Paramahansa Yogananda: Finding the joy in life
Summary
TLDRThis script, based on Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings, explores the fleeting nature of material desires and the pursuit of lasting joy. It delves into the human tendency to seek happiness through temporary pleasures, only to be left unfulfilled. Yogananda advocates for direct pursuit of eternal joy through inner spiritual practices, such as meditation. He emphasizes that true happiness lies within the soul's connection to the divine, an unchanging and indestructible joy that transcends worldly desires. The message encourages shifting focus from materialism to the inner bliss of spiritual enlightenment.
Takeaways
- 😀 Happiness derived from material things is fleeting and unsatisfying in the long run.
- 😊 People often tire of what they desire once they've achieved it, leading them to seek something else.
- 😌 True and lasting joy is found in the inner self, not through external objects or pleasures.
- 😇 Meditation is the path to experiencing deep, unchanging joy within.
- 🌟 Joy that is constantly renewing and varied in its expression is what we truly seek in life.
- 🙏 Divine joy, or the joy of God, is ever-new, unchangeable, and eternal.
- 🎯 Seeking joy directly, rather than through material intermediaries, leads to fulfillment.
- 💭 Joy is intrinsic to the soul and cannot be destroyed like material pleasures can be.
- 🌈 Discovering the ever-new joy of the divine removes the need for constant material pursuits.
- 🧘 The disciplined pursuit of inner joy leads to lasting peace and fulfillment beyond fleeting sensory pleasures.
Q & A
What is the central theme of the script?
-The central theme of the script is the pursuit of everlasting joy and happiness, which Paramahansa Yogananda argues can only be found through inner spiritual fulfillment, rather than through material pleasures and desires.
Why does the script emphasize that material objects cannot provide lasting happiness?
-The script emphasizes that material objects provide only temporary pleasure because they are external and fleeting. When the objects are gone, so is the pleasure they bring. True joy, according to the script, is found within and is indestructible.
How does the script describe the nature of joy that can be found through meditation?
-The script describes joy found through meditation as unchangeable, rhythmic, and ever-new. Unlike fleeting pleasures, this joy is divine, self-expressing, and indestructible, providing eternal satisfaction.
What does Yogananda mean by the 'will of the wisp' in the script?
-The 'will of the wisp' refers to the elusive and deceptive nature of constantly chasing desires. People often pursue happiness through material things, but this pursuit never leads to lasting fulfillment, much like trying to catch something that always remains out of reach.
What does the script suggest is the ultimate goal of life?
-The script suggests that the ultimate goal of life is to find lasting, ever-new joy within oneself through a connection with the divine or God, rather than through the pursuit of material desires.
Why does the script argue that even when all desires are fulfilled, dissatisfaction remains?
-The script argues that satisfaction from fulfilling desires is temporary. Once a desire is fulfilled, the mind soon tires of it and seeks something new, leading to ongoing dissatisfaction. True contentment, the script suggests, can only be found in spiritual joy.
What does Yogananda say about the role of discipline in achieving lasting joy?
-Yogananda acknowledges that discipline and willpower may initially seem like they bring sorrow, but they are necessary for achieving lasting joy. Discipline helps in seeking higher, spiritual joy rather than fleeting material pleasures.
What is the significance of 'ever-new joy' in the context of the script?
-Ever-new joy is described as a joy that constantly refreshes itself and never becomes monotonous. It keeps the mind perpetually engaged and is found through inner spiritual practices, providing a lasting state of bliss.
According to the script, how does one maintain this inner joy?
-To maintain inner joy, one must regularly engage in deep meditation and inner spiritual practices. This joy is indestructible as long as the individual stays inwardly tuned to it and does not succumb to mood swings or external distractions.
What does Yogananda mean by 'destroying the changeable nature grafted to your unchangeable immortal nature'?
-Yogananda means that one must overcome the transient, materialistic tendencies of constantly seeking sensory pleasures and instead focus on their true, unchangeable, immortal nature of divine joy. By doing so, one achieves a state of everlasting inner peace and bliss.
Outlines
🌟 The Pursuit of Lasting Joy
This paragraph reflects on the nature of human desire, explaining that people often long for things they do not have, but tire of them once obtained. Even if one were to achieve everything—wealth, power, friends—it would not lead to lasting satisfaction. The focus shifts to the idea that true joy, unlike fleeting material pleasures, remains constant. The text encourages finding joy in life itself, which, once discovered, never grows stale.
🎯 Seek Joy Directly, Not Through Material Things
The second paragraph urges readers to seek joy directly, rather than through the temporary satisfaction of material desires. It argues that sensory pleasures, such as eating, smelling, or listening to music, are fleeting and lead to eventual boredom. Instead, one should strive for an eternal, unchanging joy, which is only achievable through deep meditation. This 'Divine Bliss' promises to quench one's thirst for lasting happiness and is contrasted with the sorrow that often follows material indulgence.
🌀 Ever New Joy Through Divine Union
This paragraph emphasizes that joy found through God, unlike material pleasure, is unending and self-sustaining. It encourages individuals to transcend material desires, which are short-lived and tied to external objects, and instead seek an indestructible, inner joy. By aligning with one's spiritual nature through deep meditation, a person can experience a divine union with the soul, resulting in an everlasting, unshakeable joy that persists through all of life's experiences.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Joy
💡Material Pleasures
💡Unchanging Joy
💡Ever New Joy
💡Desire
💡Divine Bliss
💡Meditation
💡Temporary vs. Eternal
💡God as Everlasting Joy
💡Suffering and Fulfillment
Highlights
You hanker after something as long as you are not able to get it, but when it is secured, you tire of it and want something else.
Even if life gave you everything you wanted—wealth, power, friends—you would again become dissatisfied and need something more.
There is one thing that can never become stale to you: joy itself.
Why not seek joy directly instead of through material pleasures and objects?
Material objects and the satisfaction of material desires are temporary, and thus the happiness derived from them is also temporary.
You should look for joy that will shine forever steadily, like the ever-luminous radium.
Joy that changes and dances, yet remains unchangeable, is what all of us are seeking.
Such joy can be found only through regular, deep meditation.
The inner fountain of unchangeable, ever-new joy can quench our thirst and never tire the mind.
God is everlasting, ever-new joy, and when you find Him, you need no longer pursue the elusive 'something else.'
Material objects that give pleasure remain outside the mind, and their gratification is short-lived.
The ever-new joy of God inherent in the soul is indestructible.
Do not seek fulfillment through material means; seek the unconditioned, indestructible pure bliss within yourself.
When you have found your true soul nature of everlasting joy, that indestructible bliss will remain with you through all experiences of life.
Unattracted to the sensory world, the yogi experiences the ever-new joy inherent in the self.
Transcripts
[Music]
have you ever tried to catch that will
of the Wisp of something
else which still dances in the back
background of your feelings at the end
of all accomplished
[Music]
desires analyze it you hanker after
something as long as you are not able to
get
it but when it is secured sooner or
later you Tire of it and want something
else even if life gave you at one time
everything you wanted wealth power
friends after a while you would again
become dissatisfied and need something
more but there is one thing that can
never become stale to
you
Joy
itself finding the joy in life extracts
from lectures by paramahansa Yogananda
Circa
[Music]
1936
[Music]
in all you're seeking among different
things directly or
indirectly you are in reality seeking
happiness through the Fulfillment of
your
desires you do not want those things
that bring sorrow neither do you want
those that provide a little pleasure in
the beginning but sink you deep in
remorse and suffering in the
end no matter what your goal you seek it
with eagerness in expectation of
fulfillment by possessing it and you
ought to feel joyous when you actually
get
it then why not seek Joy
directly why seek it through the
intermediary of material pleasures and
objects
objects when you supplicate the favor of
short-lasting material things your
happiness depends on their shortl
lasting
Pleasures material objects and the
satisfaction of material desires are
temporal therefore all happiness
deriving from them is temporal
eating smelling
fragrances listening to
music beholding Beautiful
objects touching pleasing
things these are evanescent Pleasures
lasting only as long as the sensations
of tasting smelling hearing seeing and
touching l
or until the Mind becomes bored with a
sensation and is tempted by a new
[Music]
stimulus you do not want a transitory
joy that leaves sorrow and its Trail
when it
vanishes you crave joy that is not
merely
tantalizing disappearing like the sudden
flicker of gossamer wings beneath a
flash of
[Music]
lightning you should look for joy that
will shine forever steadly like the ever
luminous
radium yet you do not want enjoyment
that has too much
sameness you want a joy that changes and
dances enthralling your mind in many
ways keeping your attention perpetually
occupied and
interested happiness that comes by fits
and starts is only
tantalizing pleasures that become
monotonous are
tiresome mirth that lasts just a little
while and brings sorrow in the end is
undesirable joy that comes momentarily
and then flits away sinking you in a
state of deepening indifference by
contrast is
torturing
joy that rhythmically changes all the
time and yet in itself remains
unchangeable like an actor who
entertains the different roles and
poses is what all of us are
seeking such Joy can be found only
through regular deep
meditation
the inner Fountain of unchangeable
everne Joy alone can quench our
Thirst by its very nature this Divine
Bliss is the only enchantment that can
never Tire the mind or make us want to
exchange it for something
else and the pursuit of evil or of good
it is happiness you are always
seeking the former promises happiness
and gives
sorrow the latter may seem to offer
sorrow but it's requisite of discipline
and willpower but will surely give
lasting joy in the
[Music]
end
[Music]
God is
Everlasting ever new
joy and when you have found him you need
no longer pursue the eternally elusive
will of the Wisp something
else that has always eluded
you in all fulfill F
desires God is that something
else finding him you'll need seek no
further in ever New Joy you will have
everything you ever
sought
material objects that give pleasure
remain outside the
mind they and the gratification they
give gain entry into the mind only
through
imagination Joy by its very nature being
the Blissful consciousness of spirit in
man's Soul lives closest to the mind and
is born in it when the mind is inwardly
tuned when external objects of sense
pleasure are destroyed the happiness
they give is destroyed with them but the
ever New Joy Of God inherent in the soul
is
indestructible so also its expression in
the mind can never be destroyed if one
knows how to hold on to it and if he
does not deliberately change his mind he
too will become sorrowful by nurturing
moods so do not seek fulfillment through
material mediums or through desires born
of such
contact seek the
unconditioned
indestructible pure Bliss within
yourself and you will have found the
ever
existing ever conscious ever New
Joy
God unlike material Pleasures This Joy
is not an abstract quality of mind it is
the conscious
self-born
self-expressing quality of
spirit see SE it and be comforted
forever when you have attained this ever
New Joy you will never become a cynic
hating the world and condemning its
human
inhabitants rather you will then be in a
position to appreciate God's creation
rightly as his Immortal child you are
supposed to enjoy the good and the
beauty of his handiwork with the lasting
Blissful attitude of your Eternal nature
which is Perpetual
Joy but people who Delight in material
things without knowing their superlative
inner Joy Of God become
materialistically minded
it is a disgrace to behave like a
disconnected mortal chasing one desire
after
another when you are made in God's
Immortal image of all desire quenching
ever New
Joy when Immortals behave like Mortals
they experience the alterations of
pleasure sorrow and indifference in
their
Natures that is why Why You Must Destroy
This changeable nature grafted to your
unchangeable Immortal
nature when you have found your true
Soul nature of everlasting joy that
indestructible Bliss will remain with
you throughout all experiences of life
whether they be pleasant or
disagreeable your joy will stand
unshaken of missed the crash of breaking
Earthly
Pleasures you will enjoy everything with
the joy that is
[Music]
God unattracted to the sensory Worlds
the yogi experiences the ever New Joy
inherent in the
self engaged in Divine Union of the Soul
with
Spirit he he attains Bliss
[Music]
indestructible excerpts from the book
The Divine Romance by paramahansa
[Music]
[Music]
Yogananda
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