Is happiness anything less than the Divine?
I suppose I’d have to define my perception of the divine, which I’m not prepared to do right now, as I’m off to NYC tomorrow for a writing conference. But I am curious what your thoughts are on the matter.
Here is what one NYTimes blogger has to say:
http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/happy-like-god/
~
On another note: Inspiration
me and Elizabeth Gilbert–Eat, Pray, Love
May 26, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Spirit knows no human terms or lables. Happiness is a feeling. Some people view it as a result of a series of opportunities or synchronicities. Another view is that it exists perpetually everywhere and need not be harnessed, but only accepted with love.
May 26, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Happiness has only been a harmony for me in the huge symphony of emotions.
Enjoy your conference!
May 27, 2009 at 2:14 am
When happiness is the divine than divine is for me is being completely relaxed when walking and enjoying the beauty around me, playing with a child, laughing with a friend, listening to Bocellli, having a deep conversation, writing poetry…..lots that have the potential to make me happy
Have a great trip and
May 27, 2009 at 3:03 am
I think both happiness and misery are divine! One can’t exist without another!!
Destination Infinity
May 27, 2009 at 3:21 am
What Destination Infinity said is great–they can’t exist without the other, and you can learn from them. Thanks for this, and enjoy New York.
May 27, 2009 at 7:57 am
Hi Molly-
Great photo!
Have a wonderful conference experience!
Happiness? I find it in acceptance and truth – regardless of the details. That’s not to say Idon’t feel the extreme opposite when I am wrestling with something I wish were not so – I participate in the journey willingly for the most part – after I have stopped stammering and raging – and then I can rest in the truth – that makes me happy.
Love Gail
peace…..
May 27, 2009 at 8:04 am
The divine is all, it is what our core self is and yes the label of happiness is appropriate! Enjoy your New York trip!
May 27, 2009 at 8:11 am
To happiness is not an emotion but THE STATE, in which I am actually living. always.
An it feels really divine…it feels like being in the flow, being at peacce with everyone and everything, and oneself…enjoy everything even troubles
HAPPINESS IS.
May 27, 2009 at 8:40 am
Happiness is a relative concept, and I think the NYT blog post captured that by repeatedly equating it to a complete, full sense of “self,” which is also a vague concept at best. I find that in my experience, through my “contemplations”
, it’s exactly the other way around – glimpses of my non-self has lead to a genuine sense of fullness to “what is.” I don’t think real experience of any kind akin to “godliness” can happen with our “self” fully intact. Rather, it must be emptied out completely. Of course, I haven’t the slightest clue to what that would be like! 
Molly, if you get this comment while in NYC, please shoot me an email: alice at not2wo dot com. Maybe we can meet for tea/lunch/dinner if our schedule permits. It would be so crazy cool to actually meet a fellow blogger!
May 27, 2009 at 9:04 am
Is anything less than divine?
May 27, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Ever since I saw this video by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (first posted by Alice on her fabulous NOT2WO), I have a new sense of this question.
Rinpoche makes it clear that happiness – “the heart being free” – comes when we turn away from “what about me?” and turn toward “how can I help you?”
I listen to this every day, just to keep my direction clear.
May 27, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Thank you for that link. Love that it discusses happiness at length with no mention of measures of success or even gauges for others’ or one’s own happiness.
May 28, 2009 at 10:03 pm
I’ve grow a little suspect of the word happiness. Gets tossed around a bit too much, and also chased after a bit too often.
I think joy – an open, loving heart in the world – is more accurate and, yes, divine.
Bows,
Nathan
May 29, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Divine post! Makes me happy!
Thank you, Molly. Take care.
May 31, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Thank you for spreading the feeling of happiness.
June 2, 2009 at 7:12 am
Hi Guys,
Wow! I didn’t check my e-mail once while I was in NYC, and I wondered if anyone would even attempt a stab at the question I posted. Thanks for all of your insights and revelations and comments on happiness. Sitting here on this Tuesday morning, rain pouring down and wet bunny out in the grass, I am happy that I am part of this blog community.
Thanks for being so amazing, all of you!
Peace, always,
Molly
June 2, 2009 at 10:38 am
Happiness….for me I feel the waters are clouded by the over complexity of life, the rules for rules sake, the over complication of the mundane, and thus to see happiness and understand it, I guess the layers of lifes cake must be pulled back, a return to the pure heart beat of life, which at present is so far and so faint that I have lost sight!
June 6, 2009 at 8:47 am
Thanks for sharing this….really a thoughtful read
June 9, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Molly, I percive Happiness as a State not a destination for many reasons that comment can’t explain.
As for Elizabeth Gilbert, I enjoyed reading her Eat,Love and Pray so much and wonder are you one of the people mentioned in the book? OK! Curiosity Killed the Cat so Prrr
June 10, 2009 at 7:40 am
Wow! I want a picture with Elizabeth too!!!! ;P