Happiness is the purpose of life
It’s the felt experience of being truly alive: glad to breathe, to know oneself, to stand under God’s protection and love. This definition works for me—and for anyone inclined toward it.
The First Step: Know Yourself
The way begins with self-knowledge—seeing yourself through God’s eyes, understanding your words, thoughts, and actions correctly, and steadily correcting what needs correction. That is how we move forward. It isn’t easy, but there isn’t really a choice. It’s now or for-never!
Where does self-awareness come from? How do I find it? What process clears misunderstanding? Is there one path to happiness or many? How do I know I’m on the right one? Am I selling myself short?
These are good questions. If the path you’re considering turns your gaze inward, that’s a good start. But there’s more.
Challenge as Teacher
Pursuing happiness takes work. Rewards appear but so do challenges. The rewards live inside the challenges. If a path is too easy or too hard, progress stalls. A good path stretches you without breaking you and lets you choose your level of difficulty. The higher the choice, the greater the result until a certain point.
Here’s a simple test: you’re on the right path if your degree of difficulty evolves upward—toward deeper kindness, greater patience, wider tolerance, real forgiveness, diminished judgment, and a clearer understanding of how things work, including you.
Simple Measures
Some questions need no outside help:
- Am I kinder?
- Do I tolerate more?
- Am I more patient?
We know the answers in our bones.
Where Help Is Needed
Other questions do require guidance.
The cost of happiness is the ongoing willingness to meet challenge until challenge is no longer dreaded—until it becomes the very vehicle that lifts you higher into the joy of happiness. That is the reward. Go and find it. In the end, it’s all that’s real; everything else is a false imitation.
Forgiveness is one of the highest tests. Entire essays could be written on it. For now, note this: understanding prepares the heart to forgive.
Understanding and Truth
Understanding has layers. Some grasp the layer of emotion and live there. Some understand others and use it to manipulate them. Some seek Totality. Understanding spans the whole spectrum of human consciousness. Where your consciousness lies, so does your understanding.
Those who have merged in God and are rightly honored are the ones to seek, hear, follow, and understand. Sure, they are few and far between, but the Christ's, Guru Nanak’s True, the Moses’s still exist examples like these are the ones to lead you to greater understanding. Understanding leads to truth—that is its purpose. The highest understanding is Truth lived. For us, this takes form through Guru Ram Das’ example, facilitated by our teacher and teachings, and protected by God Himself. Deeper understanding comes through practicing God’s will as exemplified by the Guru and simplified by the Teacher.
The Way of Sikh Dharma
Understanding God more and more is the focus of disciplined happiness and devotional service to His will. In Sikh Dharma, true understanding ripens into love—infinite love, self-love, God’s love. In that light, forgiveness becomes natural and elevating. Love overcomes obstacles. The experience of His love transforms us.
Self-love here means love of God, of the Guru, and of the teachings. This is how God enters the heart—through devotion, trust, belief, faith. ALL else “comes with the turf.” As God merges inch by inch with the student, His love is felt more deeply. This is truth; this is where real spirituality begins.
The Fruit
This existence—lived with God’s grace—bestows happiness. If God is on your side, what is there to fear? Loving everyone flows from seeing God’s heart in all. His truth has no boundary. Everyone is a creation within God’s projection. With this awareness, happiness becomes now and forever—real, true, and lasting: God’s happiness.
A Simple Prayer
When doubt arises, pray simply:
“God, with all my faults, mischief, and everything I am, please grant me all I need to serve You better. Cover me when I need covering; correct me when I need correction; love me when I need loving.”
Say it as a mantra. God cares for His servants.
Play the Long Game
Don’t judge the time this process takes. In fact, don’t judge period. If something appears to work against your wish or has a short shelf-life, let it be. Interference breeds doubt: doubt is to be avoided. Return to the mantra of praise. Think long-term. This is where judgment fades and happiness abide. This is where our true mind lives and must come forward. Stay tuned,
In Perfect Harmony,
Your Partner and Friend on this Fantastic Journey,
Hari Jiwan
