In Sanskrit, the word for “happiness” is sukha, which means to have a “good” (su) “wheel” (kha). To be happy, therefore, is to move forward, make strides and become unstuck.
You know what it’s like to feel stuck.
You’re on one side of the train tracks trying to cross over while an endless freighter grinds on.
Waiting to get to the other side of the tracks is dukha, “having a “bad” (du) “wheel” (kha).
With dukha, you can’t make strides. You can’t go back and you can’t move ahead. You itch all over, but no scratch will satisfy. You wish you still smoked so you’d have something—anything—to do with your itchy self.
Yes, we’ve all waited for that train. We’ve all been stuck, held down and smothered by our Sumo limitations.
Yet while waiting to cross over to the next phase of your life, there is a way to deal with your dukha that makes it less du and more su.
And the secret of this “Way of the Rightfully Turning Wheel” are The 10 Principles of Progress:
1.) Cultivate a Daily Discipline of Meditation.
There’s a very practical reason why we all need to meditate daily: We’re all stressed out. Stress weakens the body, limits the mind and inflames the emotions.
Daily meditation is the same as taking shower every morning. It cleanses and refreshes you. And it gives you some inner strength to shield you from anything life wants to throw at you. This comes in handy more than you can ever know.
2.) Heal Old Wounds.
This is a Principle of Progress that requires time and patience. You can’t do anything about it except wait for the moment when you recognize how perfect everything really was.
3.) Know Yourself.
Nothing is worse than wishing you were someone else. You’re a rare orchid, baby. You’re the kind of blossom that only blooms in the rain forest once every century under perfect conditions. Know who you are what you came here for.
4.) Prepare for What’s Coming.
One of the most unfortunate symptoms of our modern age is that we distrust our intuition. Yet we all know it’s coming. We don’t know what’s coming, but it’s coming. So get your house in order.
5.) Act with Wisdom.
Wisdom sounds very noble, but it’s really just a cultured way of seeing, knowing and acting that we all grow into as we age. In life, you’re given many opportunities to see all kinds of sh*t hitting the fan. Eventually you learn to stop putting your hand in it. That’s wisdom.
6.) Dedicate Your Actions to Something Higher.
The problem with the “Cult of Me” is that it leads to depression. The deep inward gravity of self-obsession becomes a very dark hole. But if you cast “Me” and “Mine” aside, surprisingly, it makes a bio-chemical difference. You simply feel better when you do something for someone else. It’s scientifically proven!
7.) Live with Purpose:
Living with purpose is akin to living mindfully. Even when it reaches the point of becoming obnoxious to your family and friends, see purpose in everything. Seek meaning in everything. Become a work of art that’s in progress.
8.) Share What’s Given.
There’s no reason to hold onto anything. When you do, you create a log jam and you’re left with a bunch of stuff to manage. You don’t need any thing to make you happy. So give your excess away. If everyone did this, we’d all be abundant.
9.) Don’t Be the Doer.
There’s a time to sow and th ere’s a time to reap. In between these times is a lot of downtime. You’re not in control of any of these times. They’re just happenings. You respond because you have no choice. You are not the doer.
10.) Live a Karma-Free Life.
Karma is just fermented regret. It’s a familiar odor that clings to you, inspiring a distinct breed of actions that have similar consequences. Be careful of your regrets. What’s done is done. The past was your destiny. The future is your free will.
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