What is happiness? We all know it, we all want it, we are always in different ways striving for it. It is a simple, universal fact that everyone wants to be happy. We are always trying and aiming for that. But looking at the world around us at any time, it appears that happiness can be elusive for many of us.

We chase it our whole lives, through all our activities, through all our relationships. Ultimately, we are always trying to find only one thing- happiness. Do we understand what we are really after? What is the mechanism from which we humans perceive happiness? What really is happiness?

A subtle desire arises in us for an object, it flashes in the mind as an image or thought, triggered by the surroundings or memory. This subtle film of ‘wanting’, sticks to our attention and obscures the purity of our inner contentment. It creates a tension, a pull, which is nothing but a conflict between the actual reality of the moment and the projected fantasy of that desire.

This discrepancy is resolved, when we obtain the object of our desire. Our wish being fulfilled releases the tension, that pressure on our attention, and relaxes us, into a feeling of content calm. There is a transient absence of the feeling of lack- which is happiness!

This feeling invariably lasts only until the next distracting thought or a wish captures our attention, all over again. A new cycle of desire, craving, striving, obtaining some other object, begins. We live in these cycles, in between catching glimpses of satisfied moments, where we experience happiness.

This, when understood, demonstrates the inherent nature of happiness within ourselves. Happiness is like the blue sky, always present, but often masked by clouds of desires or concerns.

Occasionally the clouds disperse, revealing a glimpse of the clear blue sky of perfect happiness underneath! We confuse the appearance or disappearance of happiness as dependent upon the objects that we obtain or desire. But happiness is our real nature, and it is only veiled by the thoughts or desires and revealed again, when they subside.

Happiness is an attribute of who we are, it is always available and causeless, but it is often hidden underneath multiple distractions. It reveals itself in the moments when we are content, and completely satisfied- such as when we have just obtained a coveted object, or when we are struck by wonder, from a sudden encounter with something beautiful!

Happiness simply is our default state of being, the absence of any desire or fear (desire and fear are the two faces of the same coin, fear is just a desire to avoid something). It is what remains, when the nuisance is removed. This nuisance at the level of thoughts and emotions can be worry, anxiety, envy, regret, fear, anger etc.

All which is created by the mind- if all of that recedes or disperses for a moment, what remains behind is happiness!

Just the way a baby is happy when his basic needs are taken care of, we are happy, unless it is masked with overwhelming projections of thoughts, fear or desires.

Happiness is the simple joy of being at ease, at home!

There is nothing missing, no worry, nowhere to go, nothing to be anticipated in that moment- when all is in its right place and there are no undercurrents of any concern. No misery, no irritation, no restlessness. It is a feeling of being content with everything as is, nothing missing, without any lack. It is feeling whole, with nothing to be added or removed from the moment!

Happiness is our constant inner being, but we tend to pile up all kinds of clutter on it. It is often hidden, underneath the mess and chaos of our mental, emotional, psychological and material frustrations, which obstruct the glimpses of the happiness that is otherwise available. In the moments when we chance upon a gap- a free space opens up, to reveal the simple happiness that shines through.

This is our constant default background, that is always there, always available as our true nature. It is feeling at peace, with everything in the moment, and is revealed when nothing external hides it. It is simple to experiment and see in any moment whether this is the truth.

If we understand this, it becomes easier to drop whatever is bothering, or distracting us from being peaceful in any given moment, and to focus on the constant undercurrent of happiness within our being.

This happiness is causeless and closer to us than anything external that could ever veil it. This is an attribute of our inner self, the fragrance of who we really are.

We always hope to find lasting happiness. We project and superimpose many different things on this goal, so it appears different to different people, having a different name for each one, but we always only seek happiness.

We find real meaning and joy in our lives only when we follow our inner happiness. It is our anchor, our compass. Everything in our lives is oriented towards being happy. Happiness is our centre, our reality. When nothing conceals it, it is fully revealed glowing in its gentle warmth, as our real Self. It is who we really are, underneath everything else.

We are the source of our happiness! It does not come from anything outside. Is this understanding by itself not enough to make us happy?