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Universe: The river called happiness

A great Sufi master once asked some people what they needed to be happy. They gave varying answers. Some had wishes that could be fulfilled soon, within weeks or months. Some had wishes that may have taken years to fulfil....
Photo for representational purpose only. File photo
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A great Sufi master once asked some people what they needed to be happy. They gave varying answers. Some had wishes that could be fulfilled soon, within weeks or months. Some had wishes that may have taken years to fulfil. The Sufi master smiled, because he knew that pinning it on some future fulfilment or seeking it in external factors would never truly bring happiness.

Happiness is the beautiful, colourful bird that we all seek, but seldom comes within our grasp. It always seems to be elusive. Indeed, happiness can only spring from within. If one calmly contemplates upon all the reasons one should be grateful for, then gratitude and happiness shall arise from the heart and illuminate the soul.

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All modern marketing is based on the premise that one must buy this or that and then one shall be in a state of absolute bliss.

But it is our lived experience that all things that can be purchased bring only fleeting pleasure. The enchanting bird that we call happiness still seems to be out of reach. What is the secret to attaining happiness? The Sufi philosophy is that happiness is a choice. By making a conscious decision to be happy, one can cultivate a fulfilling life that has meaning and purpose.

There is the story of a Sufi mystic who was always happy and joyful. Those who had lived with him in his khanqah (abode of Sufis, dervishes and their disciples) for years never remembered seeing him unhappy. There came a time when the Sufi was very old, and it seemed that he would unite with the Divine Beloved soon. His disciples wanted to be as happy as him, so they asked him to share the secret.

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The Sufi master told them that when he was a young man, he found himself to be depressed and miserable. Fortunately, he encountered a great Sufi saint. He was amazed to discover that the saint was always joyful. How so?

The saint told him, “The day the realisation dawned on me that happiness is my choice, it transformed my life. Since that day, when I wake up in the morning, I ask myself what I want. Do I want blissfulness, or misery? I always choose blissfulness, and hence I always remain happy, regardless of the external circumstances. I have always made my choice and followed it.” The Master said the learning transformed his life, and that each of us has the power to transform our life the same way. Deep faith in the Almighty helps us in our endeavour to keep the mind and heart at peace. A steadfast awareness of our blessings has the power to anchor the self in happiness and contentment and not be swayed by the trials and tribulations of the constantly changing world.

More than 700 years ago, the loved dervish Shams-i Tabrizi explained it thus:

“When I run after what I think I want,

my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety;

if I sit in my own place of patience,

what I need flows to me, and without pain.

From this I understand that

what I want also wants me,

is looking for me and attracting me.

There is a great secret here

for anyone who can grasp it.”

The great Sufi mystic Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi wrote that true happiness arises from being oneself, in listening deeply to one’s heart, and engaging in activities that resonate with one’s inner self. “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy,” said the mystic.

Let us choose authenticity and gratitude, internal acceptance over external validation. Let us focus on living in the present moment. Let us choose happiness.

— The writer is a Sufi scholar

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