True Happiness

The saints say that we are spiritual beings going through a human experience. In short, we have in us a divine spark that seeks its source, like a drop seeking to return to the ocean.

This explains why we are restless and constantly pursuing happiness in different ways. But happiness that is derived from worldly pursuits is fleeting and temporary. We may have a desire; we pursue it, obtain it and are happy for a while. But after some time, we find ourselves going after something else. We soon discover that worldly pleasures are short lived, and that most physical desires come with complications that eventually bring some form of misery.

If we could be truly happy in this world nobody would ever even think about the Lord. You know the Lord may give us anything in this world. 
Go to the richest people in the world, go to the healthiest man in the world, go to these politicians who command the whole world – are they happy? Perhaps they are more miserable than we are. We often sleep six or seven hours or more at night, but they have to depend upon pills, tranquilizers. No one can ever be really happy without meeting the Lord, without merging back into him. Unless our soul goes back, merges back into the Lord, we will never get that peace of mind, that happiness, nor can we be carefree or save ourselves from the cycle of birth and death. But for that, nobody would search for him; and that is why we seek him, our source.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. I}

The saints therefore advise us to look for happiness beyond what the world offers. The process of searching will elevate our minds. It will force us to think about the meaning of our existence and how we relate to the Supreme Being. It will make us reflect on our soul, our purpose in life and the validity of the religious beliefs we may have held since childhood.

If our search for the Lord is sincere and our quest to seek the truth earnest, we will be led to a spiritual path. When we feel an ardent desire to know the truth, when we sincerely yearn to meet the Lord, we will be led towards a teacher who will guide us to our true home. When the disciple is ready, the Master appears.

Having now found the Master, what next? Follow him with unwavering faith and determination. In other words, after you have once accepted a man as a Master, accept his formula also and work it out with absolute fidelity. If you run up against many problems which cause your boat to rock, hold a steady hand upon the oars of self-mastery and wait while you work. At first there will be puzzling questions. At times you may be inclined to say outright, “I cannot believe it.” But just hold such things in reserve and wait. Do not jump at conclusions. Let them come to you. Wait and work. By and by, your questions will answer themselves; you will be surprised how very easily. When the light becomes strong, the darkness vanishes.
_{The Path of the Masters}

Through the guidance of the Master, the disciple learns the technique 
of withdrawing his consciousness from his body up to the eye centre where he comes in contact with the sound current. When a disciple practises this meditation sincerely and regularly, he begins his journey back to his true home.

Through his spiritual practice the disciple realizes that the only way the divine drop can find its home in the ocean is through meditation. There is no other way. While it is a simple process, progress is naturally slow, though steady. The Masters explain that turning the attention from the world and its objects to the eye centre takes time as our attention has been running outward for several lifetimes, so one must be patient and continue to persevere. Hazur Maharaj Ji explains the importance of meditation and how it detaches us from the temporary pleasures of the world:

In order to go back to the Father, we have to withdraw our consciousness back to the eye centre. The more we concentrate at the eye centre, the more we will be in touch with that divine light and divine melody within. The more we enjoy that divine light and divine melody within, the more we start withdrawing from the attachments of the creation. Attachment to the divine melody automatically creates the feeling of detachment from the senses, detachment from the creation. Only attachment can create detachment in us. Detachment can never create attachment in anyone.
_{Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. II}

It is in this slow and seemingly difficult practice of meditation that we find the true and lasting happiness that we seek. As we sit in the darkness, stilling our mind and deepening our concentration, the Lord’s grace enables our transformation. Like cream coming off heated milk, we develop inner strength and positive qualities such as patience, equanimity and contentment. Our disposition then becomes more peaceful, harmonious and balanced, allowing us to meditate with consistency and depth.

But definitely meditation helps us to get that peace, bliss and contentment from within. We don’t get easily upset. We take life easier and accept God’s will as life comes.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. II}

Over time, as we persevere in our effort, our love and devotion for the Lord grows. We are no longer restless; we learn to be content with whatever comes our way. With full trust in the almighty, we continue with our meditation despite the karmic challenges that arise knowing that ultimate bliss awaits us and it is only a matter of time until the drop merges with its beloved ocean.

The time has now come for single-minded devotion to your spiritual practice and living your life according to Sant Mat principles. Continue your simran and bhajan regularly and as you move on the inner path you will see much more beautiful things within you. You will attain true happiness and bliss through meditation only and will have experiences which will be beyond description.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Quest for Light}