Just Be Happy!

Here are two amazing quotes that tell us to just be happy! The first one if from Swami Satchidananda whose popularity among yoga students in the 1970’s was phenomenal. Seekers like Dr. Dean Ornish sought out this yogi above all others. He founded the world wide Integral Yoga Institute. I knew many of his followers in those days.

“Life must be a challenge. Only then is it exciting. In an obstacle race, you are forced to surmount all the obstacles: to jump over the hurdles, go through the barrels, crawl under the rugs, climb over walls.

What would happen if, to avoid all that, you went around all the obstacles and asked for the winner’s cup? Would they give it to you? No. They would say, “You must go back and face all the obstacles.”

… Make your life as exciting as possible, but always think of it as fun. The adversities as well as the harmony should be enjoyable. Don’t become sober and morose and have a castor oil face in the name of spirituality. Just be happy. Jump with joy. Even if you make a mistake, say, “Hey, I did this? Great! What a wonderful lesson I learned!” If you really want to, you can make everything fun.”
~ Sri Swami Satchidananda from The Golden Present: Daily Inspirational Readings

The second quote is from Michael Singer. He writes,

“If you decide that you’re going to be happy from now on for the rest of your life, you will not only be happy, you will be enlightened. Unconditional happiness is the highest technique there is. You don’t have to learn Sanskrit or read any scriptures. You don’t have to renounce the world. You just have to really mean it when you say that you choose to be happy. And you have to mean it regardless of what happens. This is truly a spiritual path, and it is as direct and sure a path to Awakening as could possibly exist.”
– Singer from The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

With advice like this to tell us to just be happy, how can we not? We have everything we need to be happy right now! Nothing else is needed!

Will you choose happiness from now on?

Books by Swami Satchidananda

The Golden Present: Daily Inspirational Readings by Sri Swami Satchidananda by Sri Swami Satchidananda These daily inspirational readings contain Swami Satchidananda’s teachings on the spiritual life—how to serve others and realize peace, truth, and union with the divine. Culled from twenty-five years of lectures to spiritual seekers in the West and the East, these readings are expressed with t… [Read More…]