One of our main goals at the Happyness Center is to help you develop inner awareness and a deeper observation of the ego self. It is only when we spend the time looking within, with curiosity and openness that we can truly find peace. This practice can be very challenging as many have no prior experience with it; it is not a common teaching in our culture. This is why we exist – we want to aid you in this journey – one of the most (if not the most) profound and important journey’s you can take in your life. So how do we do this?
 
We can observe the inner chatter of our ego-mind or ego-self and note the contents and nature of how it always ends up creating mischief and chaos in our lives. The ego-self generates insecurity with us – whether it’s with our colleagues at work, within our marriages or partnerships, in our own selves and our relationship to others via social media -  and it inevitable grows uncertainties in our relationships.
 
The practice of meditation provides us with the opportunity to watch this confusion happening inside our mind, and the chance to change how we respond to it, so that we don’t bring it outside of our self and manifest it in our relationships. Meditation is a significant tool to observe what is occurring daily in our thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Whether we are aware of it or not, our mind is always busy looking for outward solutions and is quick to run away from what is not pleasant inside. Its primary objective is to and ignore the uncomfortable and change it immediately through avoidance. But when we become capable of being mindful and still inside of the inner disturbance without trying to escape, we gain more insights and understanding about the contents and nature of our ego-self. This allows our mind to stay silent and observing rather than developing more noise and chaos. In this stillness we can find freedom from judgement, change and inner peace. In the calm we develop the ability to be aware at all times and in all surroundings, especially in our relationships, which has a positively life-altering effect on our lives.
 
Observation, awareness, and attention are the three important pillars of mindful practice. Research has shown that observation and awareness can help calm the mind chatter at a quantum level. Then right action will happen without the control of the ego-self.
 
We invite you to come and learn more about the deceptive ego-self and how to engage in the practice of observation. Join our team and others from our Happyness Community at our Monthly Meditation, Sunday October 24th, at Kamloops United Church, from 10.30 am – 12:30pm. Let’s explore together and discuss about building inner awareness and attention through observation.
 
We all lead busy lives, and meditation can help us relax and renew. We will share, learn, and practice together. Group meditations has many advantages that can reinforce our desires of daily practice that inspires us and others.

This September, we are focusing our monthly meditation on the practice of body and breath sensing.

For those who are unfamiliar with it (and no judgement if you are), the practice of body and breath sensing in meditation begins with a mental scanning of your body and paying attention to each part of the physical self in a gradual sequence from feet to head. By mentally scanning with focused concentration, you are able to become aware to every single part of your body - to, for many, suddenly become aware of the sensations that have been there all along. Often during this practice, many will come to be aware of general discomforts, aches, pains, and tension they are holding that they did not realize.
 
The primary objective of this meditation is to help each individual to become are of and connect to their unique physical sensations so one can observe what feelings and emotions are opening up. This will allow us to examine and explore to see what is troubling in our inner world, which then gives us the opportunity to find healing, freedom from pain and peace.

There are many scientific studies that shows how awareness allows us to see things and aspects of ourselves that are hidden, often in plain sight - things that we have missed simply because we have not taken the focused time to look into in our consciousness. In today’s world cultivating this practice of inner awareness is not only practical but has become a necessity even for our survival.

Following the body scan, we will move in to breath sensing - a practice which helps to connect the thoughts and feelings of our mind and regulate our energies. Breath awareness is one of the most powerful healing resources we have with us. Deep, slow, and rhythmic breathing can help reduce anxiety, fear, and depression. Research studies show that deep breathing also has the capacity to activate our immune system, hormones like serotonin and oxytocin, and our parasympathetic nervous systems - all of which physically helps us to find calm and peace.

Simple body and breath sensations have a powerful impact to release your stress levels and bring your body and mind into a state of relaxation. It can also help increase your inner awareness, enabling you to shift your focus, find peace and improve the quality of your life.

We invite you to join us at our Monthly Meditation on Saturday, September 26th as we explore and discuss how we can achieve mindfulness through body and breath sensing. Every tool shared by our dedicated practitioners will inspire you to look inside rather than seek solutions outside, as that is where you find real solutions to life problems. Though a regular practice of meditation and inner work, you can find true healing and peace, and our main aim is to walk with you in this journey to total wellness.

How can we understand the Divine? By accepting that we cannot know the unknown.
 
We know and understand the mind (our individual mind and the collective) through our senses and experiences. With this same mind, we try to understand the unknown – the Divine. But how can we comprehend the unknown with the known? We cannot. We can only know what we have experienced; what we have been taught and learned.
 
So where does this leave us?
 
If we continue to believe, and allow our mind to think that we can capture the unknown Divine within our limited capacity, we will live a life restricted and inhibited by noise as our mind attempts to talk, reject, choose and find some hidden way to understanding.
 
True understanding of the Divine comes in acceptance that we cannot know it. A mind that realizes its limitations in knowing becomes quiet. It is no longer in despair, seeking anything and everything to find it’s way to understanding. In its acceptance, it can find the space and silence to simply become aware. And it is only in this state in which all thought has ceased that it is possible for us to connect to the Divine Self and allow the energy to come into being.
 
And when we are able to come into this energy and understanding, we are able to understand that the Divine and the Known are not opposites; that we do not have to live in one without the other.  We can move away from the frantic and noisy search ( that we engage often only in times of despair) for a supreme being that will give us guidance, support and understanding, and instead move towards the understanding that the Divine is within us and that it takes silence and awareness to understand it. And what we are able to find in this new understanding, in this new quiet, is a release of our self from our limitations and encumbrances and a new and profound joy and peace in our selves.
 
All learning of our self and the Divine takes quiet and practice. We invite you to join us on Sunday, August 30th for our Monthly Meditation during which we will learn and discuss how to move from our drive to understand to the Divine to a quiet stillness and awareness in which we can allow the Divine energy to come into being in our lives.

Have you ever stopped to contemplate pleasure? If you have, have you noticed that our minds crave it? Even demand it?
 
Pleasure is, by definition, a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment. In and of itself, it is a wonderful thing – a beautiful emotion and feeling that we can experience in this human life.
 
But what happens to this feeling when our mind demands it? When it becomes a necessity for us to believe or feel that we are living a good life?
 
Then the other side of pleasure shows. The darker side.
 
Let us explain.
 
Pleasure comes into being through four stages: perception, sensation, contact and desire. In the first stage: perception, our senses first take notice of an object - we first experience a feeling. This is quickly followed by the second stage during which we experience a sensation from looking at the object. Once we make physical contact with the object, the third stage takes place and we are often suddenly overcome by a desire to own it. Then the final stage occurs as thought steps in and clings to the desire (the want) and turns it into the experience of pleasure. Thought repeats the experience (because it feels good in the moment) and then it becomes mechanical, habitual, and addictive.
 
What does this look like in real life? Let’s use shopping as an example: have you ever noticed that once you go to one shop to look for something, you have a desire to continue shopping? And the more you shop and spend, the more you want to continue to do so? On the other hand, if you refrain from shopping for a period and the habit has time to wane, you have less of a desire to spend money on something new and you become more contended with you already have.

The pleasure we experience from physical things is relatively easy to recognize. But what about pleasure in other forms? In the desire and subsequent pleasure from obtaining power, position, status, recognition and success (as the world defines it). Pleasure is not only derived from the physical and the material – our mind craves it in all its forms and most often, we do everything we can to satiate our minds addiction to it.
 
And this is where the dark side of pleasure comes in. Our mind does everything it can to achieve the feeling of pleasure.
 
There is nothing wrong with having pleasure. The problem comes when we become obsessed with the pleasure and want it to repeat again and again. We become attached to that pleasure. And when we let our smaller self – our ego self, control us – determine what it is we need (i.e. to satisfy this feeling of want and the pleasure derived from it), we will do anything we can to fulfill that need. We begin to put pleasure before everything else in our life – our relationships, love, kindness, generosity, satisfaction with what is and what we have.
 
That is when the darker side of pleasure begins. We breed and experience hatred, resentment, brutality and war (within ourselves, our relationships, in our communities etc.). And because we are naturally afraid of these consequences – the darker side of pleasure – we look for subtle ways to escape from them, by seeking out pleasure even more – more shopping, more success, more societal achievement - and the cycle perpetuates itself. From childhood until death, we pursue pleasure – whether in secret or more obviously. We allow pleasure to guide and shape our entire lives.
 
You may ask: why shouldn’t our lives be guided by pleasure when it brings feelings of enjoyment or satisfaction? The answer? For the very simple reason that striving for pleasure inevitably brings pain, frustration, sorrow, and fear. And out of fear comes violence, destruction, and great sadness. If we want to be free from sorrow, and live a truly joyful life, we must understand the whole structure of pleasure. Understanding the pleasure, is not to deny it. But if we are seeking pleasure in life, then pleasure will inevitably find its shadow self; they cannot be separated even if we try to avoid pain.

Would you be surprised to learn that we live simultaneously in two parallel worlds?
 
One is the external world that we experience – everything outside of our Self. In this external world, everything we experience is bound by time. It is a world full of constriction and regulation, of barriers and difficulties.
 
The other world is the subtle world within our Self. It is timeless and expansive, full of freedom and true purpose. In this world of timelessness, we can see reality as eternal and we become non-divisive and unified with all. In this realm, it is easy being in the present and our senses can flow freely without boundaries. Our mind becomes quiet and our brain can function as it is mean to: at its peak capacity.
 
Yet much of the time, we become stuck in the mundane world alone, and our mind becomes trapped by our little self whose main objective is to create division and a sense of separation. When our little self keeps us focused on the external, it controls us and all our thinking, feeling, and actions. Under the time-bound nature of our little self and this external world, we live within a chain of lies - we are under the illusion that we are free thinkers and that we have no limitations; that whatever we are imagining is coming from freedom. In reality, our little self is keeping us from true freedom and limitless thinking and being.
 
Most of the time we are unaware of all of this. We do not recognize that our mind is caught in the realm of time and space. We do not understand that this external world ruled by the smaller self controls our thoughts, emotions, and feelings. We do not realize that when we struggle with living under the influence of fear, regret, guilt, blame, and shame, it is because we have given all the power to our smaller self.

Now that B.C. is starting to re-open, and pandemic policies are being adapted once again, do you find yourself wondering how quickly you can get back to “normal”? The way you lived before COVID? Many are in that same place – you are not alone.
 
But it is important for us to pause and to think – what was our previous normal? Was it judgmental, justifying, and condemning? What can our new normal be now? Did we learn and grow during the pandemic? Were we able to pause, reflect and choose new ways?
 
In truth, we should not go back to our previous normal. We have been given the chance to improve. To re-enter society in a new way. To be aware of our ever-flowing thoughts, feelings, and action that we experience every day and to act accordingly, rather than acting out of habit.
 
We know sometimes it seems like more work to be aware, watch, pause, and bring attention to everything we do, see, or feel. And maybe we don’t event know how to. Maybe we don’t believe we have the ability to experience our senses without any attachment to our thoughts and feelings. Or we don’t realize that our actions are superficial responses of our mind. We identify ourselves with the pleasure and pain of the mind, not knowing that life can be different.
 
In fact, we resist the opportunity to see that life can be different if we stop resisting change – which we do unconsciously whenever we feel as though something is being pulled out from under us and changing without our consent. In truth, we are living in mental pandemic state and have been for a long time; we simply don’t realize it. Our minds are so isolated that we can’t be open enough to see the magnanimity in change. The beauty in it. And we block our creativity with repetition and continuing to get back to the same old patterns.
 
We fail to understand that there is a Higher Power guiding us to a higher level of consciousness where we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch things in a different way. When we are connected inwardly in a profound manner, we feel secure all the time and embrace the inevitable change to awaken to the reality of things. We will understand how to welcome change and connect deeper to our higher presence to feel more secure.
 
So, the question is what do you want to put back into your life?
 
If you can do the work of answering this question and of putting in the effort day by day to learn to be aware and attentive to everything that we do, see and feel in order to make conscious decisions about how you want to act on it, then you enter a brand new world – a new level of consciousness. And suddenly you will realize that there is creativity, beautiful new beginnings, a profound sense of freedom, and true inner peace in this self-awareness.
 
We invite you to join us for our Monthly Meditation on Sunday May 31st via Zoom as we explore and discuss about building self-awareness through the gift of working with the divine presence, rather than against it.
 
At the Happyness center our main aim is to help you develop mindfulness and deeper awareness of your inner self. We learn to see ourselves in silent observation and enquiry rather than act from the noisy activity outside.
 
We all lead busy lives, and meditation can help us relax and renew. We will share, learn, and practice together. Group meditations has many advantages that can reinforce our desires of daily practice that inspires us and others.

​When all of this is over – when businesses re-open, families are reunited, and friends gather again - will we go back to doing the same things as before? Will our lives go back to normal? Will it be business as usual?
 
This global pandemic has caused a time of questioning and discomfort in almost all of humanity. Collectively we feel uncomfortable in this time of change and the unknown. We feel fearful and anxious. We wish with all our beings that things could remain the same. We wonder and question whether someone or something is controlling all of us – whether a system or a higher power.
 
We find ourselves resisting change. We feel as though the rug is being pulled out from under us and we fight it with everything we have. Maybe we don’t listen to the isolation rules so that we can feel a sense of normalcy. Or we find ways to numb ourselves and not think about what is happening – not accept it. We all have our own particular ways of reistance.
 
But change is normal. We know this. We understand that every day we experience change – some minor and some life-altering, as in the case of what we are experiencing now. We also know we cannot resist it. That change is inevitable. But still we try.
 
Our response to change continues to be habitual. We act within our old patterns and ways because it’s what we know – it’s what feels safe in this time of uncertainty.

​The hustle and bustle of the world is finally quiet. Our restless society is finally calm, and restless people have gradually halted. This virus has lowered our proud head and we’ve been made to slow down, giving us the opportunity to be able to think quietly and ask more questions. Questions such as:
 
Upon reflection, do you still feel we are kings and queens of the Earth or have we felt the power of Nature once again?

Why is that every time we face an uncertainty (individually or globally), we automatically go into fear mode and feel anxious? Is that normal or abnormal behavior?  

Are greedy hearts being purified by the virus? Including our own?

The pandemic has also changed our day to day life significantly and that is, and has the possibility, to have a profound impact on our lives, relationships, families, attitudes, beliefs, and desires moving forward.

Those who have been running all their life and spending their time in pursuits of various activities have been driven home by the virus, being told to stay home.

There are fewer and fewer people on the street and fewer cars on the road. The haze of pollution is receding - the air is becoming fresher, the sky bluer, the sun brighter.

Family lives are getting warmer, and harmony is increasing.  People's heart are becoming more and more calm.
 
Those who haven’t read for years, have picked up books at home. Parents and children who had no communication with each other and couples who could speak only few words a year, have opened up conversation boxes and begun to transform relationships. Children who did not know how to respect the elderly, or who rarely saw their parents have begun to feel seen and have also begun to be loving and devoted.

In the face of the pandemic, I hope humanity has begun to reflect INWARD with some seriousness, and begun to realize that a lack of an awe-inspiring social atmosphere will lead to more harm and more risks. We have taken our world - natural, material and social - for granted for too long.

The virus is giving us the opportunity to learn as human beings a vivid and profound lessons - some unique to each one of us as we re-evaluate our personal lives, and some that are cross-cultural and all-encompassing.

It certainly is leading many of us to understand how to live with awareness, appreciation of what we have, and has reminded us to be in awe of all we have. It has shown us that our normal before the pandemic was part of the "good times".  It has reminded us to feel true love to Mother Earth. It is making us gradually fall in love with ourselves and our lives.

So what happens when this is all over? For it will end.
 
When we return back on the Road, will we learn anything at all from this monstrous virus? Will we, and should we, be grateful to this "enemy" who is giving us these reminders, and teaching us resilience and empowerment?
 
What does this virus want from us? Does it need to see us cultivating good human habits? Will the virus continue to come back to prove that our Human love has the power to keep the virus away and until we have learned the lessons we need to as a global human race?
 
I guess only time will tell us everything. Time will also prove what is right.
 
What I do know for certain is that the virus has reminded us that there is a higher power who is watching and protecting us, but at the same time waiting for us to learn, understand, and grow from the inside.
 
Namaste
- Sri Madhu Sai -

With growing global concerns around COVID-19, our Happyness Center team takes your health and safety seriously. We feel it is of utmost importance to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our Happyness community and all of humanity.
 
As your business and shops are closed and you begin to work at home, future jobs are cancelled, you stay in isolation, or whatever your unique experience right now may be, remember that you’re held in this moment by a higher power. We must never forget the fact that we are being held and supported by something greater than ourselves; especially in moments when it seems the exact opposite is true.
 
Now is a time of great uncertainty for everyone. The future is unknown and that leads many of us to experience a great deal of stress, anxiety, worry and fear.