I have long wondered if mankind’s perpetual state of desire was an evolutionary necessity. For even the wealthiest among us have their arms forever outstretched for that “one more thing” just beyond their reach that promises contentment.
Addicted, the search for more continues; over and over again, growing accustomed to the cycles of psychological highs and lows. If the past is any indication of the future, regardless of how much is acquired, conquered, or obtained, peace of mind will remain elusive. Just as the sweet smell of a rose seems to fade with time even though the concentration of the scent has not changed, objects outside of the self can only maintain temporary, primal states of contentment; money, social status, sex … the joy such things provide are guaranteed to dissipate with time and always leave a yearning for more. Seeking happiness externally, guarantees unhappiness internally.
Pain and pleasure ends in the body, but bliss and suffering begins in the mind. The conscious mind does not separate the subject and the object, thus embracing spiritual oneness with all things. This oneness sheds expectation and eliminates desire, while tapping into the infinite source of unending bliss. Our level of consciousness is a predictor of peacefulness and contentment in life, for the unconscious mind is like a sailboat without a captain; always being at the mercy of the ocean currents.
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