"Real" Happiness

[Marblehead]

A person who's really happy must not believe anything.. They have to know.. Then they can be genuinely happy.

 

You have just entered the area where quicksand lies all about without indicators.

 

 

The seekers pushed the oldest to the front.

 

"We seek therefore we are," he said.

 

"Merde!" the muffled voice of the philosopher replied " Zey have stolen my best line!"

 

 

The Sage replies, "We seek real happiness and we would like you to tell us how we will be able to tell if, when we think we have found it, it is 'real' happiness or just a delusion of happiness."

[11:33]

There is no such thing as "real happiness"... There is just happiness. Either you are it, or you're not.

[Marblehead]

There is no such thing as "real happiness"... There is just happiness. Either you are it, or you're not.

 

But remember, we are speaking here from the original suggestion that many are experiencing a delusional happiness as opposed to what you just called 'just happiness' which is being suggested as being 'real happiness'. The words won't change the original premise.

 

A woman may think she is happy because she has a home, a husband who supports her and gives her physical attention but physically abuses her when he gets frustrated. Is she 'really' happy or is her 'happiness' a delusion?

 

Happy Trails!

[11:33]

But remember, we are speaking here from the original suggestion that many are experiencing a delusional happiness as opposed to what you just called 'just happiness' which is being suggested as being 'real happiness'. The words won't change the original premise.

 

A woman may think she is happy because she has a home, a husband who supports her and gives her physical attention but physically abuses her when he gets frustrated. Is she 'really' happy or is her 'happiness' a delusion?

 

Happy Trails!

 

Yeah, all good points.

 

I think the secret to it is in what you said.

 

She THINKS she's happy.

 

Either you're happy, or you're NOT. Intellectualizing whether you are happy or not hasn't got much to do with it.

 

On the other hand I see no reason why some people couldn't be perfectly happy under 'strange' circumstances like you are describing (getting beaten). Everyone doesn't filter reality the same way.

[Marblehead]

 

She THINKS she's happy.

 

 

Yeah, I would bet that the probability is pretty darn good that she isn't thinking she is happy while she is being beaten. And like you said "Either you are, or you aren't." I won't say anything else right now as it would spoil the story. (Yes, I am playing the story according to the input I get from others.)

 

And thanks for joining in. I hope to make this a fun journey.

 

Happy Trails!

[Lucky7Strikes]

She THINKS she's happy.

 

Either you're happy, or you're NOT. Intellectualizing whether you are happy or not hasn't got much to do with it.

 

So what is happiness?

 

When you are happy do you not "think" you are happy? And what does it mean to "think" you are happy?

 

When you are not happy, is there a distinctive thought that says "I am not happy (sad) etc.?"

[11:33]

I would say you FEEL happy.

 

Happiness is a feeling.

[Lucky7Strikes]

I would say you FEEL happy.

 

Happiness is a feeling.

 

And where does one draw the line between "thinking" and "feeling"?

[Lucky7Strikes]

I would say you FEEL happy.

 

Happiness is a feeling.

 

And where does one draw the line between "thinking" and "feeling"?

[NeiChuan]

Yeah I'd have to elaborate alot more to complete my previous statement.. Im too busy being happy though

[Marblehead]

Yeah I'd have to elaborate alot more to complete my previous statement.. Im too busy being happy though

 

Well, you go ahead on. Hehehe. The story will continue tomorrow.

 

Happy Trails!

[11:33]

And where does one draw the line between "thinking" and "feeling"?

That's not obvious to you?

 

Or are you trying to lead the conversation towards some deeper point you are trying to make.......?

 

My only point is that either you are happy or you're not. No amount of intellectualization, aka mixing around of words, thoughts, and concepts, will change it.

 

You're either happy now, or your not happy now. And of course it's on a spectrum, so there are shades of gray. Less happy, more happy, etc.

[Marblehead]

"So." replies Rene. What you are looking for from me is a means of distinguishing between the 'real' and the 'delusional'. Is this correct?"

 

"Yes, Rene." replied the Sage. "Can you start with explaining how you know you exist, that you are 'real', and go from there?"

 

"Sure." replied Rene. "But first, it is tea time. Then we shall discuss our question."

[Apech]

"Real tea or real-i-ty?" asked the old Tibetan sage, Lobsang Suchong.

 

Earl and Lady Gray just laughed.

Edited September 27, 2009 by apepch7

[Marblehead]

"Real tea or real-i-ty?" asked the old Tibetan sage, Lobsang Suchong.

 

Earl and Lady Gray just laughed.

 

Rene laughs. "Actually, at this early hour of the morning it shall be English Breakfast, a hearty black." he says.

[Apech]

They drank their tea in silence, except for Marcel who dipped his cake in his drink and insisted on talking endlessly about his childhood and youth until the others got thoroughly sick of him.

 

"Oh do put a sock in it, Proust!" said Lady Gray having herself enjoyed a good muffin.

 

"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes, " the young Frenchman replied.

 

Rene nodded his head approvingly.

[Marblehead]

"How delightful!" responded the Sage.

[Marblehead]

"Anyhow Rene," said the Sage, "The reason we have come to see you, you, who most consider to be 'The Father of Modern Philosophy', is to ask you how we should go about defining what is real and what is a delusion." "You proved," continued the Sage "To most of the world that you exist with your beautiful statement: 'I think, therefore I am' but how can we prove something is real or not real, that is, that it is a delusion?"

[Apech]

The great philosopher pondered this question long and hard. Some of the seekers urged him to answer but Lady Gray felt that they had forced him into a corner:

 

"Just walk away Rene," she said, with compassion, "You won't see me follow you back home."

[Marblehead]

"Just walk away Rene,"

 

Oh!! What beauty!!! And what a surprise! I didn't think you were old enough to know that one - it's from 1966.

[Lucky7Strikes]

That's not obvious to you?

 

Or are you trying to lead the conversation towards some deeper point you are trying to make.......?

 

My only point is that either you are happy or you're not. No amount of intellectualization, aka mixing around of words, thoughts, and concepts, will change it.

 

You're either happy now, or your not happy now. And of course it's on a spectrum, so there are shades of gray. Less happy, more happy, etc.

 

I'm afraid your point really doesn't say much. .

 

Trace that happiness and you will find a cause that is of habitual patterning. That is not true un-abiding happiness. And so your happiness will wax and wane according to the conditions that arise and settle.

 

And you'll realize that you have never actually been truly "happy" in the first place: always bounded by the ego and its conditioning.

 

Of course this is all just my opinion. Deeper points should be made when investigating such a dubious term. .

[Marblehead]

 

Trace that happiness and you will find a cause that is of habitual patterning. That is not true un-abiding happiness. And so your happiness will wax and wane according to the conditions that arise and settle.

 

 

Hey Fella'! You are getting waaaay ahead of me! Hehehe.

 

But that's okay. This whole thing was intended to be fun but helpful as well.

 

Happy Trails!

[DaoChild]

Happiness is right here, right now.

 

Nowhere else. If you can't find it where you're sitting, you won't find it anywhere.

 

Sorry to tell you what you already knew

[11:33]

I'm afraid your point really doesn't say much. .

 

Trace that happiness and you will find a cause that is of habitual patterning. That is not true un-abiding happiness. And so your happiness will wax and wane according to the conditions that arise and settle.

 

And you'll realize that you have never actually been truly "happy" in the first place: always bounded by the ego and its conditioning.

 

Of course this is all just my opinion. Deeper points should be made when investigating such a dubious term. .

 

Sounds like malarky to me.

 

Ok ok ok... My point is I think you have made the concept of happiness wayyyyy tooooo complicated. It's not complicated. It's extremely simple.

Edited September 29, 2009 by 11:33

[Marblehead]

Happiness is right here, right now.

 

Nowhere else. If you can't find it where you're sitting, you won't find it anywhere.

 

Sorry to tell you what you already knew

 

Hehehe. I lauhged! Everyone wants to get ahead of me with this story.

 

Reminds me of one of my ex-wives and her daughter. Anytime we went somewhere I would ask them if they wanted to lead or if they wanted me to lead. They always said they wanted me to lead. But, without fail, they would always start walking ahead of me and constantly have to stop and wait for me just in case they were going in the 'wrong' direction.

 

Happy Trails!