From Happiness to Aananda

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How does one go from happiness to Aananda? Happiness may be the first level of joy or bliss. When one is happy, one is just happy. But one’s unhappiness turns out to be far greater than one’s happiness. Those who are passionate about being happy, they work towards happiness. They find out what makes them happy. They resolve to be happy and most of the time, they try to stay happy. But even then, there is unhappiness. There are bursts of unhappiness that follow every peak of happiness. How does one go from happiness to Aananda? Aananda is unending bliss; it is joy forever. It is a state where sorrow is unknown, where there is no pain. Is there such a heavenly bliss at all? Yes! There is. This heavenly bliss called Aananda comes from Nirvana, Moksha, Mukti, liberation or enlightenment. When one realizes that one is not the body but the divine spirit, the soul, the atman – one detaches oneself from cravings, desires, negativity that lead to unhappiness and sorrow. This path of Nirvana guarantees Aananda or joy forever. There is a way to this unending bliss. One needs to move within; one needs to ask the question – who am I, till one realizes the true self. You can’t discover the self because it is not our self, your true self is within. Your divine power is inside you, and you should realize that you are that power; you are not the body. When the body dies, that power leaves. Where does that power go? It is this power that you must realize, that will enable you to reach that state of happiness, called Aananda.

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