On Happiness And Hope

The Only Thing That Can Make You Happy Is...

We’re all moving. Whether physically, or through our thinking and feeling — we’re always moving. Our movements are created by different motives. But whatever the shape or size of these motives — either we’re moving away from pain, or towards pleasure.

Most of us have a fixed belief regarding what could make us finally happy. For some, it’s the perfect romantic partner, for others, it’s money. For some it’s the latest iPhone, for others it’s recognition. And so on. Happiness means different things to different people.

While improving our situation is always encouraged, unless we come to terms with whatever situation we find ourselves in, at this moment — no accomplishment will free us.

Those who’ve achieved their goals know this. And to cope with this unpleasant fact, they throw themselves in other races, pursuing bigger prizes. While this ‘dance’ may keep them entertained, the feeling remains the same no matter how big the accomplishment is.

Happiness is not to be found in prizes. And goals and their promised prizes don’t exist to make us happy. Instead, happiness is found through the process, the journey, the different challenges that we overcome along the way — which is a prize’s only reason of existence.

We’re ‘powered’ by desire; the desire to explore and to grow beyond our limitations. These limitations come in many forms: health issues, financial scarcity, loneliness, something to prove to others, homelessness, rejection by society, and so on.

Limitations give us a rapport on the situation, and the work to improve this situation is allowed through goal pursuits. Neither the situation we find ourselves in nor the one we’re pursuing should make us feel miserable or desperate. Both are just situations at different spectrums.

Life is desire, the desire to continuously expand. When we move from one situation to the other, we expand. Happiness is therefore naturally generated through this process of expansion.

As long as we make peace with our current situation by understanding that it’s just a starting point towards another one — we remove our personal investment into both situations, and we become finally free to play the game of life.

This is what creates happiness. Life’s natural feedback loop.

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Is Hope Worth It?

The masculine projects. The feminine forms.

Form holds the fabric of life in place. Structure keeps it there through laws/principles.

Together, both aspects of Creation make life as we know it, possible.

Most of us are hopeful. Somehow the word has gotten associated to being positive or optimistic.

Having hope is also associated with having expectations.

And sometimes, the word hope is even mixed with faith.

So we’re confused.

Should we be hopeful knowing that our expectations are rarely met?

Or.

Should we be hopeful because we’re spiritual or positive — and so faith, necessary to keep our identity in place?

Life is desire. It is through desire that it takes form.

Desire is projected as a blueprint. A thought, principles, a plan. This blueprint is received and used by energy. Movement, formation.

As the wise once said.

As above, so below. As within, so without. This fundamental principle that life works with is found at the highest level — the creation of life — and at the lowest — wishing evil to someone for whatever reason, as an example.

This is a definition of hope by the dictionary, : to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true.

Life wants things to happen, and they do. Life is hopeful.

Most people want a lot of things to happen: a promotion, meeting the perfect lover, getting some sort of success. Sometimes it does, most of the time, well, it doesn’t. Hope then becomes a complicated subject.

Desire being the projector of the blueprint — it powers hope. Hope is always preceded by desire. Then, through hope —momentum is gained — and with momentum, form is shaped.

Desire. Hope. Formation.

Hope therefore is an essential part of life’s equation, if we could call it one.

The real challenge then is not hope itself — but desire. To understand the source of our desires and to evaluate them with honesty is the real work here.

Desires that are based on selfishness eventually teach that hope is a curse. Desires that are based on others’ wellbeing, on life’s wellbeing eventually teach that hope is a blessing.

Now it’s alright to want things for ourselves from time to time. As long as it doesn’t affect others’ wellbeing, it’s fine.

On this path, we eventually learn that such desires are not truly fulfilling. Most people are at this stage now.

And the greatest thing about going through all this is that — it triggers wisdom — enough wisdom for us to embark on a soul journey. And start something really cool.

Now. Is hope a curse, or a blessing?