Three Rules for a Happy Life


​Leading a happy life is everyone’s goal. Each individual’s approach to leading a happy life is very different. In relation to the world, happiness is highly relative. But we all want absolute happiness from our changing relationships with the world. Earth does not stop its rotation, every second it moves in relationship to the sun. However, at any given point in time, somewhere on earth, the sun’s rays fall. Our soul is like the sun and the ever moving earth is like the mind. Despite the constant movement of thoughts and hence the mind, the power of the soul always shines on the mind. It is our choice to turn inwards and bask in the light of the soul or become a slave to the movement of thoughts and only see fleeting glimpses of happiness.


It is not easy to jump from our established relationship with the world to one with the soul. These three simple and practical steps will help peel our awareness away from identification with the mind and world and onto the changeless soul whose quality is ever flowing bliss.

  1. Acceptance of our faults and limitations. By virtue of being a human being, mistakes cannot be avoided. It is impossible to find even one individual who is faultless. Just as the eyes look outward, fault finding is also directed outward. Instead of highlighting the fault of others, we must instead work on humility and acceptance of our faults, mistakes and limitations. It is only when we accept that we may be at fault can we hope to correct ourselves. By doing so, the focus is not on the world but on the mind which is the springboard to the inner world.
  2. Contentment. This is like a magic potion that lightens the mind instantly. Everyone is equally blessed. Everyone is equally gifted and it is our fault if we don’t recognize and treasure this. That gift is the opportunity to live and expand our inner awareness. Instead we expand our senses and strengthen them. The senses feed the mind and the mind is never satisfied. The mind becomes powerless over us once we maintain a state of being content with what we have. Only when contentment is a stable part of our being can we start to enjoy what we have and derive maximum happiness from even the most limited of resources.
  3. Working for the welfare of others. Every cell in the body is working towards the welfare of the body without expectation. The body is freely gifted to us by Mother Nature. When it is used for a narrow purpose of fulfilling desires, the pent up emotions related to our latent desires releases poison within the entire mind-body network that leads to disease and misery. But when we work towards the welfare of others, energy freely flows like flowing water and there is no stagnation. This cleanses the mind-body network and makes it a strong foundation for inner spiritual discovery of the source eternal happiness that lies within all of us

Blessings to all

Swami Ponnurangam
​6/17/2018