Inspiration: The Great Secret…

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Inspiration: The Great Secret... Alegrias is mirthful; happiness is within...

The great mystic and Persian lyric poet, Khwāja Shamsu d-Dīn Muhammad Hāfez-e Shīrāzī, known as Hafez or Hafiz Shirazi, wrote many inspiring and deeply profound poems that dealt with issues that affect the human condition. He was a visionary and spiritual man who wrote about God/the Beloved, faith, joy and happiness as well as our human frailties; his ghazals (rhyming couplets) cut through hypocrisy, and his poems, written thousands of years ago, remain relevant and pithy. They are reminders to seek happiness within for all the questions and answers begin inside of us, and we must go there to learn the great secret… that happiness is an inside job. Our happiness is ours to claim, no one can take it from us, and only we can give others permission to take it away; as Hafiz suggests, for ‘God has made our hearts an Eternal Fountain.’

The Great Secret by Hafiz Shirazi via The Poetseers.com
God was full of Wine last night,
So full of wine
That He let a great secret slip.
He said:
There is no man on earth
Who needs a pardon from Me –
For there is really no such thing,
No such thing
As Sin!
That Beloved has gone completely Wild-He has poured Himself into me!
I am Blissful and Drunk and Overflowing.
Dear world,
Draw life from my Sweet Body,
Dear wayfaring souls,
Come drink your fill of liquid rubies,
For God has made my heart
An Eternal Fountain!

“Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it.” —Jacques Prevert

Inspiration: The Great Secret...

Dr Robert Holden is the author of several books, including Shift Happens, Be Happy and Success Intelligence.  He is also director of The Happiness Project in the UK, not to be confused with the hugely successful book; The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. He travels around the world offering his highly regarded certification workshops on Coaching Happiness  and Coaching Success. I heard him speak at a Hay House workshop early this year and signed up for one of his workshops. What I find so refreshing about his work is the sensibility he brings to the subject of happiness. I encourage you to read any of his books to learn more. I have added inspirational materials I gleaned from his workshop to share here with you. He says that Happiness is a way of seeing and begins with self-acceptance. We must see ourselves as we are and accept ourselves with love… We are enough.

The Vision Statement of The Happiness Project by Dr. Robert Holden
It is because the world is so full of suffering, that your happiness is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of poverty, that your wealth is a gift.
It is because the world is so unfriendly, that your smile is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of war, that your peace of mind is a gift.
It is because the world is in such despair, that your hope and optimism is a gift.
It is because the world is so afraid, that your love is a gift.

Macrina Wiederkehr,  A Tree Full of Angels: Seeing the Holy in the Ordinary.  
“All too often we bemoan our imperfections rather than embrace them as part of the process in which we are brought to God. Cherished emptiness gives God space in which to work. We are pure capacity for God. Let us not, then, take our littleness lightly. It is a wonderful grace. It is a gift to receive. At the same time, let us not get trapped in the confines of our littleness, but keep pushing on to claim our greatness. Remind yourself often, ‘I am pure capacity for God; I can be more.’ “

Macrina Wiederkehr is a gifted teacher, inspirational author, and a Benedictine monastic of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She travels all over the USA offering retreats and inspiring others to live full engaged lives. I’ve added, from her work,  a quote above and a prayer below… There is always more below… 😉

“Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life.” — Marcus Aurelius

Inspiration: The Great Secret... happiness is within

If there is another great secret to joyful living, it is the ability to laugh at ourselves and to laugh with the world. Does that mean that suffering and pain disappear? No. Life is about the mountains of light and the valleys of darkness we encounter at different points in our journey… and they all point us to the way to our true self. How we see it depends on our inner conversations and our ambitions. Recently, I had an exchange with a person who pretended they were offering me feedback, when infact, all they intended to do was project their negativity on me.

Initially, I was taken aback and quite annoyed, then I reconsidered the source and refocused on what really mattered; being grounded and joyful. I could think of a hundred retorts that would have fit but what’s the point? Why bother? Sometimes, having the last catty word in an exchange is pointless. I know myself better than this individual and our best revenge is to remain committed to our goals. Don’t be swayed by other people’s rubbish… Listen, learn and laugh. Remember: only we can give them permission to invade our space.

Someone Should Start Laughing by Hafiz Shirazi via The Poetseers.com
I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
How are you?
I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
What is God?
If you think that the Truth can be known
From words,
If you think that the Sun and the Ocean
Can pass through that tiny opening Called the mouth,
O someone should start laughing!
Someone should start wildly Laughing –Now!

“The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.” —Ashley Montagu

Inspiration: The Great Secret... Know Thyself...

A Simple, Beautiful Prayer by Macrida Wiedenkehr
Dear God, Show me the truth
about myself, no matter how
beautiful it is! Amen.

Silence by Hafiz Shirazi via The Poetseers.com
A day of Silence
Can be a pilgrimage in itself.
A day of Silence
Can help you listen
To the Soul play
Its marvelous lute and drum.
Is not most talking
A crazed defense of a crumbling fort?
I thought we came here
To surrender in Silence,
To yield to Light and Happiness,
To Dance within
In celebration of Love’s Victory!

No matter what we think or believe, the answers are inside us. If we truly want to know what feeds our spirit and where we ought to be on our journey, we need some time for silence. Silence is a form of prayer and helps us to regroup. Macrida’s Beautiful Prayer is simple but powerful, and anytime we have access to empowering, encouraging language, through poetry, song, stories or any other creative medium, we can use them to turn our mood around and uplift our spirit. Stay Inspired! What about you? What are your thoughts? Where do you seek happiness? What does being the great secret mean to you? Do you seek inspiration in your life? Do share! Thank you. 🙂

This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: Can you recall moments in your life, at work or at home, where you realize now there was something else you wish you had said? Or done? Make a list of things you wish you had said?

Positive Motivation Tip: There is beauty in us, there is happiness in us… Let’s Go inside and seek the universe within.

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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos via Sunset Silhouette, Alegrías by Julio Romero de Torres, Vietnamese girl,  Wikipedia. Day lilies from my collection.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet