“Happiness is something we all look for, whether in food, sex, entertainment, relationships, children, career, hobbies or sleep. Happiness drives us, and indeed it defines the quality of our life. One may have immense wealth but if they are not happy, then mostly, they have failed in life.
Without happiness, life loses its value and so with the apparent decrease in satisfaction, we are seeing an increase in suicide all around the world.
In a world where mental and physical stimuli are in abundance, it seems inconceivable that anyone could be unhappy. Surely, everyone can find some form of happiness, but alas, many, many people fail and live their lives sad and exasperated; or hope against hope for some sliver of joy to appear over the horizon of their destiny.
Happiness is the nature of the spirit, as stated in the Vedanta-sutras: anandamayo ‘bhyāsāt —“the soul, is by nature full of joy.”
However, due to misidentifying our true self with matter, we lose touch with this natural blissful state and identify with the pain and suffering of a physical form.
When a soul is entrapped by a material body, it at once identifies with physical relationships and forgets its true identity as a spiritual being. This false ego, influenced by the modes of material nature further entraps the soul in a web of karmic actions and reactions.
While the mind is the instrument for feeling, the intelligence has a deliberative function and can help us navigate our way through the mire of materialism. The intelligent person, therefore, can attain release from the illusion of material existence by the proper use of intelligence.
Vedic scholar and my spiritual mentor, Srila Prabhupada once wrote:
“An intelligent person can detect the awkward position of material existence and thus begin to inquire as to what he is, why he is subjected to different kinds of miseries, and how to get rid of all miseries, and thus, by good association, an advanced intelligent person can turn towards the better life of self-realization.”
The “modes material nature” are subtle forces that influence[…] depressed, or unmotivated and also when they are intoxicated or mentally unstable.
Srila Prabhupada believed that the most critical component for success in self-realization is to learn from great sages and saints who will “slacken the soul’s attachment for matter.” Thus a person can gradually rid themselves of the illusion of matter and false ego and be “promoted to the real life of eternity, knowledge and bliss.”
In fact, association with such great souls is considered the “only auspicious activity” in this material world.
What I propose to do in this book is to pass on to you what I have learned from saintly mentors and present their wisdom in a palatable, pragmatic and non-sectarian manner.
The purpose of this book is two-fold:
1) I would like you to embrace these 7 Maxims for Soul Happiness as a fundamental part of your new worldview;
2) I want you to assert these truths in words and actions, through affirmation and exercising them in your relationships with others.
In other words, to get the most out of this book, you will have to put these 7 Maxims of Soul Happiness to the test, and I trust you will.”
Excerpt From: Paul Rodney Turner. “The 7 Maxims for Soul Happiness.” Apple Books.
Genre: SELF-HELP / SpiritualThis is a newly released book I wrote which was published by Balboa Press a division of Hay House. Sales are steady online and offline.
“superior to the mind, and the mind is superior to the gross material elements. Everything we experience in this mundane world is a combination of these eight elements.
The Superior Nature
Above these eight physical energies, however, is the superior spiritual energy of the soul. This superior energy is transcendental to the material senses; however, under the spell of illusion, misguided souls are trying to exploit the resources of these inferior material energies.
Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature.
Bhagavad-Gita scholar and guru, Srila Prabhupada comments:
While exploiting the gross and subtle inferior energy (matter), the superior energy (the living entity) forgets his real spiritual mind and intelligence. This forgetfulness is due to the influence of matter upon the living entity. But when the living entity becomes free from the influence of the illusory material energy, he attains the stage called mukti, or liberation. The false ego, under the influence of material illusion, thinks, “I am matter, and material acquisitions are mine.”
It is critical, therefore, that you understand your higher nature as a soul by consciousness and growth, there is the presence of a soul. So if the soul is eternal why do we fear death?
We fear death for a few reasons:
1. We misidentify our true self with the temporary physical form it currently animates.
2. We assume there is nothing after death
3. We are told that we will burn in hell for our sins
4. We think that death is painful
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French
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Already translated.
Translated by Maureen Tummers
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Author review: Great person to work with. Maureen did a great job. |
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Leslie Mayumi Iamaguti
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by SANDRA MORALES KOTT
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Author review: Sandra did a wonderful job |
