We all want to be happy. All our endeavors are geared towards achieving happiness. But, we are not happy in most cases. There is always some worry or issue that gnaws at us constantly. Why is happiness so elusive? Why do we need to go through so much stress and worries that make our life hell sometimes? Let's put these questions in perspective.
Since the dawn of civilization, as the human society has evolved, the complexity of life has increased in proportion. In the Stone Age, an individual's biggest worry would have been how to gather food for survival, which at the time was plentiful in the form of fruits and wild animals. Life was simple. Without doubt, they had hardships too - but only on a physical level. They must have had little mental pressure and emotional issues, if any. As human society progressed, people had increasing pressures - pressure to be ahead of others. Competition grew. With time, groups of people began to compete with other groups. History is witness to many battles and tensions between tribes and later between civilizations. In the course of history, quite a few civilizations in different parts of the world came into being, rose to great prominence, and at some point in time their era came to an end, where another civilization took over. For example, in ancient Latin America great civilizations - such as Olmec, Inca, Aztec, Maya civilization - came, had a glorious time and eventually faded into oblivion, in succession. To this day, the clash and competiton for indentity and power is seen at all levels - between individuals, between organizations, between corporations, between nations, between religions, and so on.
Of course, competition is vital to progress. However, it is important to bear in mind that only healthy competition fosters positive development. Our modern society is plagued by unhealthy competition. There is a rush to reach the top. There is an insatiable thirst for material wealth and physical pleasures. One is willing to compromise one's integrity and ethics in order to outrun others for material gain. People are sacrificing their time for their families in a mad rush to reach their material goals.
It is no wonder that considerable number of people are depressed and frustrated. Obviously, people become disappointed when they can not meet their material target. Material desire is akin to a mirage. In a desert, when a thirsty person sees a mirage which he mistakes for water, he rushes there only to find that the water (mirage) is still farther. He never reaches the water, which is in fact just a mirage. Likewise, a person who mistakes material gain and physical pleasures to be real happiness will never be able to experience happiness, since they are just like mirages.
Contrary to common perception, many people who are rich and famous are not happy too. All too common celebrity divorces, their drinking problems, their out-of-control lives say it all. Anderson Cooper, a CNN anchor, who is a son of a famous and rich fashion design personality, Gloria Vanderbilt, once said in an interview with Time magazine that one thing that he learned from being brought up in the midst of rich and famous people is that they are just as unhappy as the rest of us are. This was his first hand experience, which just blasts the myth that money, power, and fame can buy happiness.
Certainly, we need money to be happy. But when love of money becomes an obsession, it begins to affect a person's life in subtle ways. So, being content with what one has is the key to happiness. In Sanskrit there is a verse that goes - "Santosham param sukham"- which means that satisfaction is the greatest happiness.
Instead of competing for material wealth, a person should compete for spiritual wealth. Only spiritual path leads a person to happiness in a real sense. Western society is just beginning to realize the wonders of spirituality. Age old Eastern traditions of Yoga, Zen, and meditation are gaining foothold in the West. The West is abundant in material wealth, but it sorely lacks the spiritual aspect. As a result, family and societal values are eroding. We saw many corporate frauds on a massive scale -such as Enron, and WorldCom- , corruption and scandals in government and corporations, rampant school shootings, inner city crimes etc. in recent years. These are attributable to material greed and diminishing family values. So, it is high time we put a brake on our material greed and take that all important step towards spiritual realization. After all, we were certainly not born just to satisfy our material desires!
-Himalaya Kakshapati
Salt Lake City