Happiness

A Buddhist Monk writes a book on the nature of happiness- it reminds me of the magazine Tricycle- full of ads selling stuff so that one may better meditate, presumably. If I understand the gist of this book correctly- it speaks of happiness not as a state, destination or goal- but as a process- and I think I agree with that. Of course, this means that happiness doesn't always look "happy."

What I can't wrap my head (or my heart) around is the notion of some overriding and absolute "reality." First, and most importantly, I trust the idea that some things do come easily- when you stop trying so hard. For this reason enlightenment must be highly overrated. The ecstatic might be purely chemical and, thus, easily available. The notion that reality can be observed and appreciated objectively I find highly non-intuitive. The power of will is so limited in its effect so as to be largely useless in determining the course of a life- in relation to the scope of that life. Some will is useful in small ways- but it amounts to the same thing as sailing vs. driving. Driving will get you there- but you are really dependent on overcoming nature through the use of resources that aren't always available. Sailing is less precise- but the energy to steer toward a destination is always available and only limited by the navigator's ability see and understand the flow and drift of things.

Happiness might not be at the end of the journey- Merry Christmas!