Last Updated:
Smile through storms—wisdom lies in staying steady through loss and blame. You’re bigger than pain, guided by grace, and here to uplift. Choose bliss, by practice
The essence of all spiritual practices and wisdom is to train your mind and consciousness to radiate bliss and happiness. (AI Generated)
A wise man is happy even in bad times and an ignorant one is unhappy even in good times.
It is no big deal to keep smiling when everything in life is smooth sailing but if you can smile when the going gets tough, when people are blaming you, when there is conflict and loss, then you should know you have achieved something in life, and that is wisdom.
To live in this world and be averse to adversities is much like having a house near the ocean and being averse to water; or being averse to noise living by the marketplace, or living in a jungle while being fearful of animals. When we live in the world, all kinds of experiences come our way, both pleasant and unpleasant. But neither should be able to deter us. We should keep moving ahead with an unshakable smile.
It is very much possible to keep smiling through all of life’s ups and downs when we have the wisdom that every unpleasant event, every challenge or misery has given us some depth, some sensitivity and every pleasant event or joy has brought an expanded vision of life. Remember, the most challenging times bring out the best in you, bring out your skills; they make you go inward in prayer and the good times offer the best of the world to you.
What robs you of your smile are the unpleasant events – ones that do not bring you comfort or which appear to give you misery. But when you realize you are much bigger than pleasure and pain, you’re much bigger than events that occur in day to day life, either pleasant or unpleasant, then the smile on your face will never disappear. Secondly, when you know there is someone to guide you, take care of you, there is a power with you. Then also you are able to smile through difficult situations. Third is when you see that you are here to give and contribute, and there are people who need you more than you need anything else, that also give you that strength to move through those moments when you think you cannot smile.
You know, the yogic texts offer three subtle causes of misery. First is Parinama Dukha — the sadness that comes from remembering past pleasures that no longer exist. Second is Tapa Dukha — discomfort in the present moment: physical pain, anger, jealousy, or emotional turbulence. And third is Samskara Dukha — the most hidden misery, a habit of being unhappy, formed over time. Even when all is well, one keeps a long face. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward freedom.
But what if I told you that your life and the entire universe is one energy? And that very same energy, which with ignorance brings sadness, with wisdom transforms into bliss? If you can feel sadness and misery, you inherently possess the ability to be blissful too! Like shaucha or personal hygiene is a practice, so is contentment. From time to time we need to wash the dirt off that settles in the mind like we clean our house, or take care of our body.
It’s said – Anandamayo abhyasa, that is, by practice, the infinite energy (Brahman) appears to be bliss; otherwise, in ignorance, you stay attached to small things that keep making you miserable, like the dust that gets into the eye. It is a tiny particular but it can prevent you from seeing the infinite.
So, the essence of all spiritual practices and wisdom is to train your mind and consciousness to radiate bliss and happiness, throughout life.
The author is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher and an ambassador of peace. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
- First Published:
