

A growing body of research also suggests that happiness can improve your physical health. With the daily practice of Sudarshan Kriya, not only my mental health but my physical health and well-being have improved as well. This is a much better and economical way towards health and happiness than paying pharmacy and insurance bills.

Check out the research-backed health benefits of Sudarshan Kriya here.

Find Your Calm and Clear at the Happiness Weekend this Sept 20-22, 2019

In July 2019, the “America Meditates” event by Art of Living and IAHV brought together 4,000 people for a mass meditation in Denver, joined online by satellite events in 129 US cities and online participants from 48 countries. Over 100,000 individuals meditated together for creating a wave of peace in happiness in America. 

To celebrate the success of this national event, from Sept 20-22, the Art of Living is offering its unique and globally taught Happiness Program in 100+ cities to help thousands more to drop their stress and to find their inner peace in the largest meditation event in recent history. 

Join us to explore the art of sustainable happiness and become the instrument to #SpreadHappiness in the world. In this phenomenal weekend, you’ll learn practical skills that you can take home to feel calmer, happier and more alive every day of the year.

Click here to find the Happiness Program near you.

What makes the Happiness Weekend so rare and unique

1) This weekend is history in the making: Just last month, 75,000 people took the Happiness Program and practiced Sudarshan Kriya (SKY) meditation at once through 2500 satellite events across India. This was the third year in a row that such a massive event took place in India.  

For the first time ever in the US, thousands will be doing the Sudarshan Kriya meditation together and learning some practical and profound wisdom on happiness during this historical weekend.

2) An opportunity to meet the master: All the participants in this event will also have a rare and unique opportunity to join the live online sessions with the ‘Guru of Joy’, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: renowned peacemaker, meditation expert and humanitarian, and the architect of Happiness Program. 

3) Celebrate the International Day of Peace: Incidentally, Sept 21st is also the International Day of Peace. The Happiness Program gives you an opportunity to experience that deep peace within. When we are at peace, we bring more peace in the world. This is the need of the hour. 

Are you ready for a U-turn?

“Meditate … do not delay, lest you later regret it.”, counseled Lord Buddha thousands of years ago.

Explore the big questions in life and uncover what will bring lasting, genuine happiness for you, those you love, and those in your care. This is an event that is relevant to all who are in quest of happiness, and all who wish to make the world a better, more peaceful place. Join alone, or even better, bring your whole family or workgroup to this life-changing workshop! 

Sejal Shah, E-YRT 500 Sri Sri Yoga Teacher, YACEP, Meditation Teacher, Happiness expert, NYU Post Graduate Medical School approved Yoga-CME retreat facilitator, Mind-Body Wellness Writer, Homeopath