14. Does Success Bring Happiness?

When I ask people who they are, they tell me they are a doctor, spouse, or friend. These are labels given to you by society. 'Who are you,' is a deeper question beneath all these labels.

These labels serve well in the outside world. They mean nothing internally. Let us ask ourselves how can we succeed in the outer world. You will advise, 'It is hard, master. You should lead the pack with ideas, information, possessions.'

The master will ask you again, 'Are you happy with everything you have?'

You will reply, 'Master, there is no such thing as a happy state. We have to keep moving to be in the leading pack.'

This is the description of a rat race. There is one problem after winning a rat race: even if you win, you will still be a rat!

Part 2: Take one a day and be in Bliss.

People are concerned that they have not yet reaped the benefits of success. Sometimes, failure is better than success, if you look at the other side of failure. With failure you still have hope that you can succeed; but if you are successful, you have nowhere to go.

You may have climbed up very fast, but the climb would have led you to no place in particular. In fact, you might be stuck in a place where it makes no sense to you at all. You are totally disconnected from your inner being.

This kind of success brings depression. 'Depression of success' is worse than 'depression of failure'. Sometimes, people ask me, 'What will meditation do to help me achieve what I want?' They want to know if it will give them what they want.

I tell them, 'Maybe not. Meditation may not give you the power to make your dreams reality, but will certainly give you the wisdom to know that your reality is only a dream. Let this be clear.'

Meditation creates a space for the inner being to flower. It creates peace amidst the chaos that rules your life. Meditation creates the space where you have neither answers nor questions. You will simply be aware. This awareness is precious. Where there is pure awareness, there is enlightenment, and this is true freedom.

Experience this inner being, inner intelligence, inner energy, that is beyond the labels. Once this energy is experienced and awakened, it will guide you through with intuition.