Maximizing Happiness and Minimizing Suffering
From the Dharma point of view, any question regarding Happiness is very difficult to answer, for the basic premise is to recognize Happiness as false. Maximizing Happiness in the way that most people desire cannot be considered in any way as a way to return the human creature to his natural and correct state of balance and harmony.
However, in view of the fact that millions of people enter a Dharma Path, with all its complexity, while still being fully attached to the present lives they lead in which Happiness is accompanied sooner or later with Suffering, we have to see if it is possible to, at least, reduce that suffering.
Each person then must define exactly what the nature of this Happiness is that they desire. They define it usually within their mind, but here we must get to the base, which is to find the roots of the experiences they desire, not the description of them.
But let us be clear that in speaking of maximizing Happiness we are referring to MUNDANE HAPPINESS, the Happiness of Identity.
When we do that, we find that this Happiness depends upon what happens in the apparent external world. Happiness then is a response to what is external, but it does not rise in the same way that Awe, Rapture, Bliss and Well-Being do.
These four are natural responses while the responses that determine Happiness are learned. We can then "learn to be happy" and clearly, for the same reasons we can "learn not to suffer."
Since both are learned from childhood and developed at various stages, their presence is not related to the actual nature of the external stimuli.
Even from the Dharma point of view, there is nothing evil about having wealth, there is nothing evil about honest relationships.
It is logical that one can change one's behavior with respect to others and this calms troubled waters, but this is not what most people want.
The States and Religions can talk all they wish about generating Love and Compassion and being Benevolent, but when it comes down to the "nitty gritty" of normal interactions the Identity is in control.
Now we can generate greater development of Love and Compassion as well as Benevolence as a practice, but this requires meditation, which takes time and energy and is not too attractive for most people in this age of "fast food for body and mind." People want results here and now.
However we present that as one possibility.
See: Meditation on Compassion and Benevolence (In Construction)
The principal questions, then, are "What is it that we really want?" and "Is the personal illusion of Identity so strong at the moment that following the Dharma Path becomes just another way to ignore the problem and the nagging feeling that one has to change something?"
So the first task is to perform a Non-Meditative "Reflection" that approaches Introspection in order to see if you are really ready to dedicate yourself to a Dharma Path.
So, please return frequently.
1. Non-Meditative "Reflection" that approaches Introspection.
2. Easy Tranquilizing Meditations to reduce "Body tension" and "Mental stress."
3. The tried and true mundane measure of "Positive Thinking."
4. "Positive Resolution Control" as opposed to normal fragile resolution-making.
5. Development of "Initiative, Patience, Determination and Perseverance."