Understanding the feelings of happiness
After
our research on Body and Mind and Essential
Knowledge of the Mind / Soul, we shall now reflect on how the body relates
to our happiness.
The
mind, a point of energy, becomes aware of the environment with the aid of
the body’s five sense organs. When I feel happy, the mind is receiving signals
that something physical and external is creating pleasurable sensations on
my body to create conditional happiness.
Conditional, because feelings of
happiness are dependent upon favourable external conditions to create pleasurable
sensations. This is a limited type of happiness because the favourable conditions
cannot always be sustained in a world that is subject to continual changes.
The purpose of our sense organs is
to make us, or rather our minds, aware of the environment around us. When
we start to “Like” a particular sensation, we tend to expect more similar
sensations till those expectations become addictions or habits. When addicted
to certain sensations, we stop being concerned when these sensations actually
harm our body.
Addictions make us bankrupt of happiness
when the mind loses control to the dictates of the sense organs. Bankrupt
because time, effort and resources are wasted in hanging on to temporary and
constantly changing and deminishing feelings. We lose our natural state of
happiness.
Thermostats in our homes and our
cars, for example, are transducers that monitor external temperature. By themselves,
they just provide information, like thermometers. that provide an indication
of the temperature. But when part of a control system, they are used to control
related equipment, such as our household boiler to maintain preset home temperatures.
Our five senses of sight, smell,
hearing, taste and touch are our body transducers that monitor the environment
around us. Being part of the body’s control system, these senses transmit
“electrical” signals to the mind, which then makes decisions and reacts accordingly.
The mind’s reactions to situations
are dictated by our knowledge, attitudes, skills and experiences. Whatever
the external conditions, we are able to transform or accept external situations
that are beyond our control. Someone in the North Pole can feel just as content
in the cold as someone along the Equator where it can be very hot and humid.
But, indulging in activities that
create sensual pleasure soon becomes deeply entrenched as habits. Habits turn
to addictions that lead to dependency, carelessness and excuses for wasting
time, money and energy in pursuit of temporary feelings of happiness. We ignore
the dangers of excessiveness.
We can, and do in fact, become addicted
to many activities besides the more obvious indulgences in cigarettes, drugs
and alcoholic drinks. Over eating is addiction. Over sleeping can also become
an addiction.
Any addiction to sensual pleasures is a feeling and not an experience. Sensual
pleasures will eventually make us bankrupt of happiness.