THE 3 TYPES OF BEING

It's human nature to wonder about our own inner selves.

What kind of inner presence do we have?
How are we different from the rest of creation?
How can this knowledge help us to understand what we must do and the potential pitfalls we may have to face?
These are important questions that lay the groundwork for our own conception of what our life journey will entail.

Three basic states of existence in the ralm of living creatures.

• The transcendence of the angels.
• The animal or instinctual state.
• The dichotomy of humanity.

*Starting with the angels, they are completly ratıonal.They have no material concerns and know of other reality than to be in complete awe and worshıp of the divine beauty of God.They are in perfect state of unity.

*The animal state, howewer,covers those creatures that are goverend by instinct more than anything else.Such beings are slaves to the ultimate end of theie lives.They act without forethought, are driven by primitive emotions and prompts, and have no sense of their own transcendence or potential.

*The human being, on the other hand, has a little of the angel within him, and alittle of the animal, aswell.These two forces do battle on a daily basis.Those who lean more toward their angelic side become progressivly more noble,self aware and moral, while those who incline toward theanimal within themselves became more deluded by materialism, more a slave to their desires,and more likely to commit injustice and immorality with declining leves of remorse.

"The body,like a mother, is pregnant wiyh the spiritual child; death is the pain and stress of birth.All the souls that have passed over to the next life already are anxiously waiting to see in what state that proud spirit will be born."

J.RUMI (k.s.)

Old Man and his Happiness

Once there was an old and very wise man. Every day he would sit outside a gas station in his rocking chair and wait to greet motorists as they passed through his small town. On this day, his granddaughter knelt down at the foot of his chair and slowly passed the time with him.

As they sat and watched the people come and go, a tall man who surely had to be a tourist since they knew everyone in the town began looking around as if he were checking out the area for a place to live.

The stranger walked up and asked,"So what kind of town is this that we're in?"
The older gentleman slowly turned to the man and replied," Well, what kind of town are you from?"

The tourist said,"In the town I'm from everyone is very critical of each other. The neighbours all gossip about everyone, and it's a real negative place to live. I'm sure glad to be leaving. It is not a very cheerful place. "
The man in the chair looked at the stranger and said," You know, that's just how this town is."

An hour or so later a family that was also passing through stopped for gas. The car slowly turned in and rolled to a stop in front of where the older gentleman and his granddaughter were sitting. The mother jumped out with two small children and asked where the restrooms were. The man in the chair pointed to a small, bent-up sign that was barely hanging by one nail on the side of the door.
The father stepped out of the car and also asked the man,"Is this town a pretty good place to live?"

The man in the chair replied," What about the town you are from? How is it?"

The father looked at him and said,"Well, in the town I'm from everyone is very close and always willing to lend their neighbour a helping hand. There's always a hello and thank you everywhere you go. I really hate to leave. I feel almost like we are leaving family. "

The older gentlemen turned to the father and gave him a warm smile. "You know, that's a lot like this small town."

Then the family returned to the car, said their thank yous, waved goodbye and drove away.

After the family was in the distance, the granddaughter looked up at her grandfather and asked,"Grandpa, how come when the first man came into our town you told him it was a terrible place to live and when the family came in to town you told them it was a wonderful place to live? "

The grandfather lovingly looked down at this granddaughter's wondering blue eyes and said,"No matter where you move, you take your own attitude with you and that's what makes it terrible or wonderful. "

( It's your attitude, not your aptitude that determines your altitude. Happiness is not something you find, it's something you create. )

3 Keys to Happiness

Here is just such a simple solution, presented in the form of three keys, that when remembered and practiced, keep us going in the right direction and while we walk the path, they also are the catalysts in bringing happiness.

Key 1 - Keep Your Heart Free From Hatred

When people, events and circumstances go against our wishes, desires or expectations, they create reactions of anger and frustration within us. These reactions are natural and must not be denied or ignored - rather their underlying reason must be seen and overcome - that of our pre-decided ideas and expectations being thwarted.

These emotions occur as a natural progression of painful events and are fine as long as they are felt and released. The problem lies when we cannot let go of the feelings and they tend to seep into our hearts where they fester till treated. If such is the case, these negative feelings tend to influence our way of thought, and necessarily, of action and become an integral part of our outlook towards life itself. Then everything that originates within us carries the subtle flavour of these very negative feelings.

The first secret of happiness says that no matter what emotions we feel temporarily, our hearts must remain free of hate.

Key 2 - Keep Your Mind Free From Worry

We worry when our thoughts travel either to the future, or linger in the past. Worry is a phenomenon which depletes energy and divides attention - leaving us incapable of giving our best to the moment before us.

The only way to give a 100% of yourself to the task at hand is to be totally present in the present moment without thinking of what's gone by or what is still to come - both cases where we have no say or control anyway.

Performing the action totally and to the best of one's ability brings back a positive result based on the law of karma - "As you sow, so shall you reap" - a result which would not be possible had we divided our inner being with worry.

The second secret of happiness is to always perform actions based on careful thought and planning, but without worry.

Key 3 - Give A Lot, Expect A Little

It is crucial for our happiness to come to the realisation early in life that it is our own expectations and pre-conceived ideas and hopes, which when frustrated, cause most of our pain and agony.

Once this understanding has stabilized within us, we begin to live for the moment, and within ourselves instead of seeking outward or external reinforces for our self-esteem or happiness.

It is not enough for us to be passive spectators of our own life, we must also be willing to give and share freely of our best qualities without waiting for a similar return.

It is both wise and practical to remember the advice of numerous spiritual masters that "It is in the giving that we receive." The free giving of your own self without strings attached bring both peace and contentment in the long run.

The third secret of happiness is to give a lot and expect very little.