Joie de vivre!

As I was reading a post today, I came across the phrase “Joie de vivre”, I read and re-read…snap — snap. An instant cohesion as if it was meant for me to read it today. As if I was sent a message from the divine, the message of “joie de vivre”.

So much is happening in recent times or off late, that possibly we have lost the essence of life. We are being pushed and pulled by large by an undefined social leverage. So some questions arise as to whether Are we living? Are we in our truest self? Are we to our utmost contentment? Are we to our best or fullest in our originality? ….so on and so forth. A time to ponder or self-analysis. For me, I don’t think so, life seems more instrumental and thrawn rather than perky or optimistic. Well, momentarily I may be not so happy I can say.

I really loved this cute message I received this morning from a friend which says “Be happy for no reason. If you’re happy for a reason, you’re in trouble because that reason can be taken away”.

Is it that shallow? Is it merely superficial? Is this just an exterior finish? Again a flock of questions invades! And the answer is … “exactly opposite as supposed to be”. Happiness is innate, it's perpetual. We don’t need to find reasons to be happy. Reasons come and go, if so then the happiness is transient too. We need eternal happiness, which is beyond reasons or seasons and this phrase is just about it. I tried to find an exact English phrase for the Joie de vivre, and I failed. I don’t think it exists. The literal translation says “looking at your life as something that is to be taken with great pleasure and enjoy it”. It also means exuberant enjoyment of life, the joy of living, ebullience, and the delight of being alive. Wow…simple and sweet term with a magnificent and larger-than-life meaning giving me the utmost realization that yes! I am alive. I can be happy too.

We always confide in the carapace of social dogmas or lock ourselves in our own paradigms, perhaps we call it comfort zones nevertheless the cribbing is unabating honing in on deficiency or dearth rather than focusing on abundance and blessings in disguise. We are usually adapted to perceive one side of a coin and switch ourselves on to complain mode instead of empathizing with the other side or other factors that could actually be more promising, rewarding, or are a great protection. We miss majors mostly focussing on minors.

My Buddhist practice proved to be key to understanding and overcoming this state of mind to a large extent. It actually helped to switch off the complaint mode and tune into the gratitude mode. Now, the devil king or my inner monsters are always on the prowl to drift me from my goals and elevate my inherent fundamental darkness impeding my growth towards betterment. But that’s where the application of my practice, my wisdom plays an important role in showing the actual proof of the mystic law.

SGI president, Daisaku Ikeda, a great leader, philosopher, and our mentor as we fondly call him Sensei says “There is a saying — a small heart gets used to misery and becomes docile, while a great heart towers above misfortune. True happiness is not the absence of suffering; you cannot have a day after day of clear skies. True happiness lies in building a self that stands dignified and indomitable like a great palace — on all days, even when it is raining, snowy or stormy”.

He further says “If you sacrifice your own growth and talent for any reason, you will absolutely not find happiness. True happiness is obtained through fully realizing your own potential”.

Happiness is not something that someone else, for instance — relations or materialistic gains can give you. One has to achieve it by oneself. The only way to achieve it is by developing one’s own character and capacity as a human being by fully maximizing one’s own coherent potential. A process we call self-human revolution.

Such profound teachings penetrate to the core and are engraved eternally making an individual realize the value of life and the importance of Gratitude. So let’s dive into a feeling of excitement about our life, the carefree enjoyment, and the zest of living it.

That’s Joie de vivre!!!