4月14日开课内容原稿
The Art of Living
John P Haines
Our world of distinctions is built on paradigms, on the collective agreement of human-created models. Frankly, many of these models have outworn their welcome; many of them have stayed on the shelf long past their due dates.
There are numerous teachers today of something called 'The Secret', something called 'The Law of Attraction'. These people, in many cases have tapped into the Stillness and have gained the realization; there are no limitations. But to bring that awareness back to this world and to teach that we can all have everything that we want is to forget that wanting is the source of suffering.
This craving for more is based on a limited understanding of the Absolute. When there is action without true understanding, it is action without heart. This has been the course of humanity, at least in the so-called civilized world, for long enough. Some would say for too long. Yes, we can each own and enjoy the luxury of things—the latest gadget, the biggest TV, the newest and greatest cell phone—yet we must not forget that someone else in this world may be suffering because of our greed, because of our lack of understanding.
When we are looking for economic solutions from within a model that is fatally flawed, we will not find lasting, sustainable solutions. We need to look outside the box.
It is a delusion to think that if enough is enough, then more is better. When we're in touch with who we really are, what is here right now is perfect. Then our needs, our true needs, are fulfilled and there is an immense sense of gratitude, an immense feeling of peace and spaciousness.
One of the messages of my first book, In Search of Simplicity, and other writings is that we need to take a close look at what our real needs are. We need to re-evaluate our lives. If we have enough money—and let’s face it, most people reading this have enough since we have clean, comfortable shelter and enough to eat—do we have enough time? Do we have enough quality time? In today's world some are money-rich and time-poor.
The art of living is learning to be content with where you are now, with what is. An example would be with relationships. Isn't it interesting that when we are in a relationship, we may think it would be better to be on our own, and when we are on our own we wish we had a partner?
Don't look for a partner when you are not content with yourself. Be happy with one and two will find you. When Lucia and I met in India, we were each content on our own and we became good friends. Our relationship grew out of this friendship, and it was possible because of the personal contentment we had each found at the time. We weren't consciously looking for each other. What we need finds us when we are looking the other way.
Yes, we can apply our will and certain techniques to get anything we want. Yes, we can use the law of attraction for this. The risk is that we become manipulative, that we are playing God. We are assuming we know what we need.
When we live each moment in a state of presence, when we look at the world with our 'child' eyes, when we stop to smell the roses, when we are happy, truly happy, what we need automatically comes. We don't need to ask for it.
It has been said that when the student is ready the teacher comes. In this world, everyone and every experience can be our teacher. Be happy and allow what you need to come to you. Believe in magic and magic is. Love what you are doing in the moment and the moment will reward you in wondrous ways you least expect.
This is the art of living.
John Haines was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He now lives with his family in New Zealand’s lightly populated and stunning subtropical Far North. He is the author of the acclaimed book, In Search of Simplicity: A True Story That Changes Lives.
The Art of Living
---Find Real Happiness
There was a little boy who was bored, so he went out to the tree to play. Soon the boy grew tired of playing in the tree.
“I’m hungry,” said the boy.
“Here,” said the tree, “take an apple.”
The boy took the apple and ate.
“I want a bicycle,” said the boy, “but I don’t have enough money to buy one.”
“Here,” said the tree, “take all my apples, and sell them so you can have enough money to buy the bicycle you want.”
The boy took the apples and went to the market. The tree was so happy to have helped his new friend and looked forward to seeing how happy the boy will be riding around on his new bicycle.
Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned into months and months to years. The boy did not visit the tree. Finally the boy returned, but he was not a boy any more. He was a young man, and he was unhappy.
“I want to travel,” the young man complained, “but I do not have a boat.”
“Here,” said the tree, “cut me down and use my wood to build a boat.”
The young man cut down the tree and built a boat.
Many years passed and the tree did not see or hear from the young man who was once a boy. Finally, he returned, but he was an old man, an unhappy old man.
“What is wrong?” asked the tree.
“I am old and alone, and I have nothing.”
“I have nothing to give you,” said the tree.
“I just want to sit down.”
The old man who was once a young man who was once a boy sat down on the stump that was once a beautiful tree. Then he wept. The old man finally understood.
From The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Don’t always ask for “more”
The boy, like most people, wants conditional happiness. He did not understand that we should accept life unconditionally, and that leads to happiness. We can all have and enjoy the luxury of things---the latest digital product, the biggest TV, the newest and greatest cell phone---yet we must not forget that someone else in this world may be suffering because of our greed, because of our lack of understanding. To get whatever you want is to forget that wanting is the source of suffering. There is no limitation to happiness except for the conditions we set for ourselves.
Learn to be content
If we get to know who we really are and what we really need, we may come to realize what is here right now is perfect. Thus, we should learn to be content with where we are and what we have now. When we live each moment with a peaceful state of mind, when we look at the world with our “child” eyes, when we are happy, truly happy, what we need automatically comes to us. It has been said that when the student is ready the teacher comes. In the world, everyone and every experience can be our “teacher”. Believe in magic and the magic is ---love what you are doing in the moment, which will reward you in spectacular ways you least expect, because being happy doesn’t just mean putting a smile on your face, and making you feel good about yourself. Happiness has far-reaching, positive effects on every aspects of life. When we are in a happy mood, people like us better, and friendship and love are more likely to build up.
Develop a happy habit
Learn to notice when you are actually happy and teach yourself to appreciate those moments. Think up five moments in every day when you are conscious of feeling happy.
When something bad happens, train yourself to put it behind you rather than let it ruin your day.
Stop thinking that you can never be happy unless your surroundings change. If you always delay your happiness like this, you’re actually giving yourself much unnecessary pain.
Try to smile more and to chat more with people--- and feel the levels of your own happiness rise as they respond positively to you.
Accept that happiness is a skill that we can all work on---and that it can become a habit.
