Wk 1: Identify Your True Source of Happiness~Deepak Chopra

The ancient wisdom tradition known as Vedanta teaches that being happy for a reason is just another form of misery because the reason can be taken away from us at any time. Although we tend to avoid thinking about it, we can lose our home, our job, our savings, our health, and our loved ones at any time. These are temporary, external sources of happiness that come and go like a passing breeze.
True happiness, in contrast, is an internal state of consciousness that allows us to be happy for no reason at all. It’s the realization that our real self isn’t our possessions, accomplishments, relationships, body or mind. Who we really are transcends space, time, and cause-and-effect. Our essential nature is pure consciousness, also known as the field of all possibilities. The attributes of this field include happiness, love, and grace.
Happiness already exists within us, but it’s often covered up by our conditioned thought patterns and all kinds of distractions. Just as a radiant sunrise can be hidden behind the clouds, our inner happiness can become obscured by constricted awareness and our daily concerns. But no matter how long we have been lost in fear and limitation, we can learn to rise above the clouds of conditioning and awaken to the source of happiness within us.
This week we will begin our journey into expanded awareness and happiness by exploring one of the most important questions we can ever ask ourselves, Who am I?

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Consciously choosing our intentions is the most powerful way to begin any project, journey, or dream. By becoming clear about what we desire and setting an intention, we are planting a seed in the fertile garden of pure potentiality. As we nurture that seed while simultaneously releasing any attachment to the outcome, we come fully into the present moment. We spontaneously take the most evolutionary actions and experience the expansion of joy, love, and harmony.
As you begin the happiness course, give yourself free reign to consider your intention for the course. It can be a “simple” one. In fact, for the purposes of this course, simple is probably best. Here are a few ideas:
My intention is to . . .

• Open my heart to happiness.
• Follow my joy.
• Be happy for no reason at all.
• Awaken to love and happiness.
• Live with a light heart and spirit.

This is your own personal intention, and as long as you find an intention that resonates with your heart, there is no “wrong” way to set it. In general, however, it’s best to write your intentions in positive language rather than in terms of what you don’t want, because the important part of formulating intentions is to generate a field of awareness that feels whole, content, and complete.
Intentions also tend to be more powerful when we write them down where we can see them throughout the day.
We have created a beautiful template where you type in your intention and print out as many copies as you like. We suggest taping them to your computer monitor, a bathroom mirror, your car dashboard, and anywhere else that you will see them regularly and be reminded of your deepest intention for happiness.