I am never upset for the reason I think. Neither am I happy for the reason I think. Never is an object, a substance, an activity, a state-of-mind, a situation or relationship the reason I openly or secretly “like it, accept it, or want it”. Never is it the reason I openly or secretly “dislike it, reject it or not want it”. It is never the “object or situation” that is the cause of my happiness or unhappiness.
The true cause of my unhappiness is the unbearable & intolerable distance and separation I’ve held and maintained from my own upsetting feelings and sensations. Out of ignorance of who I am and what they are, I chose to refuse to get close to them. Out of ignorance of who I am and what they are, I assumed it was in my best interest to separate from my uncomfortable feelings and sensations. As I continued to stay separate from them, they became more and more intolerable to get close to. Out of ignorance of myself and them, I refused to accept them and release them. They are my hidden shame & inferiority for feeling afraid. They are my hidden guilt for feeling angry and superior.
Happiness is that dissolution of that distance and separation. Happiness is the dissolution of the activity of keeping myself separate & apart from my feelings & sensations that I judged unacceptable; believing them to be intolerable & unbearable to let in and feel close to.
Some examples include boredom, restlessness, sorrow, loneliness, grief, shame, guilt, lack, fear, & physical pain.
Instead of the old pleasure seeking activities I became addicted to, I am deciding to courageously and compassionately confront my mind with the clear understanding that the activity of ‘seeking’ does not bring an end to the unbearable feelings and sensations I have separated myself from. The separating activity of seeking good feelings and sensations simply masks the pain from those feelings and sensations I’ve separated myself from.
I know what I need to do now, because I know who I am. I am Awareness, aware that all things known are my very own Self. I shall be bold. I shall welcome all foreign and alienated feelings & sensations that I judged as aliens and foreigners. I shall meet them all with curiosity and openness. I will get intimately close to them. I will see what they are truly made of. I will come to know them. I will come to Love then. I will cradle them and see and hear their beauty as My Own Beauty. In knowing them truly, I shall love them. I will become immersed in them as they become immersed in Me. We will merge. There will be no more separation. The Love & Unity shall be fully established, & the pain & suffering that seemed to be coming from life’s situations will be gone. I shall know and experience the peace that I am. Happiness is where there is no more desire, need, impulse or compulsion to escape; to separate myself from any particular feeling or sensation. They are all my creations and I love them all equally. I shall know the truth and the truth shall set me free.