Happiness Vs Pleasure
January 21st, 2012
Every now and then I have to have a lesson in the difference between happiness and pleasure. For those who are not aware of the difference, it is fairly easy to explain. Happiness is the feeling and emotion one experiences when one has transcended the illusion of pleasure and pain. Happiness in this example is the same as the Buddhist concept of samadhi or bliss. It is also known as equanimity or balance.
The confusion comes when we get what we want in life. When we get what we want, we often feel "happy", but this is not happiness. This is pleasure or stated another way; it is excitement. The test comes when we do not get what we want or we lose what we have. For most people, the feelings of "happiness" evaporate rapidly and we experience anger, stress, anxiety or depression. If these emotions arise, then what we experienced before was not true happiness but merely the excitement of getting what we want.
Happiness is our true natural state of being, but it has been buried under desires and beliefs drilled into us since birth. Society and big business wants us to be addicted to pleasure and excitement, because if we were happy we would not need either society or big business. Hollywood gives us a distorted view of romance in order to keep us addicted to the pleasures of sex and romance. If you want to test yourself, stop doing whatever gives you the greatest "happiness" and see if you can hold the same level of joy.
I think that one of the greatest tests of our level of happiness is what many people perceive as "love" for another person. When we experience all of the highs and lows of relationship, we get the opportunity to see rather quickly how "happy" we are. When our lover does something that we really don't like, or doesn't behave the way we want them to, watch the feelings that arise. If we experience stress, anxiety, anger or fear it is a sign that we have lost our connection to happiness. It takes a lot of focus and discipline to remain detached and blissful while the object of our desire is not returning our affections or our telephone calls.
It is important to remember where the true source of happiness lies. The true source of happiness arises from our connections to our higher self, divinity, God. When we focus on that connection, rather than material possessions or a relationship with someone, our circumstances cannot shake our state of happiness. When we experience stress, anxiety, anger or fear, it is always because of a disconnection with our divinity. When we refocus our mind on the existence of our higher selves, our divinity, we become calm and relaxed, the sure sign of happiness.
I believe that the term happiness and love refer to the same thing, the connection with our divinity. When we love something or someone, it is really our happiness shining through. When we experience happiness we are experiencing self-love, the knowledge that all is well. God is always calling us to connect with our divine grace. When we look elsewhere we may experience pleasure but it will not last. That is the difference between pleasure and happiness.
Article submitted by SQ Member James Robinson - www.divinelightmaster.com
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