

Happiness Revealed

  * PEAKS OF HAPPINESS

By AiR

The Happiest Man on Earth

Copyright © AiR Foundation 2017

AiR asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this book.

All rights reserved.

No part of the content (of this publication except images) may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in India by Navya Graphics, Bangalore.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE HAPPY, BUT NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW!

About AiR | 1

---|---

Foreword | 4

Chapter 1– HAPPINESS IS A JOURNEY | 8

What is Happiness? | 8

Six Steps to Happiness | 11

Chapter 2 - THE FIRST PEAK OF HAPPINESS | 30

Achievement – The First Peak | 30

A Journey by Default | 36

My Achievement Journey | 42

Towards the Next Peak | 48

Chapter 3 - THE SECOND PEAK OF HAPPINESS | 54

My Journey Beyond Ordinary Happiness | 54

Fulfillment – The Second Peak | 66

The Difference between Achievement and Fulfillment | 71

Not Many Choose this Path! | 76

Towards the Third Peak | 82

Chapter 4 - THE THIRD PEAK OF HAPPINESS | 90

The Third Peak of Happiness | 95

How can we Liberate Ourselves from the | 99

Prisons of Misery and Sorrow?

Methods of Realization | 102

Reaching the Third Peak | 138

Towards the Third Peak – Finally | 148

My Personal Journey to the Third Peak | 158

Afterword | 166

 About AiR

AiR is a spiritual seeker who has set out to find the truth about life. He was born on October 15, 1966 in Bangalore, Karnataka, as Ravi. V. Melwani. At a very young age, he mastered the craft of business and became a very successful businessman who revolutionized retailing in India with the stores Kids Kemp, Big Kids Kemp, and Kemp Fort.

After making millions, he realized that life is not just about making money. He shut down his business at the age of 40, transformed his life to RVM living by the RVM philosophy – Rejoice, Value Life, and Make a Difference and set up the RVM Foundation. He started doing H.I.S. work – Humanitarian, Inspirational, and Spiritual work. His mission was to "Make a Difference" in this world before his journey was over.

As a part of RVM's humanitarian initiative, RVM Foundation Hospital was set up in 1998 with an aim to provide free medical care to the poor, destitute, and needy. The hospital, which has a capacity of 250 patients as of now, does not have a cash counter. RVM Foundation also has its own destitute homes and orphanage that serve the needy, providing free shelter, food, medical care, and clothes to them.

RVM, through RVM School of Inspiration, has transformed the lives of many through his motivating talks, inspirational books and videos, and thought-provoking quotes.

1
RVM built a Shiva Temple in the year 1995 in Bangalore, which is now known as the Shivoham Shiva Temple. Being an ardent believer in Lord Shiva for long, he now believes that religion is just a kindergarten of spirituality, and we all have to go beyond religion to truly realize God.

However, one day, several questions and thoughts flashed in his mind: What is the purpose of life? Is life just meant to seek pleasures and to live and die without any purpose? What happens after death? Will we be reborn? Where is God? Several questions like these took him on a Talaash or a search for the truth. He gave up his life of Achievement and Fulfillment in search of the final peak of life: "Enlightenment".

After a few years of intense search in silence, deep in the mountains, he realized that we are not this body. We are the Atman, the Soul. He changed his name for the second time from RVM to AiR – the Atman in RVM (the Soul in RVM) – as realization dawned upon him that we are not this physical body, but we are the Atman. He metamorphosed to AiR and gave up his entire life as RVM. He started the study of Atman, God, and Life. This led to several realizations that formed his new mission of life – to realize God and to help Seekers realize God.

||Om Namah Shivaya|| ||Shivoham||

2
 A Metamorphosis

As a caterpillar metamorphoses into a butterfly, it undergoes a typically marked developmental change in its form.

As a human being, to metamorphose means to undergo a striking change and an irreversible transformation in one's character or nature, especially by supernatural means.

RVM first transformed his life from Ravi V. Melwani to RVM. After embarking on a Talaash or a search for the true meaning of Life, RVM metamorphosed his life to AiR (or Atman in RVM) on realization of the truth of who we truly are.

Like AiR, you too can metamorphose your Life!

3

3
 FOREWORD

Who doesn't want to be happy?

Is there anybody in this world who doesn't want to be happy? The whole world is seeking happiness. Different people are seeking different things. But if one goes into a research as to why people seek what they are seeking, the ultimate objective of what everybody seeks is "Happiness".

Everybody in this world is seeking joy and bliss, be it a little child who wants to be happy with his toys or a young adult who is enamoured by the pleasures of this world. Whether it is a person who has grown old or one who is young, everybody wants to be happy. It doesn't matter which country we come from, it doesn't matter which religion or race we belong to, and it doesn't matter which gender we are, we all want to be happy.

While everybody wants to be happy, different things make different people happy. There are different happiness triggers that trigger happiness in people's life. Something that makes me very happy may not make you happy. Since we human beings seek happiness, we are always pursuing pleasures. In fact, the whole world seems to be living by the "pleasure pain" principle – this principle states that we all are attracted towards pleasure and we all shun pain. We will always do things that make us happy just as we will distance ourselves from anything that makes us unhappy. We all want to be happy!

4
But the most important question is "Is everyone happy?" No doubt people are happy, but not everybody is happy all the time. While some people are happy most of the time, there are others who are unhappy.

There are many people who live a life of misery. To them, life is full of problems and difficulties, and it is so difficult to smile. There are others who are cheerful and enthusiastic; they live life as if it is a game, enjoying each day. Some people believe that their happiness depends on their past actions, while others believe that it is their present actions that decide their joy index. Some surrender their happiness to luck, but others who believe that luck doesn't control happiness prefer to pluck happiness with their own efforts. Different people believe in different philosophies of life. But one thing does not change – everybody wants to be happy.

Everybody wants to be happy, but everyone is not truly happy – why? Because happiness is elusive; it comes and goes. There is no standard formula to be happy. Of course, if we go for a comedy movie, we would laugh. But deep down in the heart if somebody is sorrowful, soon after the movie they will be drowned in misery.

Happiness is not exclusively for the rich. If wealth created happiness, then the rich would be glad, not sad. Why is it that many millionaires live a life of depression, sorrow, and misery? Sometimes the poor are very happy, but at other times, the poor are struggling with

5
problems and monetary challenges. Rich or poor, everybody has a common goal: the goal to be happy!

My happiness journey began 35 years ago. I started a small business, made money, bought a car, and was on the first peak of happiness. I achieved success after success, just as my happiness went from peak to peak.

In this book, I share my happiness journey and how I scaled the peaks of happiness. From one peak to another, I was passionate to get to the top. Most of humanity don't know that there are Three Peaks of happiness. About 20% of people are lucky. They take an exit to the Second Peak of Happiness. Less than 1% of humanity even know that there is a Third Peak.

I was fortunate to go from peak to peak. Through this book, I share my experiences that first gave me happiness through pleasures on the first peak and then what led me to bliss that was surrounded by peace and tranquility on the second peak. Finally, I was led on a quest that was seeking the purpose of life. I started the final journey and was fortunate to discover the Third Ultimate Peak of Happiness!

For a seeker of happiness, there is a path, just like there is a highway that takes you from one place to another.

Unfortunately, we wander and do not follow the roadmap that will lead us to our destination – Happiness. If you want to go to Mount Everest, there is

6
a right way to get there. If we decide to walk our way without a proper plan and without adequate preparation, chances are we won't get to our destination. Such is the peak of happiness, the ultimate peak. We must follow the prescribed path to reach the top.

If you want to climb that ultimate peak of happiness, then follow the path, seek the truth, and find out what will lead you to the third peak of happiness. Evolve from peak to peak until you finally find yourself to be in an ocean of happiness – a state of everlasting joy, eternal bliss, peace, and tranquility.

Is it possible for everybody to get to this ocean of happiness? No. Only a rare few are lucky to go on a quest. Less than 1% of humanity attempt to climb the third peak. And a very small fraction of these people are further lucky to find the Third and Ultimate peak of Happiness.

In this book, I share my journey to the three peaks of happiness. Just like I trekked from one peak to the other and finally reached the summit of happiness, you too can scale the happiness peaks. But are you committed to being happy? Are you passionate to find true bliss and joy? Is happiness an obsession in your life? If you are truly seeking happiness, then start the journey and chances are you can reach the final peak!

7
 CHAPTER 1

HAPPINESS IS A JOURNEY

The whole world is seeking happiness. In fact, it seems like we are all on an eternal journey to destination happiness. Yes, happiness is a journey, but not many people know that it is the path itself. You cannot get happiness, but you can be happy. While there is no one on Earth who doesn't seek this treasure, there are only a few who truly understand what happiness is.

"Do you know that you can choose to be Happy or unhappy? Happiness doesn't just happen; it is a Choice you make."

– RVM

What is Happiness?

Happiness is a state of mind. It is a state of joy, bliss, and cheer. It is an emotion – energy in motion – that makes one glad, just as unhappiness is an emotion that makes one sad. A happy person is joyous and he smiles and laughs just as an unhappy person frowns and cries. We feel happy and it shows. Happiness radiates through cheerfulness and enthusiasm. Although happiness may be a common word, it is often quite tricky to define or explain "happiness".

Everyone Wants to be Happy

Who doesn't want to be happy? Everybody on Earth wants happiness, whether one is a baby or an adult, be it man or a woman, Indian or American, black or white, or rich or poor, who doesn't want to be happy? Everybody alive on this planet seeks happiness. Not

8
just human beings, it seems even animals want to be happy. We see that the dog wags its tail in joy, birds fly in the sky, fish swirl in the water, and the peacocks open their wings to dance in bliss. Don't you think they all seek happiness too? Everybody wants to be happy.

If you were to ask different people around the globe what they are seeking, you would get different answers from each one. But if you further ask them, why they are seeking it, you would get a common answer from all – "Happiness". The goal of life is happiness. Everyone wants to be happy, and people do different things to achieve this one objective. To a businessman, a successful business brings happiness. To artists, it may be a creative product that is born out of their imagination. A student may be happy with excellence in exams, just as a politician is blissful on winning an election. We all do different things, but whatever we do, the goal is one: We all want to be happy!

"If you have not learnt anything, but have learnt one thing that the Goal of life is to be Happy, you have learnt everything!" – RVM

Look back at your life as far back as you can. Even a newborn baby giggles when it is happy and screams in anguish when it experiences pain. It starts at birth and goes on till death. What made you happy as a child? Simple things like an ice-cream, a ball, or a doll. Kids are mostly happy because they are innocent. But are kids always happy? I recall that a child at an airport refused

9
 to board the flight till his parents bought him a toy airplane. He screamed, squatted, and fussed till his desire was fulfilled. But as kids, it was not so difficult to be happy. A simple candy could make us jump in joy!

Then what is the difference between the men and the boys – it's the cost of their toys. As we grow up, the price tag on our happiness gets bigger. We want expensive cars, gadgets, holidays, and hence, happiness becomes expensive and elusive. However, seeking happiness is a common goal of humanity.

Do You Really want to be Happy?

A lot of people talk about Happiness. But how many are really passionate about being Happy? I can talk about swimming, but unless I learn how to swim and unless I put on my trunks and jump into the pool, I will never be able to swim. I can talk of it for years together – I love to swim, I can fantasize about swimming, I love the ocean... so what? You are talking, but are you actually swimming? For those who really want to be happy, there is a method. Not many people know the method and understand the way to happiness. During the first 25 years of my life, I discovered the method of being happy and I put it into six simple steps. Let us explore these steps.

10
 SIX STEPS TO HAPPINESS

Step 1: Desire to be Happy.

Step 2: Find out what makes you Happy.

Step 3: Pull the Happiness Triggers and be Happy.

Step 4: Eliminate Joy Stealers and avoid being unhappy.

Step 5: Bounce back from tough situations with Faith, Hope, and Enthusiasm.

Step 6: Choose to remain Happy always!

Step 1: Desire to be Happy

For anybody who is seeking happiness, it should start with desire. You should desire to be happy. How can you be happy if you don't want to be happy? You should make a commitment to your own happiness. You should decide, "I will not exist. I will live. I choose to be happy". It is so important to do things that make you happy and stay away from those things that make you sad. Life is short, and it is not worth spending even one moment in unhappiness.

"Wake up in the morning and get into each day, living it in a way that will make you happy and gay." – RVM

People who don't desire to be happy are like trees in a forest. They just stand and let things happen to them. But people who want to be happy do things that make them happy. They choose a happy attitude that produces happy emotions. They live a positive life, laugh and smile, and live with faith and enthusiasm. Happiness is a priority of their life. They develop a

11
burning desire to be happy, igniting a passion that leads them to seek happiness no matter what.

What about you? Do you have a strong desire to be happy, or are you just like a dead fish floating down the river of life? Are you a motor boat zooming towards destination "happiness", or are you a sail boat that is just drifting along with the wind? If you are one who is drifting, don't expect to be happy because happiness goes to that person who desires to be happy.

If you want to be happy, then follow Step 1 – Desire to be happy!

Step 2: Find out what makes you Happy Do you know what makes you Happy?

"How can you be happy, if you do not know what makes you happy?" – RVM

If you truly want to be happy, it's very important to know what makes you happy. Each human being has specific triggers that create joy and peace. But how can you be happy if you don't know what makes YOU happy?

"The Secret of HAPPINESS—Enjoy what you are doing or stop and do what you enjoy." – RVM

If you truly want to be happy, you have to FIND OUT what makes you happy, and DO what makes you happy! The following table would help you to identify your list of what makes you happy.

12
MY HAPPINESS LIST

How much time do I give to

No. What makes me happy?

this Happiness Trigger?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

How to effectively fill this chart?

Through this chart, find out what makes you really happy in life. Reflect upon your life, and list all the things that are making you happy. If you find it difficult, look back – not just at the last few days, weeks, or months but at the last few years. You will be able to recall many things that had made you happy. It is not necessary that all the things that made you happy in the past will make you happy in the future. Some may get deleted because they are not relevant since many things have changed. But some things may be as important as they were when they made you happy. So, you must make a list of 10 relevant things that will make you happy today.

Then, imagine that those things were going to happen in the next one year; you would be absolutely blissful!

13
Imagine a genie came to you and told you, "I will give you 10 things that you love. What would you write in that list of 10 things that you really wished for in life?

Now merge the two lists to create one master list of things that that will surely make you happy. Such a list can help you achieve the happiness that you seek. Remember, if you do not know what makes you happy, then you can never be happy. The only way to be happy is to find out first what makes you happy.

You now have a list of what makes you happy, but your task is not over. The next task is to reflect how much time you invest in these happiness triggers that would make you happy. Now reflect – Do you actually do the things that make you happy?

You may be truly happy eating Japanese food, but when is the last time you had a Sushi or Teppanyaki? You may be truly happy meeting your school friends, but when did you meet them last? Or you may be really happy while singing. How much time do you give every day or every week or every month to sing? If there is a mismatch on the list of what makes you happy and the time that you invest in it, then something is wrong. You do not prioritize doing what makes you truly happy, and it only goes on to show that you are not pulling happiness triggers, which is the next step. After you read through the next step of pulling the happiness triggers, you will find many common triggers that people pull to be happy. You may want to add some

14
common triggers to the list and review your list and modify it. And based on the time that you are spending on the triggers that make you happy, make that final list of those 10 things in life that will truly make you happy.

Step 3 – Pull the Happiness Triggers and be Happy

After you decide that you want to be happy and discover what makes you happy, you must do what makes you happy. I call this as "pulling the triggers". You already know what is going to make you happy and you want to be happy. But happiness is like a bullet in the gun; it is of no use till you pull the trigger. Only when you pull the trigger, you will be able to hit the target! After wanting happiness and finding out how to be happy, now it is time to put this in action. Do those things that will make you happy. Pull the happiness triggers and you will become really happy.

Let's try to look at the common things that make people happy. There may be some triggers unique to you that you will discover on your own. But before you discover those unique triggers that make you happy, let's look at the common ones.

What Makes People Happy?

There are many things that make people happy. In fact, different things make different people happy. Some common happiness triggers are as follows.

Food: Food makes people happy. Ask the foodies. For them, life is all about food. They don't eat to live. They live to eat! "Oh, my God! What an amazing pizza!" – a

15
foodie would exclaim in sheer joy. There are people who seem to get an orgasmic pleasure from food. It may be a burger, a steak, a south Indian dosa, or to those with exotic tastes, it could even be frog legs! Most of the Indians love parathas; the Italians, pastas; the Americans, French fries; the Chinese, noodles; the Mexicans, nachos and tacos; the Japanese, Sushi and Teppanyaki; the Singaporeans, laksa; and the Indonesians, Nasi Goreng. It doesn't matter what the food is, but for the foodies, food is the arouser of happiness. Does food make you happy? Does it make you jump in joy? Or are you one of those who can go to a food court and get bored amongst those who are munching and lunching?

Shopping: Some people just love to shop and shop till they drop in joy. Shopaholics can live in a mall and just go on shopping. It doesn't matter finally what they buy, but the sheer excitement of browsing through merchandise gives them a pleasure that's beyond description. They may not need it, but they want it. It's just fun! The lines at the billing counters and the buzz around the fitting rooms are just some of the things that create excitement. It may be clothing, shoes, gadgets, toys, grocery, or gold – it doesn't matter to them. As long as it's shopping, it's fun!

Home: My home is my joy. There are so many who are happy in their home. Their life revolves around their house, and their entire happiness is focused on building a better home. It's OK for them to pay EMIs for decades,

16
 but they want that dream home with a garden, swimming pool, and clubhouse. After all, it is their source of happiness. They spend a lot of time designing the kitchen, buying the dining table, or importing a special sofa. These are the people whose happiness depends on their home.

Love: "If only I can fall in love...." "What is life without

love?" – Have you heard people making such statements? Ask the people whose happiness depends on their love life. To them, life could be worthless without being in love. Despite several breakups and heart aches, people are addicted to falling in love. Probably, it's the movie industry that inspires people to believe that love is happiness. People invest their time, money, and life seeking love, companionship, and relationships. They yearn for romance – to love someone they can call their own. Sure, they are really happy at least for that moment. You can see the happiness in their face, their walk, and their talk. It's like an intoxication that gives a kick. After all, love can truly create happiness!

Sex: Today, to many people around the world, having sex is one of the most exciting things. Ask men who think that having sex is directly proportional to their happiness. If there is no sex, there is no happiness in their lives. Thus, they seek it through ethical or other means because they get hung on to this physical addiction. It doesn't reduce with age; the craving can only get worse. But so what? As long as it brings

17
 happiness, how does it matter? History shows that even kings had given up their kingdom for the sake of a woman. Men are ready to give up their career, their marriages, and their life for the hope of the joy that comes from sex and women. The growth of the global sex industry is a proof of how instrumental this happiness tool is.

Jewelry: "Gold makes me glitter; diamonds too!" – There are women who vouch that nothing can make them as happy as their gold, their diamonds, and their jewelry. They become miserable at the thought of living without their gold.

Security: Security gives some people joy. They don't want anything else. It's all about fixed deposits, investments, and security. As long as they are secure, they are happy!

Power: To some people, there is nothing greater than power. They live a happy life because they are powerful. Their name, fame, and influence gives them excitement and happiness. It does not matter whether they have money in their pocket or not; what matters is just how powerful they are.

Alcohol: "If I am tipsy, I am happy." Millions around the globe are lost in the joy of being intoxicated. What matters is that they have their tequila, single malt, or vodka. They wait for the day to turn to night because their happiness starts after sunset. After all, once you lose your mindfulness, you become free to do anything

18
 and say anything, and this is fun. So to them, happiness is about going to the bar, choosing the best wine, and drinking with friends. Those who take it a step further need marijuana because smoking cigarettes and cigars or drinking alcohol doesn't give them that kick anymore. It's sad, but for many, happiness comes from these most unfortunate sources, which ultimately leads them to sorrow.

Dance and Music: Some people just like to dance. As long as there is music and they shake, they are happy! Of course, the company matters, and the music and lights matter. But dancing can truly make some people happy. There are others whose happiness comes from music. They don't have to dance. They can get ecstatic with music that elevates them to the top.

Arts, Sports, and Politics: Happiness doesn't end with these. There are some who are artists and their happiness comes from using their creativity. There are still others whose joy comes from either following or playing a sport, and further on the happiness list are politicians, whose happiness comes from the power of politics.

Sleep: Some people are unique; they don't need all the above mentioned triggers to be happy. They just need to sleep! Sleep can give them bliss above anything else. Ask someone who has not slept for last five days about how they feel. They could be the most miserable!

Near and Dear: There are still others whose happiness

19
 comes from a friend or a family member. Many people live with the objective of spending time with their near and dear ones. It may be eating together, travelling together, or just sitting around.

What actually happens? These happiness triggers release hormones, a surge of dopamine or serotonin into the blood. They seem to cause the "Happiness Hormone" to flow and create joy. That's why to many it may be just a "Hi" that appears as a reply on the chat of their smartphones. Such a simple thing could excite people. Yes, that's why some people invest so much in their gadgets.

Look further, and we will find some inspired by their new car and some inspired to admire their own beauty in the mirror. No wonder the cosmetics and fashion industry is a thriving one because people search for happiness from these triggers. Many people are even willing to spend any amount of money to take care of their health as they believe health is their wealth. After all, how can you be happy without good health?

There are many things that make me happy, but these need not make you happy. You may be happy sitting for hours on a beach and reading a book. I could be bored to death doing that. So it's not the same thing that makes everybody happy. There are hundreds of happiness triggers that spark joy in people's life. There is no end to the list. I know somebody whose happiness comes from watching a beautiful sunrise and sunset

20
just as I know others who think of it as punishment to wake up so early in the morning just to watch the sunrise.

Food, shopping, home, gold, love, sex, jewelry, security, power, alcohol, dance, music, arts, sports, near and dear ones are all common happiness triggers that can make somebody happy. We can make a list of what makes us individually happy. For sure, it is going to be a different list for each one of us. But finally, the third step to be happy is pulling these happiness triggers, which means not only knowing that these make us happy but also actually going and indulging in these happiness sources. You may have a list of 10 things that truly make you happy. For you, it might be walking down the beach, it may be going on a cruise, or it may be dancing, but the question is when have you last danced or when have you last walked on the beach? There are many people in the world who "know" all the things that make them happy, but they do not "do" the things that make them happy. It means they are aware of the happiness triggers that would trigger happiness in their life, but they are never going to be happy because they have never invested time, effort, money, and energy in executing all those happiness triggers that would actually make them happy.

21
Step 4 – Eliminate joy stealers and

avoid being unhappy

If there are dozens of things that can bring happiness, why are people unhappy? Happiness is mostly stolen by negative emotions called "joy stealers".

Joy Stealers Make You Unhappy

To be happy, find out what is making you unhappy and change that. Reverse, RE-CHOICE and REJOICE! – RVM

As human beings, we tend to become unhappy – very unhappy and often miserable. Why? Because of joy stealers! Introspect, look back at the past, and find out what made you angry, upset, sad, and miserable. Different joy stealers took charge of your life either because of unfulfilled expectations, disappointments, or desires that just didn't materialize. Didn't all these steal your happiness?

Anger: Do you get angry? Why? Anger is like a fire; it creates flames within. And while we are spitting our anger on others, we don't realize that it's like holding a piece of hot burning coal in our hand. First, it burns our hands before it burns others! Why do we get angry? It is because we had some expectations, and we were disappointed at the results. Anger is our attitude, our response, and our behavior in certain situations. It is so difficult to suppress it, and it doesn't disappear after we express it. It is a joy stealer.

Worry: Another joy stealer is worry. We worry about the past and we worry about the future. By shuttling

22
 between the past and the future, we lose the bliss of the current moment. We can't change the past and we can't control the future, but our mind is like a monkey that doesn't know how to sit still. It keeps on jumping back and forth, and by doing so, this joy stealer makes us miserable and steals our happiness.

Fear: Does fear rob your happiness? Fear appears on the happiness highway to destroy our happiness. It paralyses and confuses us, and we start imagining our fear to be our real danger. Of course, we all face dangers, but our real dangers are very few as compared to our imagined fears. Most of our fears disappear with time. But before they do, they steal our happiness. Aren't you fearful about something today? Do you have some fear in command of your life? Do you have a fear that is stealing your happiness?

"Do the thing you Fear, and the Fear will disappear!" – RVM

Jealousy: Jealousy is another thief. But it appears from the backdoor and before we realize, it steals our happiness. Consciously or subconsciously, we human beings become jealous of others at the cost of our happiness. It's sad that we let this thief into our life.

Hate: Another burglar is hate. What happens when we hate? We collect all the negative poison to spit at others. While we may try to deliver poison to others, most unfortunately, we also throw away our happiness. Wouldn't it rather be so beautiful to live with love, forgiveness, and peace?

23
 In the happiness journey, we face both – happiness triggers and joy stealers. Our happiness depends on the combination of the two that fill our life. There is no doubt that negativity and positivity are a part and parcel of life. But it is entirely one's choice to decide the proportion of negativity and positivity in one's life.

Some of the happy people in the world list their happiness triggers and invest their time and money in them. They know which happiness triggers make them happy, and they pull these triggers as often as they can. But there are others who live and die in gloom. They never bother to find out what makes them happy, and so they never pull the happiness triggers. They lose command of their life to joy stealers that take over and make them miserable.

"If you can be GLAD, but you choose to be SAD, you are MAD!" – RVM

MY LIST OF JOY STEALERS

No. | What are the Joy Stealers in my life?

---|---

1

2

3

4

5

24
 This chart encourages you to make a list of the 5 Joy Stealers of your life. Reflect back on your life and find out what makes you unhappy and miserable? Is it anger, is it worry, or is it jealousy? You may go through all the common joy stealers mentioned in the previous pages, including fear. Some of these joy stealers maybe stealing your happiness or find out those exclusive joy stealers of your life. Maybe it's a particular person, maybe it's a belief, or maybe it's a particular habit that is making you miserable and stealing your happiness. Every person is unique, and you should find out what are those joy stealers of your life that stole your joy and peace in the last few days, months, weeks, or years. If they are still relevant, then put them in the list. If you have a joy stealer, but that joy stealer was a person who is now dead, then such a person would not appear in your list of current joy stealers.

The next step after making a list of the 5 Joy Stealers is your biggest challenge. Ask yourself, "What am I doing to defeat and destroy these joy stealers?"Of course, you have been painstakingly making an effort to find out what makes you unhappy or what steals your happiness, but what are you doing to eliminate these joy stealers.

There are various methods to eliminate joy stealers. One way is to flip over from negative to positive by removing a negative emotion and replacing it by a positive emotion. If you do away with a person, then you learn to go away from the person and find more cheerful, positive, and happier people. Each joy stealer

25
 is unique, but you can't sit quiet and let the joy stealer steal your happiness.

Different people use different methods to eliminate the joy stealers. Be it a common joy stealer like anger, worry, fear, jealousy, hate, and revenge or a specific thief of happiness, different methods are used by different people to shoot down these joy stealers. It may be meditation, auto suggestion, or practical elimination. It is up to us to find a way to remove joy stealers from our life. You have to destroy the joy stealer and eliminate it from your life. This will lead you to happiness.

Step 5 : Build your life on Faith, Hope,

Trust, and Enthusiasm

Now that you are on the journey to happiness, you have crossed the first four steps. You desire to be happy, you know what makes you happy, you pull the happiness triggers to be happy, and you eliminate the joy stealers. What is the next step?

Build your life on the foundation of faith, hope, trust, and enthusiasm. Your life should become a picture of bliss and joy, and this will happen when you live with faith and hope, which means that you don't live with doubt and pessimism. The moment you do so, happiness evaporates from your life. Such is the nature of happiness. But if you are a person who is living with enthusiasm and cheerfulness and you have faith and hope, then chances are that your life will have more of

26
 happiness and less of sorrow. These four pillars become a strong base, or a strong foundation for your happiness. If something goes wrong, don't worry; have faith, have hope, have trust, and be enthusiastic, and things will be back to normal again! They always say that it is darkest before dawn. Life does have problems, but having problems does not mean that we should be unhappy. Tell yourself – "This too shall pass!" We should face the problems with faith, hope, trust, and enthusiasm, and then happiness will be ours. Remember, if you want to progress in the happiness journey, and then bring Step 5 into your life.

Step 6: Be Happy always!

Let happiness not be a once-in-a-way situation.

Finally, who is truly happy? Is it the one who is happy on New Year's eve, Christmas, or birthday? No! The truly happy people are the ones who are happy every day. They are happy whether the sky is cloudy or grey. They are happy no matter what comes their way because they have chosen to be happy today! So, you make up your mind that you want to be happy today, tomorrow, and every day. Let not happiness be like a wave in the ocean that comes and goes. Let happiness be eternal. Life is such that you will face problems and tragedies, and you will have moments where you lose happiness. Make a resolution that you will be happy all the time, that your life will be a happy life, and that you will live with joy and cheerfulness. For if you do, you are following the sixth step, and this will lead you to happiness.

27
"Don't be afraid of being Happy. You deserve to be Happy!"

– RVM

While, I discovered the six steps that will guarantee happiness, I also realized that unless a person sincerely wants to be happy, one can never be happy. Happiness is a choice. Happiness doesn't just happen. One needs to work towards being happy, and if one actually follows the six steps, I can guarantee that anybody can be happy.

If people desire to be happy, they find out what makes them happy, they do those things that make them happy by pulling the happiness triggers, they discover the joy stealers and eliminate them, and they finally live with faith, hope, trust, and enthusiasm with the commitment of being happy all the time. I am quite sure that one can be truly happy in life.

The six steps to happiness are a great formula for somebody who wants to start the happiness journey. It is a method that can inspire people to live and not just exist. However, it can only start the happiness journey and not take one to the ultimate peak of happiness.

People will find themselves on the first peak of happiness, Achievement. I realized much later that there were peaks beyond Achievement. But without seeking happiness, one would never start on the journey of happiness.

28
 Summary

  * The whole world is seeking happiness. Everybody wants to be happy. Nobody likes to be sad.

  * But unfortunately, not everybody knows how to be happy.

  * Some people just exist; they don't live.

  * They don't know what makes them happy. They don't do things that can make them happy.

  * They don't find out what is making them sad, and therefore, they continue existing without having any happiness. Such is the happiness journey.

  * If somebody follows the six steps to happiness, they can truly be happy!

  * Step 1: Desire to be Happy.

  * Step 2: Find out what makes you Happy.

  * Step 3: Pull the Happiness Triggers and be Happy.

  * Step 4: Eliminate Joy Stealers and avoid being unhappy.

  * Step 5: Bounce back from tough situations with Faith, Hope, and Enthusiasm.

  * Step 6: Choose to remain Happy always!

29
 CHAPTER 2

THE FIRST PEAK OF HAPPINESS

If we look around, we will find that many of those who seek happiness are trying to be happy through success, money, and pleasures that come from the satisfaction of their desires and expectations.

As we grow, we are taught that the purpose of life is success and money and being famous. We believe that happiness can only be exchanged using currency notes and credit cards. So, we all get into the race of wanting more. We want more money, more things, more relationships, more travel, and more fun. And the irony is that we are never satisfied. A millionaire wants to become a billionaire. A student who holds the second rank in a particular class examination is unhappy until he gets the first rank in the next examination. The sports team losing the championship in the finals thinks that the team has failed despite being the first runner-up. The passion for "more" is a distinct characteristic of the first peak of happiness – What is this first peak?

Achievement – The First Peak!

What is Achievement? The dictionary defines achievement as an accomplishment – a feeling that is born after achieving something. To the common man, achievement is more related to hitting a target or achieving a goal. There are others who consider fulfilling of dreams or desires to be achievements.

We human beings have desires and wants, and there is

30
nothing unusual about wanting. But not all our wants are fulfilled. Whenever a want, a need, a goal, or a dream is successfully completed, we experience an emotion, a sense, and a feeling that is called achievement. This feeling of achieving is the First Peak of Happiness – Achievement.

Think about it. You so desperately wanted to go for a movie. You stood in a queue for so long to reach the ticket counter. And then you get to know that the seats are sold out. Are you happy or miserable? Of course, you are unhappy because you couldn't achieve your desire of getting the ticket for the movie.

Now imagine that you reached the ticket counter and you were the last one to get the ticket. How do you feel? You feel extremely happy because you achieved your desire of getting a ticket for the movie you really wanted to go.

Happiness is all about achievement. It may be any kind of achievement. We may term it differently, but the moment we get what we seek, we fulfill our desire. If our dreams come true, we become happy. We experience joy because we move forward on the peak of Achievement.

Achievement gives a "kick" – an immense pleasure that creates happiness. It releases that magical hormone dopamine in the blood, which triggers joy. It's like a drug you can't do without.

31
Does "Achievement = Happiness"?

It is a myth that achievement equals happiness because the joy experienced from achievement is temporary and fleeting. Of course, one experiences momentary happiness, but does one remain happy for very long? No, because we tend to seek more, and our greed over takes our need. People move from need to greed, and their appetite of expectations gets bigger and bigger. This is because people presume that they will get more happiness if they have more money, more love, more sex, more gadgets, more cars, more houses, or more gold. They continue on this journey, but they are never satisfied. They think that just by pulling happiness triggers, they can be happy.

It is ironical, but if we analyze, the ones who have achieved the most are not the happiest. If achievement was equal to happiness, then ideally, the greater the achievement, the happier one should be. But this is not the case.

Look around, and you will find hundreds of men and women living a miserable life. They are achievers with lots of success and achievement, but still they are unhappy. The "law of diminishing returns" sets in; the more one achieves, the incremental happiness is not proportionate. People get bored of their money, their success, and their life. Somebody has a great time going on a cruise for the first time, but the second or third cruise doesn't double or triple the happiness. One who loves chocolates doesn't enjoy the fifth bar of chocolate

32
as much and may end up refusing the tenth bar. In fact, one could get sick if they were forced to eat the fifteenth one!

While Achievement does create happiness, it's just the first peak. Soon this peak of Achievement doesn't enhance one's joy, happiness, and peace. It could be continuous Achievement or a life with intermittent success and failure. All those who are on this journey of the first peak of happiness – Achievement – soon reach the end of road. It is a dead end wherein happiness always ends.

Do You Believe that "Money = Happiness"?

It is commonly believed that "Money = Happiness"; the more the money, the more the joy. Is it true? If it was so, then the rich would be glad, and the poor would be sad. Why do we find the opposite to be true? Many rich people live a disappointed life, feeling defeated although they have the whole world in their hands. This is because money doesn't create happiness. It can buy things that can give pleasure, but this joy soon runs dry. It may take one to the first peak of happiness, but suddenly one realizes there are others who are far happier and they aren't so rich. In fact, there are many poor people who are happier than the rich. With money, one can afford things that create happiness, but by itself, money cannot buy happiness. Money does create pleasure for many, but it is NOT the ultimate key to happiness.

33
"You can have everything in this world and still be unhappy; you can have little and be very Happy. Happiness does not depend on Possessions." – RVM

Of course, those who are rich may be happy most of the time, but are they the happiest of all? They may be the richest in terms of material prosperity and they may be the tallest in terms of name and fame, but they are definitely not the happiest.

Often the rich and famous are frustrated to find those less fortunate than them, especially in terms of money in the bank, happier in the heart.

Happiness is Beyond Being Rich or Poor

There was a boy, whose family was very wealthy. One day, his father took him on a trip to the countryside, where he wanted his son to see how poor people live. So they went to a farm of a family considered very poor to spend a few days. On their return, the father asked his son if he liked the trip. "Oh, it was great, dad" – the boy replied. The father asked, "Did you notice how poor people live?" "Yeah, I did"– said the boy. The father asked his son to explain about his impressions from their trip.

"Well, we have only one dog, and they have four. In our garden, there is a pool, while they have a river that has no end. We've got expensive lanterns, but they have stars above their heads at night. We have the patio, and they have the whole horizon. We have only a small piece of land, while they have the endless fields. We buy food, but they grow it. We have high fence for protection of our property, and they don't need it as their friends protect them."

34
The father was stunned. He was speechless.

Then the boy added: "Thank you, dad, for letting me see how poor we are."

True wealth as well as happiness is not measured only by material things! So, are people on this peak actually happy?

The answer could be "Yes" or it could be "No" or both. On the peak of Achievement, people do become happy, but the very next moment, they are disappointed and become miserable when their expectations are not met. There are many who think that life is all about achievement, success, and money. They soon realize that their happiness gets exhausted far before their resources do. They may be chasing name and fame in the game of life, but they can't find happiness anywhere. There is lot of success, but very little happiness.

This doesn't mean that the whole world is unhappy. It is just that the world seems to be on a merry-go-round, and we are going round in circles passing happiness and unhappiness in every round of life.

People on this peak live like a yo-yo that goes up and down, being glad and sad. The mind desires and expects, but unfortunately, all our cravings are not fulfilled. Therefore, we experience the peak of happiness and the valley of unhappiness in cycles. Just like waves that appear and then subside in an ocean, we pull happiness triggers and become happy, but we are

35
also attacked by joy stealers that pull us down, stealing our bliss.

The unfortunate truth is that at the end of the peak of Achievement is a cliff – death! People who chase success from womb to tomb ultimately die with probably a lot of wealth but not a lot of happiness. Such is the first peak. Majority of people get caught in this roller coaster of Achievement, and the excitement and thrill makes them forget to look beyond the peak. They go up and down crying and laughing, but ultimately it's over. They wanted happiness, but they had no time to look for it. They chase happiness only to experience intermittent moments of joy and sorrow. They hope that they shall reach the destination of bliss and joy, but they often die seeking such happiness. Alas! They never reach the peak. There is no end to this Achievement peak; it is like a bottomless well till we strike death. Such is the Achievement journey – the first peak of happiness.

A Journey by Default

Unfortunately, the whole of humanity seems to have been packed into an airplane called Achievement. From takeoff to landing, the entire flight of life is all about success, money, and achievement. It lasts as long as the flight lasts, but eventually we crash into our grave.

Those who age in a cage make their wage, but they just live to die. They don't discover anything beyond. Everybody seems to be running to make more money, success, and achievement. The whole world seems to be

36
on a race to be an ace, but we are caught in this maze. We get lost and forget how to be happy. Such is the default journey of life.

Happiness philosophers have analyzed that 80% of humanity live and die on the first peak of happiness. People think that achievement is the only peak, the only way to be happy. They believe that it is normal in the happiness journey to be constantly shuttling from peak to valley – being happy and then unhappy– and so they accept this journey as their only choice.

Most of us live and die on the first peak of happiness. People on the first peak think of it as the only peak of happiness. However, the fact is that happiness is a journey. Moreover, the search for seeking of happiness never stops. It goes on and on and on till the last day of our life. Normally, human beings are seeking, wanting, and craving for happiness, and therefore, the experience of the combination of joy and sorrow is a typical menu on any normal human being's plate as every craving is never fulfilled. And people think this is life; they live and die being glad and sad and think there is no other way. They confuse pleasure to be happiness, and by the time they realize the shallow understanding of bliss, it's too late.

While everybody wants to be happy, we continue to live in a world that creates both joy and sorrow just like day and night. We look for eternal happiness, but we go up and down the escalator of joy and sorrow.

37
Why is this so? Why does the man who actually seeks happiness live a life that shuttles between being glad and sad? Why does one go up and down the ladder of happiness on the first peak? Is it not possible just to go up? Why does 80% of humanity live on a happiness journey that doesn't promise joy and peace forever? Why is it that very few people are truly happy, satisfied, and content? Why is it that the majority – a huge 80% of humanity – is unfortunate not to taste the bliss and the joy of the second peak of happiness?

That is because though all of us are chasing happiness, not many are committed to find a way to live a happier life. People get stuck on the first peak of happiness and don't even realize that there is another choice because they don't search enough. They look up at their first peak of happiness just like a child who looks up at the sky and thinks that there is nothing beyond.

Less than 20% of the world is lucky to get out of this giant wheel of joy and sorrow that goes round in circles. They are the few who pursue the second peak of happiness. They take an exit on the highway of the first peak to find the next peak of Happiness – a Peak that's far more joyous.

What is the magic that creates more happiness than Achievement? How is it possible for the poor to be happier than the rich? Is there something that is beyond the ladder of Achievement? Of course, there is.

38
But it seems to be a paradox that many can't understand. Only those who move on beyond the first peak of Achievement know the secret.

It is true that people don't go from Achievement to the next peak because they don't have a good enough reason to. They have never stopped to find out what makes them truly happy. They have not made that list of their own exclusive happiness triggers. Of course there are things that they would love to do. Somebody would love to learn Japanese and somebody else would love to learn swimming in that ocean or snorkelling and scuba diving. But they never did it because they lived and died on the cycle of achievement. They believed that the cycle of achievement was such that they had to keep on pedalling, and if they stopped pedalling, they would fall. They never found a good enough reason to stop or to shut down what they were doing and to start doing something that was better, happier, and more meaningful as they knew of nothing that would give them contentment. It was not because there was nothing in reality, but because they didn't switch their passion and obsession for achievement to something that was better. So people live and die. They exist through life forgetting that they are amongst 80% who aren't truly happy. Of course, they are not unhappy all the time. People on the Achievement journey go up and down in cycles of being glad and sad. But they don't realize the joy that's experienced by the people on the next peak – the plateau of peace, joy, and bliss where there is no craving and desire because there is

39
contentment. And one who is on this peak now lives with so much joy because he is doing something that he always wished to do. He is living a life of meaning and purpose.

What was it that was creating this paralysis in people who are on the first peak of happiness? What was stopping people from changing and from taking that leap? What made people tie their life like a little boat on the shores, stopping them from letting go and discovering the amazing oceans that lie ahead? What made people sit and not dream of a happier and healthier life? I realized the biggest problem. The biggest problem seemed to be the fear. What if my transformed life doesn't give me happiness? What if this journey of contentment is a myth? What if I stop my Achievement journey and fall behind? Such thoughts confine people in a cave like cavemen who thought their life was to live and die in a cave. So many people live like frogs in a well thinking that there is nothing beyond their well. They think that there is only an Achievement peak and nothing beyond. This is not because there is nothing beyond, but because their mind creates fear – the fear of the uncertain, the fear of what may happen tomorrow, and the fear of what may happen if they don't find meaning and purpose. This fear kills people because it makes them continue existing on the first peak till they fall down the cliff of life and die. Those who eliminate the fear are the lucky few – 20% of humanity – who take that leap of faith, transform their life, and choose to do things that truly

40
make their life meaningful and happy.

There was a lady who lived on this peak of Achievement for years together till one unfortunate day when her husband passed away. Then she thought, "For so many decades, he didn't let me do what I love to do". She loved to paint, and she got great joy from the canvas and the brush. Now suddenly she had the freedom to choose, to transform her life, and to spend her time painting each day with so much more joy. What was dreaded to be a life of loneliness without her life partner turned around to be a life of contentment because she was doing something she loved and it created happiness. Whilst the loss of a dear one did create that unhappiness, it was made up far more by the joy that came from painting. Do you have a good enough reason to transform your life, or are you so busy existing that you have no time to live? Many people live lives that are sad. They turn the pages of the calendar till one fine day, their life is over without finding a good reason to transform their life. They live and die on the first peak of Achievement.

What will people say? That's the next question that stops the majority of our friends to live a life of contentment. They are more worried about the society and what others will think and say. So they sacrifice their own happiness because of the fear of what others will say. Let us realize that people will talk. We have to be able to plant our own roses, to pick our own fruits, and to be able to create a life of happiness for ourselves.

41
If somebody is making a comment on our life, how does it matter? Their comment is theirs. We cannot control people's actions, but we can control our reactions because they are our reactions. We have to learn to react positively and to react to the challenges of life by transforming our life from a life of achievement to a life of contentment. For if we don't, we would be so controlled by public opinion and influenced by what people say that we would not have the time to go into our heart and find out what we truly love to do. That will be sad because this gift of life comes to each one of us just once. Life gone is gone. You cannot replay life. Yesterday is gone forever and instead of enjoying today, we worry about tomorrow and we forget to live. In reality, we shouldn't worry about the world and what people say. Instead, we should worry about what our heart wants and desires. If we follow our heart and if we take the path that leads to contentment, we will experience joy on the second peak. That is a peak that is far loftier than the peak of achievement. The joy, bliss, and peace that come on this journey can only be understood by one who transforms and takes an exit from the path of achievement. One who truly starts living rather than existing does what he wants to do rather than what the world expects from him. That is what takes one from the first peak of happiness to the second one.

My Achievement Journey

When I look back at my life and my happiness journey, I

see that I too was struggling on the first peak of

42
happiness, Achievement, for 25 years. I started young at the age of 16 and took an exit at 40 after two and a half decades of going from achievement to achievement on the first peak. It seemed like so many peaks while I was on it – success after success. I thought life just had one range of happiness.

It was fun and exciting, but it was a roller coaster of joy and sorrow. Every time there was success, there were also problems and disappointments, but such was life – that's what I believed was the happiness journey of Achievement. It was only after 25 years that I was fortunate to find the second peak and I made the decision with courage to take an exit.

I bought my first car at 18 after opening an advertising agency that did unconventional stuff. What a success! It was a great feeling. I was truly happy, and it got me to start my success journey. I became a retail tycoon at 20 after I shut down my advertising business to help takeover my dad's retail store. Everything I did gave me happiness – not just the destination, but also the journey. I enjoyed climbing the peak as much as the efforts that went into preparation. There were lots of challenges, and through teamwork, creative imagination, and faith, we converted the problems into opportunities and experienced bliss. Success can be intoxicating; it often creates an addiction that blinds one from everything else. All I could see was success, money, and pleasure on the Achievement peak.

43
It was a decade of success that went on and on – one after the other. I started travelling around the world, bringing in new ideas, and risking larger investments that created further success and money. I was making more money than I could have ever imagined, and I was laughing all the way to the bank. I was truly happy, very excited, and amazingly blissful, and I felt completely satisfied with the name, the fame, and the pleasure that it created.

You name it, I've got it! There was nothing I didn't have – cars, clothes, credit cards, and cash; there was no shortage of anything. I had everything one could possibly want in life. But was all this making me truly happy?

The truth is my life as Ravi Melwani was like a roller coaster. There were times when I was screaming in joy, just as there were times when I couldn't sustain the pain. These ups and downs are seen by anybody who is on an achievement journey.

During my success journey, I was lucky to have somehow planted the seeds of doing humanitarian, inspirational, and spiritual work. I was just 30, but I used to go to the streets and serve food to the poor and distribute blankets to those freezing in the chilly winters. The joy that I got by "making a difference" gave me far more contentment than my Achievement.

Another great feeling was the inspiration that I created in the lives of other people. I frequently gave lectures that

44
motivated people to flip over from negative to positive, thereby urging them to live with faith, hope, love, courage, and confidence rather than fear, worry, anger, hate, and doubt. Somehow this inspiration that I vibrated to others created a tremendous happiness in my heart. It was not about making money, but it was about transforming people's lives.

My faith in the Creator also granted me great peace and solace. It became the foundation of my positive energy. It generated enthusiasm in me that became the fuel for my success.

Together, all my three non-profit initiatives – Humanitarian, Inspirational, and Spiritual (H.I.S.) work–were giving me far more happiness than my success and achievements.

The next 10 years of my life were not just full of achievements but also a lot of contentment. Subconsciously, my happiness had evolved without my knowledge to a far greater joy of peace and contentment. After 3 pentads of Achievement, the next 2 pentads – my final decade on this peak – were far happier!

I used to think that it is only money that was giving me happiness. Yes, money was giving me happiness, but not all the time. Money was responsible for the pleasure and fun in my life, but whenever the happiness was waning, it was my humanitarian, inspirational, and spiritual

45
endeavors that kept me blissful. Like everybody else, I too was shuttling between the peak-and-valley experience of joy and sorrow. It was then I realized that making money was giving me happiness, but far greater happiness was coming from making a difference!

I was happy – very, very happy, but I never ever thought that I was among the happiest people on Earth. I was very grateful as I counted my blessings looking back at the 25 years of my life. Our business had grown from a small rented store to a large property that we owned. I had further succeeded in buying another property that was ten times more valuable.

There was lot more money, wealth, and success in the dreams ahead. I was about to embark on another project that would take me from 40 to 60. No doubt the next 20 years would take me into the billionaire clubs, but would it make me happier? I was sure it wouldn't! Jesus had said – "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" I stopped and I thought: "Should I continue on this Achievement journey, or is there a better way to live?" I decided to exit! Till today I cannot believe that I had the courage to take this decision. It was after much introspection and after I turned 40, spending 25 years on the highway I called success that I took this decision. I changed my direction on the GPS of my life – away from the peak of Achievement to a highway of contentment. I did not know where I would reach, but I was sure my choice of

46
making a difference would give me far more happiness than making money.

I shut down my business and called it a day. Somehow I knew that this peak of Achievement would not help me achieve my objective of life of being happy. I chose to be content living with peace and joy that came from making a difference rather than making money. People were shocked when they saw me taking an exit from retailing when I was just 40. Yes, I had worked for 25 years and become rich, but I decided to rethink the decision of whether I would want to spend the next few decades building an even wealthier empire. I wanted to live, but I did not want to exist like a machine that just makes money. I wanted to pursue those ambitions that were giving me peace and contentment. I did not want to die with millions in the bank that would be of no use to me after my life. Rather, I wanted to live a life filled with joy, peace, and bliss!

I was 40, and I had seen enough of life. I had seen the rich becoming richer but not happier. I had watched people live and die without fulfilling their dream of being truly happy. I could see it in black and white that we had to make a choice of either pursuing a life of achievement or a life of contentment. These were two opposites on the see-saw called life. If one was enjoying the aura of money and success, then one could never be content; but if one was content, then one did not want more wealth but was enjoying true happiness. One of these two choices

47
summarized every individual's life. It was scary because 80% of world was settled on the peak of Achievement, but I could see that they were not truly happy. The 20% who were much more happier were content and had stopped pursuing success and achievement as their primary life focus.

I made the choice. It felt like a gamble. I was shutting down a profitable business that was making millions to pursue a life that would create more happiness. What if I failed? What if I was making a wrong decision of shutting down my business? I was just 40; maybe, I should take this decision after I was 60 or at least 50. But I didn't want to waste another 10 or 20 years on the Achievement peak. I wanted to be happy! In fact, I wrote a book – my first book titled "I Wanna Be Happy"– and this inspired me to make the final decision. I shut down my business and decided to pursue the second peak of happiness.

I knew beyond doubt that happiness was not just about Achievement and that there was a peak beyond. But I did not know more.... All I knew is that if I wanted to be

truly happy, I should exit and move on towards the next peak of happiness.

Towards the Next Peak

Since 80% of humanity are on the first happiness peak, the most common question is "How does one go to the second happiness peak?" Why is it that most people are

48
stuck on the first peak, and what is the method to scale up?

The first peak is Achievement, where people are trying to achieve MORE! People want more success, more money, and more happiness through more fun, more food, more travel, more entertainment, and the list goes on. People seek all these because they think more of all these leads to more happiness. But this is a myth. Unless people don't realize it, they will continue to chase achievement and remain on the first peak of happiness.

The second peak starts with contentment. On this peak, people are far happier not because they want more and have more, but because they are content and satisfied. This state is far more blissful than the state of achievement.

The first way to evolve from the first peak to the second is to understand the peaks and seek the second peak by stopping at need and not letting greed take command of life. One resolves to be content, and this contentment takes one towards the second peak that is greater happiness.

As long as one's objective is only achievement, and such is the case of most people, one does not experience the bliss of making a difference. Switching over from a life of getting to a life of giving leads to far more happiness.

But people still ask how? How does one switch over? How does one transform? When should one stop? How

49
much is enough? The answer: it is never enough! For most people, achievement is a never-ending process, and we go on trying to achieve more till death. We are caught in this maze and are unable to transform to a happier life. Therefore, the question is not about how much is enough! Rather, it is about "Can I transform now?" "Can I stop running the rat race immediately?"It is about having the courage to say, " "It is enough! I don't need more." And this is the biggest problem. A middle-class person wants to become a millionaire and a millionaire wants ten million and one who has it wants to become a billionaire. We are always wanting for more, and this is what holds us back on the first peak. We will never experience true happiness because our desires and our cravings will make us run on and on.

Therefore, to transform one's life from the first peak of Achievement to the second peak, one has to take charge of one's mind. If our mind is not under our control, we can never transform.

The mind is constantly thinking up to fifty thoughts a minute. It produces both positive and negative thoughts. These thoughts cause pleasure and pain. They make us glad and sad. Thoughts of love, faith, hope, courage, confidence, compassion, forgiveness and the like create happiness, just as thoughts of hate, worry, despair, anger, greed, revenge, and jealousy create unhappiness. Contentment is reached when we flip over from negative to positive, that is, when the

50
 negative thoughts become positive thoughts. Negative thoughts are fuelled by the raw material of negative emotions. On eliminating the negative emotions, we stop the production of negative thoughts. At the same time, we must increase the positive emotions that lead to positive thoughts. This flipping over is the key method that can lead us to a transformation. One seeking the second peak stops being greedy, starts giving, starts loving, and starts laughing. This is the way to a happier life!

In contrast, when we watch people on the first peak, they are just running. There is no time for positive emotions and positive thoughts to dominate their life. It is the mixture of positive and negative that creates a peak-and-valley effect of sometimes being glad and sometimes being sad.

Do you want to climb from the first peak of happiness to the second? Then realize that life is short. You can't live forever. Don't earn for others to burn what you earn. Realize that happiness comes from giving, not from getting and from spending, rather than from earning. Stop and give as you live so that when you die, the world will cry. Start living a new life, eliminate negativity, and fill your life with positive energy. Most importantly, be content and satisfied. Understand life and live with meaning and purpose and with faith, hope, and enthusiasm. Fill your life with love and laughter, and let there be not just joy but also peace.

51
 This method of transformation may sometimes be instantaneous like a switching over. Sometimes, it may be a long process where you keep practicing. You keep hammering just like a stonecutter hammers at the rock – one time, ten times, and hundred times, but nothing seems to happen. But suddenly on the next strike, the rock breaks into two. Sometimes the second peak is scaled by hammering away negativity just as it sometimes may come by switching on a light in a dark room.

If you want to discover a better way to live life happier, healthier, and wealthier, then resolve to exit from the first peak of happiness because as long as you are chasing happiness on the first peak, you can never discover true happiness that resides on the second one.

Imagine that you are standing on a ladder. You are trying to climb to the next step. But can you do it without first lifting your leg from the previous rung? You cannot discover the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Let go and let happiness evolve!

It happened to me. I was in the achievement journey for 25 years, and it was not easy to move to the second peak. But once I made up my mind, I became like a wave in the ocean – unstoppable as I was moving to the next peak. I shut down my business and stopped making money and started making a difference. I was happy earlier, but this transformation gave me happiness far,

52
 far, far greater than I had ever experienced before. Earlier my success created pleasure, but now I had pleasure and peace. All the positive energy created a joy that was priceless.

Yes, you too can transform your life if you realize that the purpose of life is not just to exist, but to live, to do what you love, and love what you do. To enjoy every moment of life, you too can transform from the first peak of happiness – Achievement to the second peak. What is this second peak?

Summary

  * While the whole world is seeking happiness, people don't know that happiness has several peaks. 80% of humanity are on the first peak of happiness called Achievement.

  * The distinct characteristic of the first peak is that we live with greed. We want more and more, and we have many desires and expectations. Every time a desire is fulfilled, we become happy, and every time it is not, we become unhappy.

  * People on the first peak live like a yo-yo. They go round and round like a merry-go-round, passing happiness and unhappiness as they keep seeking more and more and more.

  * They think this is life, and so they continue living, wanting, seeking, achieving, and being happy and again becoming unhappy.

  * They live and die on this first peak of happiness without realizing that there is a happiness peak beyond.

53
 CHAPTER 3

THE SECOND PEAK OF HAPPINESS

My Journey Beyond Ordinary Happiness

After shutting down my business, what next?

I was just 40 when I shut down my business. Why?

It is because I wanted to be happy or rather happier. I did not want to live and die struggling on a day-to-day basis. Was I unhappy? No. But I was not satisfied. I wanted to find a better way to live – a happier way. I was in search of happiness that came from contentment. I was seeking happiness that was not like a yo-yo going up and down every day. I wanted to evolve to a life beyond greed. My book "I Wanna Be Happy" was a great tool to discover the second peak of happiness. I had realized that more money doesn't mean more happiness.

I was living like a machine just like most people do. I had no time to pursue my passion. What gave me true happiness were hobbies that I had no time for. When I shut down my business, suddenly I had all the time in the world. I was so excited to start my new life journey. I had no business, but I was fortunate that 25 years of hard work had made enough money for me to have an occupation that was non-profit. In fact, I was blessed to start spending my money that I had already made. I decided to spend my time and money doing Humanitarian, Inspirational, and Spiritual work (H.I.S. work). I was always passionate about travelling. I decided to explore the world made by the Creator.

The world was shocked to see a man who used to work 18 hours a day and 7 days a week on the shop floor shut down his

54
 business to do something else. They couldn't understand how making a difference was giving me far more happiness than making money. But to me, eventually that's what gave me far greater happiness.

My life had moved on to finding something new. I had descended from one peak of happiness to scale the next peak. I already knew that there was a second peak. It was not about making money. It was about doing what one loves to do. Unfortunately, most people do otherwise. They live and die doing jobs that they hate. How could they be happy? I was now pursuing the second peak of happiness. I was already so excited to be free from my 126-hour week schedule of retailing. Now I had all the time in the world to do what my heart desired with enough money in the bank to fuel it. Surely it was a great place to be in!

A New Name... A New Philosophy... A New Vision!

My life was transformed – not just my name Ravi V. Melwani that changed to RVM, but also my entire philosophy and vision of life changed. I knew that I wanted to move on and I had to rebrand myself; otherwise I would slip back into my old personality.

In my pursuit of a new life, I set up a new foundation – The RVM Foundation – after my new name and tried to link it to a new philosophy. It worked. RVM stood for the philosophy "Rejoice, Value Life, Make a Difference" – this was exactly what my life was about now! I wanted to have fun doing the things I love, making the best of every moment.

55
 This was my new vision – R.V.M.

R – Reducing Pain and Suffering V – Vibrating Positive Energy M – Making People Believers

I was excited that my new name RVM gave birth to a vision that became my life mission – to "Make a Difference". So here I was – a new man RVM with a new philosophy, a new vision, and a new mission.

It seemed like I was dancing in joy. Every moment of my new life was so blissful that it can't be expressed in words. I thought I was the happiest man in the world. Although I was not the richest man in the world, I was richer than all of them because I could live my dream. I was the master of my life. I was content, satisfied, and happy beyond words. My life was full of peace and tranquillity. The most important thing was that everything I did gave me contentment.

What Inspired my Transformation?

I had always read about people who evolved in life and wondered how they did it. Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller were some of those who I looked up to. I could see so clearly that their happiness was beyond pleasure and achievement. And I hoped I could do it one day.

Then, I read about many others who moved on to greater happiness. I even felt like that monk who wanted to sell his Ferrari. I met people like Mr. Gurcharan Das – the then CEO of Procter & Gamble – who decided to give up a prosperous career to become an author. I was clear I wanted to make a difference. To me, happiness would come if I could touch, trigger, and transform the world.

56
 With this inspiration, what I needed was a choice, and a decision. I needed the courage and the conviction. My final push came from my Mentor and my Guru – Dada J. P. Vaswani. He knew that I believed in – "Do what you love, and love what you do". He also knew that I was seeking a purpose in life. He provoked me and encouraged me to shut down my business, thus showing me the path to a new transformed life. I just walked into joy, bliss, and peace.

The Key to My Enhanced Happiness

What was the cause of my new joy? It was the new mission of my life – to "Make a Difference". For 25 years, I was busy making money. No doubt I was happy, but it was a struggle going from one peak to another. Making a difference gave me far more joy than making money. I realized that happiness comes from spending money, not making it. Most people think otherwise. It was then when I heard how a millionaire, a fellow member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), on his death bed said, "If only I had lived my life spending my money rather than just making it, I would have died a happier man". This endorsed my decision as I realized that far more than money, happiness fountains from different sources.

My new philosophy was a happy philosophy. Everybody in my office was encouraged to "Rejoice, Value life, and Make a difference". The team was encouraged to have fun, and they believed that"work made fun gets done". People looked forward coming to office, often 7 days a week – sometimes beyond 12 to 15 hours! It was not work; it was fun! To top it all, it gave us contentment. Our work was to reduce pain and suffering, to vibrate positive energy, and to make people believers. Each of these endeavours was producing happiness. I was climbing the Second Peak.

57
Little did I realize that my new transformed life had already started me on a journey to the second peak of happiness. But I could feel it! I was far happier – far more excited and a lot more content with my life. I was surrounded by peace and tranquillity that I had not known before. There was no struggle to make money, and I asked myself, "Why was I making money for so many years that I didn't need now?" I could have stopped working 10 years earlier, but then that was the past. Probably, it was meant to be. I was meant to be on the first peak till 40. I was now happy that I had embarked upon this new journey. One distinct observation was that there were very few people on this highway of happiness that led to the second peak. There were no crowds and no hustle and bustle of people scramming to be happy. Whoever was on this journey was joyous, peaceful, and content. Their life revolved around their need, not their greed. They were all living with a larger meaning and a greater purpose of life.

All these years, I was busy making money, and as I introspect, I was trying to get happiness from making money. It was like a rat race as I see in hindsight. Of course, that was exciting, but half the fun went away with trouble, the chaos, and the stress, which was now conspicuous with its absence. On this new highway, every penny I spent gave me far more happiness than every million I earned.

Why did I feel that this journey of RVM was truly much happier than the earlier 25 years of Ravi V. Melwani? I could compare my life of achievement to my current life. I could make out the difference between the joy of making money and the joy of making a difference.I was the same and my life was the same, but with a different state of mind and a different

58
 philosophy. I was on a different peak. There were three things that occupied my time as RVM – Reducing Pain and Suffering, Vibrating Positive Energy, and Making People Believers.

Whenever I used to reach out to those who were suffering in pain and helped put back smiles on their faces or whenever I met people who were crying on the street and helped put them back on their feet, it gave me great joy. I learnt a simple secret – If you want to be happy, make others happy. It is so true; try it! You will find magic when you make others happy, and this is what happened when I was making a difference to others. It is sad to know that there are people who throw their parents out of their homes because they have no space. The same parents who took care of them and nurtured them for decades are not their priority anymore. Just because of the new family, their wife and their children, now there is no place for their parents. We pick such people who are discarded and admit them into our orphanages and homes as specially adopted cases of our family. There can be no price tag to the happiness that one experiences when one makes a difference in such people's life. We help people who are dying in pain, who have had accidents, and who are suffering from terminal health conditions such as AIDS, leprosy, typhoid, malaria, and TB. The bigger problem is that not only they are on the streets with nobody to care for them, but they don't even have a penny in their pocket. When you reach out to such people and make a difference by reducing their pain and suffering, the joy you get cannot be equated to any of the joys that can be got by any of the happiness triggers that you could ever pull. I found this joy tremendously satisfying when I reached out to touch and transform such people's lives.

59
 The second way of experiencing this bliss came through vibrating positive energy. When I found people living a miserable and negative life, I helped them turn from NEP to PEP – Negative Energy Poison to Positive Energy Power. I showed them to live a life of fulfillment, contentment, joy, cheer, positivity, hope, faith, and enthusiasm. I could see their life transformed. Vibrating positive energy to others gave me more joy than I ever received when I was growing my business or when I made a lot of profit. Of course I was happy, but the kind of joy that came from doing inspirational work was far more fulfilling.

The third aspect of making a difference was making people believers. I myself was a strong believer, and I realized that when people live without the foundation of faith, hope, trust, and enthusiasm, they live in a house that has no steel, no concrete, and no stone. They build their lives on a foundation of sand. Through the temple and my rendition of spiritual songs, I was able to bring a lot of peace and serenity in people's lives by helping them become believers, making a difference, and in the bargain, enjoying a bliss that gave me fulfillment.

Yes, it is my personal experience that when I stopped making money and started making a difference and when I was living the RVM philosophy of Reducing Pain and Suffering, Vibrating Positive Energy, and Making People Believers, the joy that I got was very satisfying and fulfilling. Finally, what mattered is that it made me happy – far happier than I was on the peak of Achievement. Yes, there was a lot of pleasure in achieving success after success, but there was far more peace and far more joy and bliss when I was making a difference in

60
 people's life through my Humanitarian, Inspirational, and Spiritual (H.I.S.) work.

What else gave me joy, bliss, and peace that was far more elevating than my Achievement peak? I had the time to do what I loved. I loved to travel. I had this dream of going to different countries – 200 countries that we humans have created on Earth. I wanted to explore all the continents and see what the Creator had made, and so I started travelling. I went to places that I had dreamt of: Iceland, Hawaii, Alaska, New Zealand, Australia, and even up to Antarctica just to see the Penguins. I wanted to experience the bliss of being on a ship for two weeks. I feel blessed and fortunate to be one of those who went on such an experience. But I asked myself the question – what would I do if I did not go to Antarctica and enjoy this bliss of watching the amazing penguins jump out of the ocean on to the ice blocks, playing like little clowns? I would have money after all the success and achievement, but what would I do with it eventually? My game of life would be over, and then the money would be just left for the next generation to do whatever they wished. How would it affect my happiness? I was not being selfish, but just being practical and logical as to why do we human beings just go on in a cycle doing things without meaning and without purpose? I was experiencing bliss like never before. I was past 40. After 25 years of doing business and now in this journey of contentment, from 40 to 48 years of age, I was experiencing bliss each day that was a far higher state of happiness that anybody on the peak of Achievement could ever have reached. Sure, people may have money and they may be wealthier than me, but I believed that I was the happiest man on Earth!

61
 Nobody could be as happy as me! I was travelling month after month from country to country, continent to continent from an airplane to a ship, enjoying the bliss of travelling the world, discovering and exploring different places. This was truly blissful and fulfilling!

Every morning, when I woke up, I was so grateful for the decision I made. I counted my blessings for the 25 years on the first peak and the transformation to the second one.

The journey onward seemed so much more promising and satisfying. Most important of all, I was far happier every new day. My concern about quitting from an active life and giving up my business was laid to rest with my enhanced joy. It was a worthwhile decision. I am glad that I had the guts to leave the ruts, which many people lack. Being creatures of habits and beliefs, we are unable to change and transform our life. But my own story is a testimony to inspire people to evolve and pursue a better and happier life beyond achievement.

I was Fortunate... I am Grateful!

I had left the business world, departed from the peak of achievement, and taken an exit from the highway of pleasure to a path of peace. I looked at those who were struggling through life, my friends, my family, and my relatives. I was appalled to find how they lived each day searching for happiness and chasing pleasure and joy, without any smile on their face. I wondered why people were so obsessed about success? Why were people so passionate about achievement? Why were people giving so much importance to money, wealth, name, and fame? And the words that Jesus said once again came back to me: "For what shall it profit a man, if he

62
 shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul", and I thought what would it profit a man if he lost his life and gained all the money.

I had a realization. It is very strange, but in this world, each one of us comes with time. What do we do? We convert this time into money. And in the end, we have lesser time and lot of money and finally there is no time and the game of life is over. What is the big deal? You have money, but you have no time to live; you have wealth, but you have no health to enjoy your wealth. What is the great achievement of making all the wealth and being the richest in the Forbes list among the billionaires of the world and having jewellery, properties, stocks, shares, and so much money? If you can't convert your money into happiness, you are no better than a bankrupt. This is what I felt when I was blissfully basking on the second peak of happiness – a plateau of not just pleasure but peace, of meaning and purpose, and of love and laughter.

As I enjoyed each moment of my life travelling the world and making a difference, I felt sad for those who were struggling on the peak of achievement – climbing then falling, slipping then laughing and crying. I couldn't understand why we humans struggle on the peak of achievement? For what do we go on and on chasing success after success? At the end of it, we just pack up everything like a board game – with all the money and assets that we played with, which are fake. We cannot convert this into happiness.

I must admit that I have been lucky to be able to transform my life. Not everybody is. My family, for instance, could have objected to my decision to shut down my business, but they

63
 supported it. I was blessed that everything worked perfectly well in my transformation. It all seemed so magical. Everything went on so perfectly that it seemed to be a seamless transition.

Many people dread a transformation. They worry about how they will be able to shut down their old life and then how would they start a new journey of life. It seems to be a herculean task as it may involve many hassles in both aspects. First of all, it is not easy to shut down "a life". It has to do with so many people, relationships, and aspects. It is equally difficult to start a new life – a fresh one. People worry of boredom and emptiness. What if they don't have enough to do? What if they become financially unsafe? What if they want to go back to their old life? Most people's doubts stop them from transforming to a new life and thus evolving to a new peak of happiness. When I speak to many people about my transformation, and I can see that while they wish they too could do it, they shudder at the thought of it. I was very fortunate that I made the jump so easily, safely, and successfully.

Of course, you cannot discover the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Most people do not discover the new treasure of happiness because they cling to the past. They try to have the cake and eat it too, and eventually, they end up with a life that is a compromise. From my own experience, one must have the faith and take a leap to discover something new if one wants to move forward in life.

With the support of my family, my friends, and my mentor

64
 and Guru and inspiration from my passion to find a better and happier way to live, I transformed my life. I do believe that my universal connection with the Creator helped me take this important decision. Most important of all, I did not let greed stop me from moving out of making money. Most people are so enamoured by the desire of wanting more that they keep climbing the peak of achievement till one fine day they reach a cliff and fall. That is their end. I am grateful that I took the exit on the achievement highway at the right time towards the second peak.

Post transforming my life from the first peak to the second peak, when I reflect upon the life of Ravi V. Melwani and the life of RVM, what do I see? I see that Ravi V. Melwani was a very successful retailer, he was famous, he was known, his ego was full blown, and he felt very powerful from the success, wealth, property, and money he created. But while Ravi V. Melwani was making more money, was he happier than RVM? Of course not! Who else could say this better than the one who was in the shoes of both Ravi V. Melwani and RVM? It was one person "Me", who was living two different lives. Making a difference gave RVM far more happiness than what he got when he was Ravi V. Melwani. The joy that came to RVM on the fulfillment peak was far greater than the happiness that Ravi V. Melwani experienced on the achievement journey. If I compare the stress levels, RVM led a much less stressful life. If I compare spending time doing things that I loved, Ravi V. Melwani could never do what he loved as there was no time. If I look at who was more satisfied and fulfilled, Ravi V. Melwani was always greedy and always on a passionate trail wanting more, more, and more, but never satisfied. It was RVM who realized that wanting more

65
 and getting more was not the way of happiness because you couldn't get whatever you wanted. Some things you would get and some things you won't, and RVM could see how Ravi V. Melwani used to be miserable when he missed many of the things he wanted and desired. But RVM never felt that misery and pain because RVM lived a life of contentment and fulfillment and therefore there was no disappointment, no sense of defeat, sorrow, and sadness. If I compare the two lives, I could state beyond doubt that RVM – the transformed Ravi V. Melwani – was far more happier than his earlier avatar and his earlier episode in his earlier journey of life, and the transformation gave much more joy and much greater happiness.

Fulfillment – The Second Peak

"Life is not just about chasing millions. It's about achieving happiness and finding fulfillment in what you do." – RVM

I could now see the second peak of happiness in front of me. I call it – FULFILLMENT; this peak was far greater and far more joyous than the first peak of Achievement. The happiness that this second peak offered was amazing. It was all about being content, being satisfied, and being fulfilled. There was so much joy, peace, bliss, and tranquillity on this peak.

What is fulfillment? Essentially, it is a state of being fully content and satisfied. It is a state of being full and not being hungry for more and more. People who are satisfied on fulfilling their needs may find themselves on this peak. But those who let greed take command of their life may find it difficult to scale this one. The

66
 beauty of this peak is that it seems to have no peaks and valleys that make one glad and sad. Unfortunately, less than 20% of the human race pursue this second peak of bliss called Fulfillment.

What is FULFILLMENT?

While the dictionary defines Fulfillment as achievement of desires or needs, the real meaning of Fulfillment in the happiness dictionary is quite different. Fulfillment is a joy beyond the pleasure of Achievement. It is a state of contentment. When one feels full or content with all needs being filled, one is fulfilled. A fulfilled person doesn't live a life of craving and desires. A fulfilled person is satisfied, content, peaceful, and happy. Therefore, Fulfillment is beyond the Achievement peak on the happiness journey. The fulfilled person is content with success and wealth. The word Fulfillment itself describes what it is:

F - Full Satisfaction and Contentment U - Universal Connection

L - Living with Meaning and Purpose F - Faith, Hope, and Trust

I - Inspiration, Energy, and Enthusiasm L - Liberation and Freedom L - Laughter and Love

M - Making a Difference

E - Emotionally Positive N - Noteworthy Success and Achievement T - Tranquillity and Peace

Fulfillment is a combination of all the above. It is a joy

67
 that gives peace along with pleasure. It is a state where there are few disappointments, and therefore, people are happier in a state of Fulfillment. Those who are climbing the peak of Achievement keep on climbing till the end, but those who reach the peak of Fulfillment arrive at a plateau of peace and joy. These are the hallmarks of Fulfillment. Let us look at each one of them.

F - Full Satisfaction and Contentment

One on the Fulfillment peak is fully satisfied and content. It is not normal for people to become content as by nature, we human beings are greedy. We go on seeking more and more. Sometimes we get what we seek and become happy, but still we are never content. We want more! A person who has full satisfaction and contentment stops craving and starts counting his blessings on the Fulfillment journey.

U - Universal Connection

A person on the Fulfillment journey builds a connection with the Universal Power – the Creator who is beyond human comprehension or definition. We do know that there must be a Creator who created this universe, but we are unaware of this Power – a Power that gives us life; it controls everything. Fulfillment is accepting the Power and connecting with it. Connecting with the Universal Power leads one to live powerfully. One on the Fulfillment peak bows down to the Creator – the Power that made the sun, moon, stars, birds, animals, and flowers. A connection with this Power gives one

68
peace, confidence, and hope.

L - Living with Meaning and Purpose

One on the journey of Fulfillment lives with meaning and purpose. One doesn't just exist. Achievers believe that the purpose of life is to make money and be happy, but those on the Fulfillment journey try to find the true meaning of life – the true purpose. This gives them happiness beyond pleasure; it gives them Fulfillment. They live life with meaning and purpose. Their life is inspired by a cause.

F - Faith, Hope, and Trust

Fulfillment is about living with FAITH (Full Assurance In The Heart), with HOPE (Having Only Positive Expectations), and TRUST (Total Reliance Unconditional Surrender to a Power) Fulfillment is built on these pillars, and together, Faith, Hope, and Trust create joy and bliss.

I - Inspiration, Energy, and Enthusiasm

Fulfillment is about living with inspiration, with energy, and with enthusiasm. Those who are fulfilled don't need a motive. They are energized by their own enthusiasm that leads them to dance through life. It makes them glow and shine. It inspires them.

L - Liberation and Freedom

The key virtue of Fulfillment is Liberation – the freedom to live. It is this freedom that pushes one up to the Fulfillment peak – the second peak of happiness. Unlike those on the Achievement peak who are often prisoners

69
 to fences, farces, faces, and forces, the pilgrims on the path of Fulfillment live with their own choice and their own freedom, and this creates tremendous joy.

L - Laughter and Love

Another characteristic of the Fulfillment peak is that people on this path live with love and laughter. They learn to love everybody with affection and compassion, and this creates joy. They laugh cheerfully, accepting whatever happens in life with a smile.

M - Making a Difference

Those on the fulfillment peak live life making a difference. They try to reach out to those whose lives they can touch and transform. Making a difference is magical! It makes one happy instantly. Try it and you will experience a joy that you have never experienced before!

E - Emotionally Positive

Negativity is eliminated from the Fulfillment path. This means flipping over every negative to positive, and positivity is a direct source for happiness. Positive emotions are the foundation of Fulfillment. Instead of living with negative emotions like fear, worry, hate, anger, revenge, and jealousy, Fulfillment leads one to flip over and live a life with positive emotions that create power like faith, hope, love, courage, confidence, forgiveness, and compassion. Can one living an emotionally positive life ever be unhappy?

70
N - Noteworthy Success and Achievement

Fulfillment does not mean that one should live without Achievement and Success. However, one who is on the fulfillment journey doesn't become greedy for more and more success. One on this path is content but is still inspired to achieve more without greed. One aspires for success – noteworthy success – but one does not make this the only obsession of life. One stops at one's need and transcends beyond Achievement to Fulfillment.

T - Tranquillity and Peace

The ultimate gift of Fulfillment is peace and tranquillity. How can a person living with love and laughter, faith and freedom, and energy and enthusiasm ever be unhappy? Peace and tranquillity surround people on the Fulfillment journey.

Together the 11 principles that define Fulfillment are enough to guarantee far more happiness in the Fulfillment journey than in the Achievement race.

The Difference between Achievement and Fulfillment

While those who enjoy happiness coming from the pleasure that is born out of Achievement, the ones whose happiness sprouts from contentment and Fulfillment are far happier. The difference is that pleasure is the raw material of the achievers, while peace is the foundation of Fulfillment. For those people whose joy shines on the Fulfillment peak – they don't see so many valleys of sorrow because essentially, they are content. The greed and craving of the achievers no doubt creates excitement, but

71
also creates heartache and pain that comes from disappointments.

What is the main cause of misery? It is unfulfilled expectations. Therefore, while achievers may have tons of happiness, this happiness is interrupted with sorrow that comes from dreams and goals that are incomplete. Those who evolve from Achievement to Fulfillment learn to base their happiness on contentment. They eliminate the greed that causes misery by being satisfied and content. They realize that it is far greater to be content with the happiness they have than to lose their priceless peace to desires and cravings.

Therefore, the key difference is that the achievers keep climbing their happiness peak with desires, cravings, dreams, and goals, whereas those climbing the Fulfillment peak live a life of joyous acceptance and surrender. It doesn't mean that the ones who are content have no aspiration at all, but it means that their aspiration is devoid of the passion and obsession that pep up the achievers. They no more need a motivation to succeed. They are inspired to live with Fulfillment. The end result is that the fulfilled ones go through less misery, and their happiness bottom line is much higher.

"When we let our GREED become our NEED, we can never be HAPPY indeed!" – RVM

If you look at people who are content and fulfilled, you will see them smiling and cheerful, whereas the

72
achievers are stressed and tensed although they say they are happy. It is not a very complicated difference, and it is seen in day-to-day life. Somehow 80% of the world continues on the Achievement peak probably because they do not realize that there is a Fulfillment peak that can generate far more happiness. Or is it the design of the world that prevents people from exiting the first journey? Or further still is it Karma – the universal law of cause and effect? What grips 80% of humanity from living a life that causes less pain and misery?

It is so simple! Why does a millionaire need another million? Why do we need more and more and more? We don't! But we seem to be animals of habit that want to live by greed rather than by need. Therefore, we become jealous and angry comparing our happiness with others, and our material possessions become the barometer of our happiness.

We all want to be happy! Who doesn't? But when there is a way that is simpler, more joyous, and more peaceful that takes us to a higher peak, why do we humans choose a winding path that makes us cry till we die?

We know we become miserable when we compare our car with those of our neighbours, our house with those of our friends, and our income with those of our peers. Still we continue to do it as if we are searching for ways to be miserable.

73
If only we chose a life of contentment and fulfillment by living with love, laughter, cheerfulness, faith and hope, we could live a much happier life.

Isn't it strange? The millionaire continues to make money in far more quantum, but cannot equate the quantum of happiness that his own employee enjoys being content and fulfilled. How often do we find the rich and famous going on a quest of happiness amidst the poor and ordinary? They search for the "extra" in the "ordinary" that creates "extraordinary" joy without realizing that it is fulfillment and not achievement that leads to enhanced happiness.

Contentment

A wealthy businessman was surprised to see a fisherman sitting beside his boat, playing with a small child.

"Why aren't you out fishing?" asked the businessman.

"Because I caught enough fish for one day," replied the fisherman.

"Why don't you catch some more?" quizzed the businessman.

"What would I do with them?" answered the fisherman with a smile.

"You could earn more money," said the businessman. "Then with the extra money, you could buy a bigger boat, go into deeper waters, and catch more fish. Then you would make enough money to buy nylon nets. With the nets, you could catch even more fish and make more money. With that money,

74
you could own two boats or maybe three boats. Eventually, you could have a whole fleet of boats and be rich like me."

"Then what would I do?" asked the fisherman.

"Then..." said the businessman, "you could really enjoy life."

The fisherman looked at the businessman sheepishly and asked,

"What do you think I am doing now?"

Isn't it strange? We all want to be happy, but instead of finding happiness in simple ways, we go through complicated methods to ultimately arrive at the simple happiness that is easily within our reach.

"Life is not Just Meant to Run – Have Some Fun." – RVM

People run and run and run till life is done. They hardly have any fun. They try to be an ace in life's race and get caught in the maze. They earn and earn and earn only for others to burn what they earn. They regret.... They

have no time because they were busy making their wealth, and now when they want to use their wealth, they have no health to use their wealth. Before his death, as one of the final wishes, Alexander the Great had asked his marshals to keep both his hands empty and out of his coffin to let people understand that he came to this world empty-handed and he will leave this world also empty-handed. So it is with all the human beings – we come and go empty-handed. We take the success game too seriously, not realizing that in the end, life is only a game!

75
 As kids, we played Monopoly, and all our hotels and assets that we won finally got packed up in a box. The same happens in real life, except that it will be a coffin. Then why just run and run without having fun till life is done? Why not give as we live so that the world will cry when we die? Why not use our wealth when in good health rather than lose it at death?

Not Many Choose This Path!

Why is it that 80% of humanity don't evolve from Achievement to Fulfillment? Why is it that 4 of 5 amongst us struggle as if we are being controlled by our mind? I realized the problem. People on the achievement peak seem to be paralyzed. They seem to have a paralysis of traditional thinking. Their thoughts, habits, and beliefs force them to continue the tradition that has been going on for centuries. I am a carpenter, my father was a carpenter, and my son should be a carpenter. So people live and die generations after generations in an occupation that would last for centuries. Of course, you would say that it is no more true. Sure that has changed, and today, kids do not follow what their parents do. But neither do kids choose something that gives them happiness. Kids may not follow the occupation of their father or mother, but why do kids jump onto an achievement journey that doesn't give true peace? Why do people struggle like a yo-yo, going up and down the peak of life, being glad and being sad, and being happy and being unhappy in cycles?

76
 Why do 80% of humanity not evolve from Achievement to Fulfillment? Because people think that the only way to be happy is achievement. People don't know that there is a better way to live. People don't know that there is a second peak of happiness. I could see people trying to climb the achievement peak, success after success, million after million, and achievement after achievement, but this does not make them happier. I could see that people knew that the goal of life is to be happy. Most of them understood that they wanted to do things that would make them glad, but they were sad.

It is most unfortunate that 80% of humanity seem to be stuck on a merry-go-round that goes round and round and does not stop, passing through happiness and unhappiness day after day. They are unable to take an exit route, incompetent of evolving and transforming their life, and paralyzed by their own mind, their own thoughts, and their own habits. Truly sad!

I wrote this book "I Wanna be Happy" because I was hoping that through this book and through the other books that I wrote, including "The A to Z of a life philosophy" and "Power your life with PEP", and through my quotes and talks, I could inspire people. I wanted to help people not just exist but live and find a way that was happier, healthier, and wealthier. I wanted to help people transform their life. I tried to touch and trigger in them thoughts that would lead them to the next peak. But I found that 80% of humanity still lived and died on the first peak of happiness....

77
 It is ironical that while it seems so simple, still it is so rare that less than one out of five people in this world live a life of fulfillment. Why is it that the people are in a rat race trying to collect what will never be theirs? Why does the glitter of gold overpower the smile when it comes to making our priorities in life?

It seems that our habits and beliefs that come from our culture and philosophy have taught us the wrong things. We look at everybody – the majority – and just follow the herd. We know that the richest of men dies, but he doesn't take the remote control that controls his wealth after death with him. Still we are unable to change our paradigm of life and choose contentment rather than achievement as the driving force of life.

Look around you, and you will find that everybody wants to be happy, but not everybody is. People want to do a lot of things with their money and wealth, but they seem to be paralyzed on the peak of Achievement. At the same time, there are people who are modest in their lifestyle, but they are very happy. They are not chasing success, but they are blessed with joy and peace. But these people are fewer in number – far lesser than the majority who seem to be running from womb to tomb.

Sometimes it is a trigger – an inspiration from somebody who has evolved from Achievement to Fulfillment – that helps one take an exit from the peak. Sometimes it is guidance from parents, family, a friend, or a teacher that makes an achiever change his path. However, till date, only a minority have been fortunate to evolve from the happiness peak of Achievement to

78
 the second peak of Fulfillment, where there is far greater joy and peace.

"Every day has 1440 minutes. Each minute is an opportunity to Rejoice or be unhappy, to Value Life or to waste it, to Make a Difference or just exist." – RVM

Don't we human beings realize that the journey of life is short? Life is a journey, not a destination. We can't arrive at the end of life alive. That is the reality. We all have to reach our end, and before the end, we must live and not just exist and die. We must live with some purpose and meaning and with something that gives us joy, bliss, and peace. Do you know that we have barely 10,000 days to live before old age sets in? Then, we won't have health to enjoy our wealth. Further,we become a burden on others. We might have money, but nobody is interested in our life. They may chase us for our wealth, but when our health is in bad shape, neither can we travel nor we can do what we want to do. It is only in our prime that we can pursue and do things that make us happy.

Do what you love, and love what you do. How many people actually follow this philosophy of life? How many people realize that we must live before the journey of life is over? How many people know the importance of time?

This is beautifully captured in the poem - "Life is Just a Minute".

79
 Life is just a minute - only 60 seconds in it

Forced upon you - can't refuse it

Didn't see it - didn't choose it

But it's up to you to use it

You must suffer if you lose it

Give an account if you abuse it

Just a tiny, little minute,

but eternity is in it.

What do people say about transforming their life? They would say that I will do it "someday". I am waiting to make my next million; I would do it "if" my children get married. I would like to be happy, "but" I am unable to leave my business. I will set up a charitable institution "if" my business grows forty percent every year. People live with BIBS – the four dangerous words that rob our happiness: "But, If, Because, and Someday"; and that someday never comes! It never comes because life slips by. When you talk to some people who didn't live their life doing the things they love, their life is full of regret, sorrow, and frustration. And many people have told me about their regrets: " If I had to live my life all over again, then I would do this and I would do that". "I would make a difference, and I would do things that make me happy". "I would learn swimming, and I would scale mountains"."I would spend time reading, and I would be on the beach". But dear friend, it is too late.... You can't! Don't be amongst those who live a life

of "would have", "could have", and "should have" done things. Do it now! Wake up and be happy by

80
 living a life of contentment and fulfillment, knowing that life is short. Many people, a majority of humanity, just live and die. They forget to laugh and so they forget to live.

We think so much about our children, about the next generation, and about the generations that will follow. But do you ever realize that if somebody asked you what was the name of the great grandfather of your great grandfather, chances are you won't even know. Can you believe that we human beings give up our life and our time to make money for future generations who won't even know our name! Does it make sense? Why do we forget to live, working like machines and just achieving success, achievement, and money that will be of no use?

Millionaires around the world have woken up to this and to the realization that our job is not just to give our children wealth. Our job is to teach them to adopt a good philosophy of life and give them skills that can put them on their feet. Give them enough security that they don't have to live a life of compromise. If you just leave a lot of money to your children, it is of no use. If they are capable, they would not need it; and if they are incapable, they will waste and finish it. In both cases, leaving too much of money for the next generation makes no sense. Wise people use their money to be happy by doing things rather than lose their money in the end doing things that gives them contentment and fulfillment. Today, there are many non-profit

81
 organizations and foundations doing humanitarian, environmental, and educational work supported by those on the Fulfillment journey. All these efforts help the world become a better place, but more than that, it brings a smile of joy to the one who gives. He truly lives, he truly understands the meaning of life, and he breaks the tradition by doing things that are dear to his heart and brings a smile on his lips.

Is Fulfillment the Ultimate Peak?

Fulfillment is the second peak of happiness. It is a peak beyond Achievement, wherein seekers of happiness can bask in sunshine of joy and peace, which is unknown to the common man. But is Fulfillment the ultimate peak of happiness?

Trekkers know that while climbing a mountain, they can't see the peak beyond. Only on reaching a peak, one gets a glimpse of what lies ahead. Most of humanity doesn't even know that there is a second peak. They live and die on the first peak of Achievement, trying to earn their day-to-day happiness amidst the turmoil of joy and sorrow. If they are fortunate, they become a part of the 20% who discover the second peak. But it is far more difficult for those on the second peak to discover the third and the ultimate peak of happiness.

Towards the Third Peak

One who is on the second peak is very happy. He is content and fulfilled. He lives a life of acceptance and enjoys what comes to him. He has few desires and therefore lesser disappointments. He is satisfied at his

82
need and does not let greed take command of his life.

But he is not free from sorrow, misery, and pain.

Those on the second peak experience sadness because they get imprisoned in several prisons of misery. What are these prisons of misery? Although one is very happy being content and fulfilled, one experiences physical pain as the body decays in disease. Sickness can cause anybody misery, and it doesn't end with physical pain. Another prison of misery is mental depression that may arise out of various circumstances. We sink into sorrow. A bigger prison that we can't escape from is death. This prison of misery locks us in much before death actually happens.

There are several other such prisons of misery. We are imprisoned by Karma – The Law of Cause and Effect, and we attribute our sorrows due to our past karmas, our past actions. It doesn't stop at that. We are imprisoned by rebirth – a result of our actions in the present life.

Some live in a prison of fear, some in a prison of worry, and others in a prison of anger. All these prisons of misery are due to our thoughts, actions, and habits. We get imprisoned in these prisons of misery although we may be without any desire and we are content. We still experience these miseries as helpless prisoners under their grasp.

How do we get free from these prisons of misery? Is there a way out? Can we escape from anger, worry, fear,

83
 karma, death, rebirth, disease, and pain? Yes, there is a way out. We can get freedom from these prisons of misery at the third and ultimate peak of happiness.

Doesn't it seem impossible? Yes, to one who lives as a mystic on the second peak or rather the plateau of Fulfillment, escaping from these prisons of misery seems to be like a fairy tale.

But there is a way to go from the second peak to the third peak of happiness. It starts with a quest – a search, and then goes on to understanding our deep ignorance and identifying our real enemies that are disguised as our best friends. On realization of the truth, we shall be led to the third peak of happiness.

For 25 years, I was on the first peak of happiness, trying to climb higher each day and aspiring to be happy. When I realized that the end of this peak was the cliff that fell deep down, I took an exit to discover the second peak of happiness. I was on that peak for 8 years and thought of it as the ultimate plateau. I could see the landscape merging with the horizon, but still while I was happy and peaceful, there was an element of doubt of a peak beyond.

I was blissfully happy making a difference by doing Humanitarian, Inspirational, and Spiritual work (H.I.S. work). It gave me tremendous Fulfillment as I was touching the lives of thousands of people every day. I was content, and this gave me a lot of peace! I did not sacrifice my pleasure and was living a normal life, travelling across the world, eating, drinking, and being merry with contentment and fulfillment.

84
 I would have lived and died on the second peak of happiness – a peak of joy, bliss, peace, and tranquillity. Nothing seemed to topple the boat as I cruised along thinking that I was the happiest man in the world.

One day, my Mentor and my Guru asked me these questions: "What is the purpose of life? Why is a man born on the Earth? Where did the man come from? Where will he ultimately go? What lies beyond death?" He asked me many such questions, and I was caught off-guard! I was blank.... I had no answers

to his questions, but I knew one thing: these questions were sure to lead me to the third peak of happiness.

In Search of the Third Peak of Happiness

I started a quest and search for the true purpose of life. I had to find the answers to nine questions that I formulated from all the thoughts that created turmoil in my mind.

  1. Who am I? Where did I come from? What is the secret of birth?

  2. What is death? Where will I go after I die?

  3. Is there a Creator who created this universe? Who is the Creator? Where is the Creator?

  4. Is there a place beyond Earth – A place we call heaven or hell?

  5. What is the purpose of life?

  6. Are we the body, the mind or the soul? What are we?

  7. Does a law of cause and effect exist in the universe – A law of Karma?

85
  8.  Are we reborn after death? Does reincarnation exist?

  9. What is Liberation, Enlightenment, Salvation, or Nirvana?

With these nine questions, I started a quest – a search from the plateau of fulfillment, which is the Second Peak of Happiness, to find a purpose. I didn't know where I would go, but I knew one thing: I would not stop. I would search, I would find, and I would "ping" till I got answers to my questions.

For 2 years, I was on a quest, but I was very calm and happy doing my research. I studied every possible religion and every known philosophy. At this point, I didn't even know that I was searching for the third peak of happiness. I was just searching for the true purpose of life. At times, I felt like a fool who was giving up the pleasure of Achievement and the peace and bliss of Fulfillment by going on a search. I had started a search that not even 1% of humanity undertake. Ninety-nine percent of this world were least bothered. If you ask them what came first – the chicken or the egg, they would rather worry about how to roast the chicken and cook their eggs. But I was different. I was grateful, content, and happy, and I believed that there was a Power – a Universal Power or a Creator of this universe. I had no doubt that there was some power who created the sun, the moon, the stars, the birds, the animals, and the flowers. I went on a quest to find the truth – to find answers to questions that just a handful of people have pursued and found.

86
 If I were to imagine Fulfillment – the Second Peak of Happiness – to be like a runway on which my quest was like a little airplane taking off, I could see the distant third peak of happiness very, very far away. Yes, I found that there was a peak in the distance that would not just give me the purpose I was looking for and answers to the 9 questions on life, but also I was somehow sure that the distant peak would be the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness.

What was it?

Summary

  * The journey of happiness is beyond the peak of Achievement. There is a Second Peak of Happiness: A peak called Fulfillment. Only 20% of the world pursue the second peak of happiness.

  * The second peak Fulfillment is a state of happiness that is far more joyous and peaceful than the first state of happiness.

  * But unfortunately, 4 out of 5 people in the world don't know of this second peak and don't bother to pursue it.

  * Those who live on the second peak of Fulfillment live a life of meaning and purpose. They live life with a universal connection. They are fully content and satisfied.

  * They live with faith, hope, and inspirational energy. They live with love and laughter. They live

87
 with liberation and freedom. They make a difference. They are emotionally positive. They are successful but not greedy, and they live with tranquillity and peace.

  * Isn't it beautiful to be on a peak where one doesn't get disappointed every other day and where one is happy, content and peaceful? One is enjoying life without having to go up and down like a yo-yo. That is the Fulfillment peak.

  * But is Fulfillment the final peak? Those who are on the Fulfillment peak continue to enjoy peace and joy. But a very few amongst them, less than 1% of humanity realize that there is a third peak.

  * There is a third ultimate peak that uncovers the purpose of life. If the divine grace is upon those very few who go on a quest or a search, they would realize the third and ultimate peak of happiness.

88
The Quest

  1. Who am I? Where did I come from?

  2. What is Death? Where will I go after I die?

  3. Is there a Creator who created this Universe? Who? What? Where?

  4. Is there a place beyond Earth – a place we call Heaven and Hell?

  5. What is the Purpose of Life?

  6. Are we the Body, the Mind, or the Soul?

  7. Does a Law of Cause and Effect exist in the Universe – A law called Karma?

  8. Does Reincarnation exist? Will we be reborn after death?

  9. What is Liberation, Enlightenment, Nirvana, or Moksha?

89
 CHAPTER 4

THE THIRD PEAK OF HAPPINESS

Is there really a third peak of happiness? Why is it that not many people talk of it? Can there be a life beyond pleasure and peace? Is it true that one can live without pain, misery, and sorrow? How is it possible to transcend the maladies of life? Not just life, is it faintly possible to overcome old age, disease, and death?

As I said goodbye to the second peak of happiness and started contemplating on the third, I wasn't sure that such a peak even existed. But my quest took me onward and forward.

Would finding the purpose of life lead me to the third peak of happiness? I wasn't sure, but I had started the journey.

It was an exotic destination, rare and unknown to most of humanity. Most people did not even know about the second peak. Where was the question of the world acknowledging the third?

But there were a few who claimed to have realized the third peak. They too went on a quest to find out the ultimate truth. What made it possible for these fortunate few who trekked this unknown peak?

If I ask you whether you trust that you have a nose on your face, you would laugh. You would say, "I don't need to trust that I have a nose on my face. I know it, I

90
 can touch it, and I can feel it". But just because you can't touch and feel something, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. For example, space – we know it exists, but we can't touch, feel, or see it. There may be something that we only hear about, some whose pictures we see and even some that we logically or intuitively experience.

The third peak calls for us to take charge of our intellect

– the special part of our mind that can discriminate between what is right and wrong and what is real and unreal. Unless we take charge of our intellect, we can never realize the Third Peak of Happiness.

So what is the Third Peak of Happiness? We know the first peak is ACHIEVEMENT. People on this peak are both happy and unhappy and the cycle goes on. Some of us know that the second peak of happiness is FULFILLMENT. Not all of us are fortunate, but at least 1 out of 5 lives a life of contentment and Fulfillment.

I am grateful that I am one of the very few who went on a quest, a search to find the true meaning of life. I was living an amazing life – fulfilled and content. I was so happy that most people were jealous and they wished to have a life like mine. Still I risked losing that happiness to search for a peak beyond. I knew that there would be a peak beyond pleasure and peace. I had the gut feeling that if I found my true purpose of life, it would also be the Third Peak of Happiness. So I started my search.

I must admit that when I started the quest, I was not looking for the Third Peak of Happiness. I was just looking for

91
purpose and meaning in life. I was already happy – very happy! I thought of myself as the happiest man in the world. I didn't even think that there was a Third Peak of Happiness. I just felt that there was a third peak of life that I need to conquer and that conquest and struggle would be phenomenal.

However, after my search, what I realized was that it was not just the third peak, but also the ultimate peak of happiness. It is a state of living with everlasting joy, eternal happiness, absolute peace, and unimaginable tranquillity. It was a peak that promised a life without problems, without difficulties, and without pain. It was a state of living fearlessly, without worry and anger, stress and greed, and jealousy and revenge. It was a magical state – a state of ultimate happiness that I call Ananda.

"The reason why we all seek happiness is because our original source is PURE BLISS – unconditional, unlimited joy. We have lost that state due to our gross ignorance and we are seeking to get back there." – AiR

What is this third peak all about? It is about acknowledging the several prisons of misery that we face as we live. It is about knowing the cause of this misery and understanding the truth of who and what we are. Finally, it is about achieving freedom from these prisons of misery.

Look around you. What do you see? Don't you see majority of humanity bouncing up and down like a ball

92
– happy and unhappy in cycles. Maybe you see a few people who are blissful and peaceful. Now you will know they are the ones on the second peak of Fulfillment. But do you see people free from misery and sorrow, from pain and worry? Do you see people who have overcome the fear of death, the fear of the future, the fear of insecurity, the fear of the loss of loved ones, and the fear of the loss of life and everything that is theirs? People live insecure lives, worrying about absolutely anything and everything that is happening to them and around them. It may not be obvious, but the joy we had as children seems to be descending from the happiness peak till death finally happens.

Don't you see that most of humanity are prisoners who are imprisoned by misery and sorrow? 80% of us live through cycles of happiness and unhappiness, while 20% of us live cheerful and peaceful lives. But 100% of us are driving towards our final destination – death. We will all pass misery and pain on the highway to death. Old age, decay, and disease would be common milestones. As we drive, whether we are fulfilled or not, we are imprisoned by fear and worry, and we continue the journey till we are no more.

Do you see people dancing to death, celebrating old age, smiling in physical pain, and being joyous rather than being worried on this final highway of life? Isn't this very rare? Less than 1% of humanity are on a quest for the Third Peak of Happiness – a peak beyond Fulfillment, a peak on which one understands the true

93
meaning and purpose of life, and a peak that frees one from all the misery and pain that exist on planet Earth.

It is so rare to find people on this journey to the third peak also because they quietly tip-toe on this voyage. They make no noise. But if you are a seeker who is looking for such travellers, you will find them. You will find a very few people in life who are free from all the prisons of misery and pain and who are not just happy, joyous, peaceful, and fulfilled, but live a fearless life. This rare breed of humanity live as if they are free from the maladies of old age, disease, decay, and death. They have no worry about the future. Their face seems to glow and grow younger by the year. They don't seem to seek happiness. Instead happiness seems to flow from their very existence. These are the signs and the symptoms of those rare few who are on this journey to the third and ultimate peak.

Is it easy to climb this peak? Of course not! Is it possible? Sure! Anybody can, but now you know why only less than 1% of humanity try to discover the third peak.

Not everyone can climb Mt. Everest, can they? Does everybody try? I haven't and don't even dream of it. Just as a very tiny fraction of humanity has put up their flag on the summit, there are a select few who have realized the Third Peak of Happiness. What is this peak?

Let's explore....

94
The Third Peak of Happiness

The Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness is LIBERATION – Liberation from the prisons that cause misery and sorrow – freedom from stress, worry, anger, greed, and revenge; freedom from duty and shame; and liberation from old age, disease, death, and rebirth. The Third Peak of Happiness or Liberation is the realization of the truth by the removal of the darkness of ignorance that exists in humanity, thereby leaving us with contentment and fulfillment, joy and bliss, and peace and tranquillity that are not interrupted by any kind of misery, pain and sorrow.

How does one understand this peak? Achievement is easy to understand. Happiness on this peak is derived from success and fulfillment of goals and dreams. Fulfillment is not so difficult. It is being fully content, satisfied, and peaceful. But how does one get liberation? It looks like a fantasy – an illusion that doesn't exist. How can one get freedom and liberation from all the negativity of the world? Yes, we all live in tiny prisons of misery and sorrow. How do we achieve freedom from these prisons? Is it possible for one to escape from all the problems and pain that exist in the world?

On the second peak, one tastes liberation, but it is just a sample. When one is liberated from greed and desire, one moves towards contentment and fulfillment. This is the Second Peak of Happiness. But to be on the third peak, one has to be completely liberated – liberated

95
from all kinds of misery, pain, and sorrow as if these do not exist at all. How is this possible?

What Imprisons Us?

To understand Liberation, one has to understand the tiny little prisons that imprison us - prisons of misery! There are many such prisons. What are they?

Fear: We human beings are imprisoned by fear– What is Fear? It is False Expectations Appearing Real - FEAR. Why do we fear? Because we anticipate problems, difficulties, pain, and worry, and our mind starts rotating around that fearful thought. Fear is a common ailment around the world. How can one be liberated from fear?

Pain: We all experience pain. It may be physical pain or mental and emotional pain. Wouldn't life be beautiful if there was no pain? What causes pain? Physical pain is caused when our body is injured and the nerves carry the pain message to the brain. Everybody experiences pain, but not many experience liberation from pain. How does one get liberated from pain?

Anger: Can we be liberated from anger? Impossible, isn't it? How can a human being not get angry? When we have some expectations, and these are badly dealt with or mishandled, our unfulfilled expectations flare up as anger. Anger can burn both the receiver and the giver; such is its uniqueness, but there is a mystical way of escaping from anger.

96
Unfulfilled desires: Desires are the most common prison of human beings on planet Earth. Desires even stop one from the second peak. We crave for many things, but not all desires are fulfilled. Unfulfilled desires create so much misery, and we get imprisoned in sorrow.

Problems: We all face problems, don't we? A problem-free life is an illusion; it is like a mirage in the desert. It doesn't exist. Then, how can one be liberated from problems? Problems are the key source of unhappiness, stress, and worry. It is very common to hear somebody say, "I have a big problem". This is a source of misery.

Lust: Lust is a jail. It can take over a man and turn him into a beast, and then it becomes an addiction that lasts till death. What is the craving that causes lust? A deep passion primarily for sex and sometimes for other pleasures causes human beings to become blind to everything else. The passion is so unstoppable that history shows us how several kings and princes have even let go of their empires for the lust of a woman. How can we escape from this prison? How can we transcend lust and live in peace.

Worry: We all worry, but why do we worry? Our mind is designed in such a way that it can do one of two things. It can think or it can worry. If our mind is like a monkey that is jumping all the time, we will shuttle between bad memories of the past and fear of the future and live in worry. How does one understand the

97
uselessness of worry? Is there a way to stop worrying and start living? Can the prison bars of worry be broken?

Mythology, rituals, and superstitions: A traditional prison that fences humanity has triple bars of mythology, rituals, and superstitions that create a strong prison. How does one escape from these bars? We have grown up with mythology, we have been taught to believe in superstitions, and we have practised rituals for years. We are imprisoned by this trio, and we cause ourselves so much pain and misery.

Habit: Another prison is habit. We have become creatures of habit and we are unable to break free from this prison. Our conditioning has caused us to live as cavemen or frogs in a well that know nothing else. We keep on repeating our habits, though it causes misery. How can we break free from this prison?

Nightmares: Sometimes we are imprisoned by our nightmares and dreams. We know it was only a dream, but still the nightmares haunt us. Why? Are we so ignorant that we believe in something that we know is untrue? What is the use of experiencing misery that arises from us replaying a nightmare again and again? Can't we break the walls of this prison?

Ignorance: If we reflect upon the prisons, we will realize that it is our sheer ignorance that causes most of this unhappiness. This ignorance itself becomes another prison that needs liberation. How can we

98
liberate ourselves from ignorance?

All the above prisons are simple and common joy stealers that steal our happiness. But there are some that are more complicated. We believe in the concept of karma – the law of cause and effect. This karma causes us pain because of the belief of cycles of death and rebirth. Everybody who is born has to die. How can we be liberated from death, rebirth, and karma? All these prevent us from enjoying a state of eternal everlasting bliss and happiness.

Isn't it true that all these little prisons jail us into a life of misery and sorrow? Fear, worry, stress, anger, problems, desire, lust, superstitions, rituals, mythology, disease, death, rebirth, karma, ignorance, and nightmares – all these and many more cause unhappiness to us. The third and ultimate peak of happiness is about being liberated from all these prisons of misery and sorrow. Wouldn't this be an amazing peak of happiness where none of these prisons of misery exist?

How can we Liberate Ourselves from the Prisons of Misery and Sorrow?

We are all seeking happiness in this journey called life, and if we could, we would love to be on the third peak and be free from all the prisons of misery and sorrow. But how can we be liberated from all these joy stealers? These are a part and parcel of life, and everybody who is alive must experience the pain and misery that arise from these. We can only be liberated from these prisons

99
if we believe that it is possible. We can find a way out if we go on a quest to find a way to be liberated, and if we truly work hard to understand the methods used by those rare few to achieve this, then we can sincerely work our way towards being liberated. We must be aware that this is not everybody's cup of tea, but there are people who have done it and people who are doing it, though it is very rare and a path that is difficult to tread.

If one wants to be liberated from these prisons of misery, one has to go within, introspect, and contemplate on what are the causes of these miseries. What is it that causes a human being to become sad?

The human being believes that we are a complex of the body, mind, heart, and soul. Different people believe in different constitutions of the above with variations. We know we are physical beings, emotional beings, and spiritual beings. It is this constitution of the human being that is susceptible to pain, suffering, and misery, but there is a way to escape from it! There is a key that opens the door to Liberation from the prisons of misery and sorrow.

"Don't crave till your grave, Oh slave! Be Brave, Renounce and Realize the Truth." – AiR

The Key to Liberation is REALIZATION

If one wants to scale the Third Peak of Happiness – Liberation, one needs REALIZATION, that is, the realization of the truth and realization of the self – Who

100
am I? What am I? On realization, one will be liberated, but it is not easy. This is because our ego, mind, and body oppose realization because of the fear that on realization they would become extinct.

What is this realization about? It is becoming aware that we have a body, a mind and an ego, but we are not the body, mind and ego.

You may have a car, and you drive the car. You are the driver of the car, but you are not the car. Similarly, you have a body and you have a mind, but you are not the body and mind. You are the energy that gives life to the body and mind. But due to our ego, our intellect is not able to discriminate and makes us believe that we are the body and the mind. Because we are not able to differentiate between what we are and what we seem to be, we get imprisoned in the body–mind complex.

Look at the image below. What do you see? You see a colourful parrot perched on a tree.

Take a closer look at the insert. It reveals the face of a woman and we realize what the picture actually is.

101
Realization is the ability to know the truth – to realize who we are and what we are not. Sometimes we are shown an optical illusion. It seems to be a colourful parrot. On deep introspection and focus, we see the image of a woman instead of a parrot. Initially, we do not realize that it is a woman, but as we look deeper, we realize the truth in the picture. Just like this optical illusion holds us back from the real picture, we also experience an illusion in life. The first picture we see is that we are the body, mind, and ego. After deep introspection, one may be fortunate to realize that we are not the ego, the body, and the mind. We are the energy, the power, and the soul that gives life to the body.

How does one get to realize the truth – the truth that liberates us from the sorrows and pain of life? How do we achieve a realization that will elevate us to the third and ultimate peak of happiness?

The final realization is about knowing that we are not this body, and not this mind. What are we? We are something else – some energy or some power that gives life to the body and mind. We may refer to this power as soul, shakti, prana, or spirit. It doesn't matter what we call it, but the complete understanding, belief, and realization that we are the "ENERGY" is the essence of realization and liberation from all the prisons of misery and sorrow.

Methods of Realization

There are various methods of realization! All those who

102
realize the truth and are liberated need not use the same method. Realization is enlightening. It is like being in a dark room where nothing can be seen, but by switching on a bulb, suddenly the entire darkness vanishes. So also on realization, the entire ignorance vanishes instantly and one is liberated. As long as one is deeply covered with ignorance, one doesn't realize the truth.

For instance, in the dark, one sees a snake. One doesn't realize one's ignorance until one finally sees that it was not a snake but just a rope that appeared to be a snake. Two things happen to cause this ignorance: first, the false projection of a snake by one's mind; and second, one's inability to observe the rope. The realization of the fact that it is just a rope simultaneously eradicates one's ignorance that it is a snake.

All methods of realization similarly lead to the realization of the truth about life with the removal of ignorance that we presumed to be the truth.

Method 1: Questioning Method

Questioning is a simple method of realization that can liberate us. One can get into a mode of asking questions by looking around at the universe. The sun, the moon, the stars, the birds, the animals, and the flowers – how did all of these come about? How was I created? Biologically, I was conceived through the fusion of the male and female cells. I was born as a little baby, but how did this happen? How were the first male and female created? This is a question beyond human comprehension. Consider a simpler question. Some of us

103
eat chicken and others l o v e e g g s , b u t t h e question is what came first – the chicken or the

egg? Of course, the egg would say, "I came first! Without me, how could the chicken come?" But the chicken screams out, "Nonsense, it was the chicken that came first. Without the chicken, there could be no egg".

Such a debate has remained unresolved for centuries and will continue to remain so until one realizes the truth. Neither the chicken came first nor the egg! Both are simultaneous manifestations of the Creative Power. So is everything else in the universe an appearance or a form that arises out of the universal energy that we are. Seekers of the third peak need a lot of patience and perseverance to realize the truth through this method. They ask questions where did all this come from – me, the world and everything! They keep asking questions till they find answers.

The questioning method leads to realization. The mind will refute to accept that "I am not the body, the mind, and the ego". But through effective use of our intellect and elimination of our ignorance, we can realize the truth.

104

What Came First – Chicken or Egg?

A question that has haunted humanity since

ages....

The chicken claims, "I came first because that's where the egg came from!"

The egg questions,"How could the chicken come if there was no egg?"

While the question has been debated since the beginning of time, only those who have realized the truth know that neither the egg nor the chicken came first.... Both are simultaneous manifestations of the creative power.

105

99
 FAMILY TREE

Where did I come from?

Parents, grandparents, forefathers... but ultimately from where?

106
Method 2: Reflective Method

Another method of realization is reflection. A king had

a dream that he became a beggar. In the dream he was pained and tortured and he was hungry and dying. In that state of total helplessness and shock, he woke up to find himself sleeping in the king's palace. His experience was so deep that it left a question in his mind

– "Am I a beggar who is dreaming that I am a king" or "Am I a king who is dreaming that I am a beggar?"

Taking this forward, one can reflect and realize the truth. In our waking state, our body and mind are awake and we believe we are what we are. In our dream state, our body is asleep, while our mind is awake, and we believe we are what the mind imagines us to be in the dream. When we go into a deep sleep state, both the body and mind are asleep, and we seem to become nothing. We experience bliss in a state of deep sleep. But we know that we slept like

a log. Who actually knows that we slept? The three states of consciousness – being awake, dreaming, and deep sleep – make it seem like we are three d i f f e r e n t p e o p l e . I n reality, what are we? A reflection on the above leads to a realization. We are the fourth one that sees the coming and the going of the three states of

107
consciousness. We don't become any of the three states

– the waker, the dreamer, or the sleeper – but rather we pass through these three states of consciousness. Who is the one actually passing through these three states?

We, the Energy, realize this truth by reflection. Just as the king was made to reflect and realize that he was neither the king who was awake nor the beggar that he was dreaming to be nor that nothingness that he became in that spell of deep sleep before he woke up in a shock. He realized that he was the Energy that inhabited the body–mind complex passing through these three experiences of a king, a beggar, and nothingness. He was neither a king nor the beggar nor the emptiness, but an energy – the fourth entity, which is the truth who passed through these three experiences.

To understand the above reflective method better, one can also reflect upon the experience of the station master. The station master's occupation calls for standing at the railway platform and flagging off the trains as they arrive and depart every day. In the morning, the Intercity Express arrives; passengers board the train, and it departs. In the afternoon, the Non-Stop Express zooms by, and he facilitates its passing by without stopping. Some hours later, the Evening Superfast Express stops and passengers disembark. He flags off the train in a few minutes. Does the station master think that he is the train that comes and goes or is he the watcher of the trains that arrived and departed? He is very clear; he is not the trains, but he is the station master.

108
However, our ego, mind and body confuse us to be the three states of consciousness that arrive and depart. In a way, we imagine ourselves to be the three trains that come and go and not the watcher who observes the three trains or the three states of consciousness. Reflection of who we are truly can lead to the realization that we are the watcher – the fourth entity – and not the three states that seem to come and go.

In both the above methods, through questioning or reflection, one may understand the truth and realize that one is not the ego, the mind, and the body that experiences its transitory state. While there are few who will understand the concept, most will be unable to realize the truth. This is because of our ego, mind, and body. They are the enemies of realization. They stop us from using our intellect to realize the truth.

Method 3: Meditation Method

Another method of realization is through meditation. What is the Meditation Method? It is a method wherein we focus on one thought. We slow down the thinking process and contemplate on just one idea or concept. Shutting off the body and mind from creating perceptions and thoughts and concentrating on a simple question with the intellect. Who am I? Am I this body? Am I the mind? In this method, the body and mind are both still as if asleep. Only the intellect meditates and contemplates on one point: "If I am the body, then which body am I – the body that I was born as or the body that I inhabit today or the body that will grow old and die? The body is constantly changing. So, what am I? Such contemplation can lead to realization and Liberation. Through meditation, the mind is made

109
still. It stops wandering and focuses on the truth that helps us understand that we have a body, but we are not the body. This method of continuously probing "Who am I?" with deep concentration can lead to realization that "I am not this body. I am the energy that gives power to the body."

Isn't it true that when we were conceived, we were

just a tiny zygote – the fusion of two human cells? Life developed in the embryo. Then our body developed around the energy till finally we were delivered on Earth!

What are we in reality – the baby that was born or the fusion of the cells that initially developed as the zygote or rather still the embryo? One who realizes that one is just the energy that takes birth as the baby knows that one is neither the zygote nor the embryo nor the baby, but the life – the energy that passed through these life cycles! One will realize this only if one is committed to seeking the truth through meditation.

What happens next? The body grows. How does it grow? It grows through the food we consume, be it pizza, pasta, burger, or rice. So, are we the food that takes the body from a baby to a full-fledged adult? Of course not, we are intelligent enough to differentiate

110
between food and us. The same "ME" grows, ages, decays, and dies. What happens at death?

At death, the body is as it is. There is no change in the form of the body but suddenly the doctor pronounces – "Dead"! Who died? What died? What happened? The body that housed the energy died. The energy seems to have departed from the body.

What are we? The dead body that lies on the floor or the energy that departed? If we are sensible enough to understand that we are the energy that departed, then why should we relate ourselves to be the body that died and further still why should we feel the pain and misery of the body that aged and decayed, which we never were? We may know this. In fact, all of us know, but very few realize what we actually are. If at death, we are not the body, then even now, we are not the body, but we don't realize this till we question within, in Meditation.

It is like somebody driving a car; the car meets with an accident. The crash is complete, but the driver is unscratched. He walks out of the accident. What does he say? He says my car crashed or met with an accident. He doesn't feel the pain that the car feels. Of course you may laugh and say how can the car feel pain? But just to understand how the driver feels, we make this comparison. He knows he is not the car. It was his car. He was the driver of the car, but he knows the difference between who he is and what the car is. Just like this knowledge, if we realize that the driver of this body and the body are different, we will not attach ourselves to the pain and misery of the body. The body may grow

111

Who am I?

112
old, may get diseased, and will decay and die, but we don't die. This is because we are not the body. This realization can lead to Liberation!

Method 4: Peeling Method

Another method of realization is the peeling method. In this method, one imagines peeling an onion; you keep on peeling the onion until finally nothing is left. One imagines the body to be made up of layers just like one wears layers of clothing above the body – the first layer being the undergarments; the second layer, the garment; the third layer, clothes to stay warm; and under freezing conditions, the fourth layer could be the overcoat. As you keep taking off the layers, the overcoat followed by the next layer and the garment and then the undergarments, you finally reach the body.

Now one must virtually peel the body as if to find what is inside. First, one peels the physical layer of the body. It starts with the epidermis – the outer layer of the skin that protects blood from oozing out, followed by the peeling of tissues, muscles, and bones till the entire physical body is peeled. Obviously, this peeling method is virtual, and it requires imagination without which one cannot imagine peeling the body. Next, one peels the breath layer, which is the second layer – the layer that constitutes not just breathing as the name implies, but five systems respiration, circulation, digestion, excretion, and reproduction. All these together may be imagined as that subtle, second layer of the body below the first physical layer of the skin, muscles, and bones.

After virtually peeling the first two layers, one finds the

113
third layer that can be referred to as the mind layer. What is this layer? It constitutes the faculty of thought, memory, and intellect. Without this layer, there would be no h u m a n b e i n g , a n d therefore, it is necessary to virtually peel the mind layer to discover what is w i t h i n . D i f f e r e n t philosophers may use different methods to understand this virtual

peeling. Some peel four layers and some peel five layers, but in the end, on peeling the mind layer, there is the layer of the ego. Finally, what is left after virtually peeling the physical body, the breath layer, the mind layer, and the ego? Nothing – just the pure energy that gives life to the human being and makes it appear as a man or a woman! The moment the energy departs, life leaves the body, dead. Then, we are not layers anymore, but just a mass of flesh and bones. Why is it that each of our layers stops functioning at death? The mind stops functioning; the breath stops functioning; and the skin, the bones, and the muscles stop functioning. We know because the energy in the body escapes from all the layers leaving us dead. Therefore, it is this energy that leaves the body that is us – our true self. The various layers of the body that we peeled are only layers that surround the energy that is truly us, which is our life.

To support this method and understand it better, let us ask a silly question. What is a car? By itself, can we call

114
the engine the car? Or can we call the door, the seats, the steering wheel, the windows, the mirrors, the petrol tank, or the wheels – can we call any of them "THE CAR"? Of course not. All these are the components that when put together appear as the car. If it is so easy to understand the car and its components, why should it be so difficult to understand the body? The car needs electrical wires to wire it up. Further, connecting everything to the ignition that starts the car without forgetting that if the gas from the tank does not flow to the engine, neither will the car start nor will the car move. It will be dead.

Similarly the body too is wired as we have discussed above and it needs the energy to give life. It needs the mind layer, the breath layer, and the physical layer along with the final layer – the energy within – to give life to the body. Together, all these appear as the human body. Just like none of the parts of the car when dismantled can be called a car, so also none of the body parts can be called "Me" independently. The only difference is from having a source of energy– the life that sparks it. Realization helps us know that we are that spark. It is the spark that is the beginning or birth of the human body, and it is the spark that departs, causing death. Without the spark or energy, the body is nothing.

Method 5: Negation Method "Not this, Not this; I am

That": Another method of realization is referred to as "Not This, Not This; I am That". In this method, one first realizes what one is not. Am I this body? No! While I seem to be the body, I understand what happens at

115
death. The body is as it was, but we say that the dead person has moved on or passed away. This means that the person that died is not this dead body. He never was! So I am clear that "I am not this".

W h e n t h i s b o d y i s cremated or buried, its five constituents dis-

integrate. The air gets released into the atmosphere, the water evaporates, the fire disappears as the body turns cold, the space occupied by the body shrinks, and what is left is just a little soil. Of course, I am not this body I seem to be. I am none of the five constituents that disintegrate. If I am not this body and its five constituents, then what am I? I am that energy that departed. This is the realization of what I truly am. I am not This, I am That – Not "this" body I seem to be, but "that" energy, spirit, or soul.

Method 6: The Seer and the Seen Method

Today if you are looking at an apple, who is the seer and what is being seen? The eyes are seeing the apple and the apple is being seen. The apple is the object, and eye is the subject. If we ask who is seeing the eyes that see the apple, then we say the mind is observing the eyes. So now, the eyes could be considered as the object, and mind becomes the seer or the subject. But go on one step deeper, who is seeing the mind seeing the eyes looking

116
at an apple? I am seeing the mind."I"– the energy

– that is seeing the mind and observing the eyes that see the apple . Ultimately, this method of realization confirms

t h a t I a m s e e i n g everything. I am seeing the mind, the mind is seeing the eyes, and the eyes are seeing the apple. That is the reality, isn't it?

I know that my mind is wandering. My mind knows that the eyes are opened, and the eyes know that it is an apple. Therefore, finally who is the seer? This probing of who is the seer and what is the seen or what is the subject and what is the object leads to a realization of who we truly are. It is another method of realization – a realization as to what "I" am in reality. Am "I" the eyes? No. If I remove the eyes and keep it on a table, will the eyes be able to see? Of course not! The eyes are connected to the mind through a network of nerves. So if you have an object, say the apple, being seen by eyes and observed by the mind, the moment the mind sleeps, the eyes shut off and then we can't see. But it is me – the energy – that gives power to the mind to be able to give life to the sense perception to perceive the object. It may be a little complicated. But if one is keen to realize the truth, then one must contemplate on the Subject–Object method or the Seer and the Seen method to realize who we truly are. We are not the eyes, and we are not the

117
mind. We are the energy that gives life to the mind and to the eyes. How does one explain that although our eyes are open, we see nothing because we are asleep? Yes, sometimes this happens. The mind is asleep, but the eyes are open and we don't see anything. This is because the eye is only an instrument of the mind, and the mind is an instrument of "me"– the one who sees.

In all the methods illustrated thus far, what happens? The method first leads to realization. A realization that we are not the body, the mind, and the ego we think we are. We are the energy that gives life to the body. The realization wipes out the ignorance and liberates. When we realize we are not the body, the mind, and the ego, all the pain, the sorrow, and the misery that we experience as the body, mind, and ego disappear! This is because of the realization that led to liberation from the belief about what we are not and what we truly are.

Method 7: The Scientific Method

What are we in reality? Einstein, the world famous scientist, stated this decades ago in his scientific equation E = mc2. He explained through this equation that energy can neither be created nor destroyed but can only be transformed from one form to another. Mass and energy are interchangeable. This scientific equation can lead to realization of the truth that we are energy and not the mass we seem to be.

In those days, this equation seemed to be complicated to understand in terms of realization of the truth about who we are. But today, this very world famous formula decodes the mystery of who we truly are. Earlier, this

118
scientific formula only advocated that energy and mass are interchangeable, but this did not lead to any realization. In today's world, scientists have taken the above finding to a new level of discovery. Under a microscope, when a human cell was being examined, scientists didn't stop at seeing atoms. They went on to find protons, neutrons,

electrons, and the smallest amongst them – quarks!

On further study, scientists were bewildered that extremely tiny particles of photons suddenly disappeared into waves. How could matter just disappear? Scientists concluded this to be Wave–Particle Duality, where the particles were becoming energy waves. They were further bewildered to find the energy wave reconstituting into the particle. Of course this endorsed Einstein's earlier theory on mass and energy convertibility. Beyond that, the discovery led scientists to believe that in reality, the human body that appeared to be a mass of flesh and bones was actually trillions of atoms, protons, neutrons, electrons, photons, quarks, and ultimately energy waves. These trillions of energy particles that together appeared like the human body are actually nothing but energy broken down to its tiniest form. This scientific discovery is another method of realization of

119

Who are we?

Are we the Body, the Mind, the Heart, the Head, the Hand

or Cells, Atoms, Neutrons, Protons, Photons, Quarks or the Energy?

Science has discovered that

we are trillions of Energy Particles that together appear to be what we seem to be!

120

117
"who" and "what" we actually are. We are not the body that we appear to be. We are pure energy! And this is not some philosophical claim, but a scientific discovery as proved using a powerful microscope.

While science has discovered that matter becomes energy and energy becomes matter, how can a common man understand this? One may recall a simple experiment as a child. We have seen a cube of ice melt and become water, then when we heated the water, it evaporated and became vapour. As kids, we wondered how did something solid become liquid and then gas. We were explained that these are the three states of matter. It seemed magical because in the laboratory, we were shown how the vapour can condense back into water, and if the water was frozen it could once again become ice. What we learned was that matter could change its state but now science says that matter can become energy, it can disappear altogether and that is truly amazing. Not so amazing to the spiritual seekers who have realized the truth that we are not this body but the energy that is within.

Whatever be the method of realization, the fortunate one who has attained realization goes beyond the belief of being the body, the mind, and the ego and uses the intellect to realize the truth. If one is in command of the intellect and one releases the bondage of the intellect with the mind, then the intellectual realization wins the tug of war against the mental delusion that forces us to believe that we are the ego, the mind, and the body. Any of these methods of realization ultimately leads to the realization of one truth: We are energy! We are not the body, not the mind, nor the ego, and all our misery and

121
sorrow that arise from being the body, mind, and ego would cease on realizing the truth of who we are. This leads to liberation from the prisons of misery and sorrow!

The Journey to the Third Peak

The seeker who wants to scale the third and ultimate peak of happiness has now learned that there is a third peak – a peak that is the ultimate peak of happiness. The seeker wants to decode and discover what this peak is. He realizes that we are prisoners of misery and sorrow. By now, he knows about realization and various methods that will liberate us.

The journey is not as easy as it seems to be. It is a steep climb to the third and ultimate peak. First, we must realize who we truly are. Are we the ego, mind, and body or are we the energy that gives life to this body? The realization of this truth is the key to unlock the way to the third peak. It is not necessary that the knowledge of realization will give realization. In fact, realization will first lead to the knowledge of Liberation. Thereafter, Liberation will free us from these prisons of misery and sorrow. But unless there is a divine grace, a strong willpower, and a lot of effort from our side, we will find ourselves going round in circles. We will be on a see-saw, going up towards the third peak, then being pulled down back on the ground. It needs a lot of commitment to take up this journey – the ultimate and most amazing journey to the Third Peak of Ultimate Happiness!

How Realization leads to Liberation?

What is realization? It is the knowledge and the total

122
understanding of who we are and who we are not, and what we are and what we are not. The whole of humanity seems to be enveloped in deep ignorance of the truth of our life and existence. This ignorance creates bondage, which is a virtual prison, and we continue to live as the ego, mind, and body that we seem to be. We live and die as prisoners of this ignorance.

Through any of the methods of realization, the ignorance is eradicated. The knowledge of the truth shines. We are not the ego, mind, and body. We are energy – a life force that empowers the body. Our knowledge should be powerful enough to overcome the ignorance completely. It is not enough just to know or to believe what we are. We need to realize it beyond doubt or hesitation. This is the realization that leads to liberation from the prison of ignorance.

One can imagine the realization to be an instant dissolution of bondage or a prison of all the ignorance and along with it, the misery, the pain, and the sorrow that arise out of fear, worry, and anger amongst others.

Once a person realizes the truth of what they are not and what they truly are, they are instantly liberated from the misery and sorrow of life because essentially the realization discovers that we are not the body, not the mind, and not the ego, and the pain that is felt by the body–mind–ego is not our pain. A realized one distances himself from such pain and is thus freed from the misery.

The moment we realize we are not the ego, the body,

123
and the mind, we get liberated from the various prisons that normally cage us throughout life. Our beliefs keep creating sorrow because of our own thoughts and habits, but when we realize the truth, we get liberated from our own mental prison.

It seems like we are unable to perceive the truth with the physical eyes. No wonder, a handful amongst humanity are able to see the truth. We used to worry, but now we realize all these are just like a dream. Nothing is real! Suppose you had a dream, in which you went to your brother in the neighbourhood and requested for some financial assistance. After much persuasion, he gave you the money with the condition that you would return it immediately. You thanked him and you left. You wake up the next morning and you're so happy to find loads of money that have just arrived. What would you do? Would you go to your brother to return the money that you borrowed from him in the dream? Of course not! That was just a dream. You don't have to return money that was borrowed in a dream.

Realization has a similar liberating effect. One who has wiped out the ignorance of who we truly are realizes that worrying has the same effect of the dream. What we worry about is not real. It just appears to be an imagined danger that may never happen. Then why would one live with misery and sorrow because of the worry? Just like one is absolutely sure that the money was borrowed in the dream, one is equally sure that the worry is unreal. It is just a mental projection. The realized one stops responding to worry. Just as the man who would not go back to his brother to return money in the dream as it was unreal, worries are unreal to the realized one. But to

124
most of humanity, worry is the biggest thief of happiness.

A realization that worry is unreal is liberating, and one stops worrying as one has realized the truth. Would you worry about a ferocious bull dog that is about to attack you, but it is an image seen on the television? Of course not! The realized one watches life as if it is all happening in a television. Thus, he is liberated and freed from misery and sorrow.

We used to get angry because the ego had some expectations that were not fulfilled and we got upset. Now that as we realize that we are not the ego, we understand the uselessness of getting angry, and the anger is transcended. Realization dissolves anger into a smile and liberates us. A terror that would formally disturb our life disappears into thin air when we realize the following: "Who is getting angry? At whom are we getting angry? Why are we getting angry?" The realized one laughs at angry situations and is liberated.

How Liberation frees us from the Prisons of Misery?

What is Liberation? Liberation is being freed from the prisons of misery and sorrow post realization. We have already discussed realization and methods of realization. But what happens post Liberation? We realize that we are pure energy and not the body–mind–ego that experiences misery, pain, and sorrow. On Liberation, the entire gamut of misery, pain, and sorrow as well as all the other joy stealers are once and for all eliminated and destroyed. How does Liberation free us from these prisons of misery and sorrow?

125
 Can Liberation eliminate anger? Normally, human beings get angry, but the liberated one realizes that he is not the body. The body used to get angry, but now he does not fuel the body's anger. He rather laughs at situations as if he was watching a drama. He realizes that anger is trying to provoke him to be the ego, mind, and body that he is not. Since he has realized the truth, he transcends anger and lives in bliss.

The liberated one knows that this world is a theatre, where everything is a projection of energy – nothing is real! Consider two actors in a movie; if one of them slaps the other in the movie, would the angered one return the slap post the production of the movie? Of course not! It would be absurd! There is no need for the actors to be angry in real life as one actor slapping the other in the movie was just another scene of the film. A liberated soul knows that life is a theatre and doesn't get angered by anybody or anything, knowing that all these are nothing more than a drama. At the end, the show will be over and everybody should go home. Why would a liberated one be troubled by the misery and sorrow caused by anger?

Does the liberated one feel fear? A liberated soul doesn't get imprisoned by the misery caused by fear. A liberated one, knowing himself to be energy, is fearless and has no concerns or worries. Of course, the body-mind complex lives with fear, but we inhabit the body-mind complex. We are not the body, and thus we need not fear. Therefore, Liberation conquers and eliminates the joy stealer fear from life.

126
A liberated one knows that there is nothing to fear. Knowing the mind to be distinctly different from himself, he tries to calm it from unnecessary stress about things that are not real and may never happen. Liberation eliminates fear from life completely.

Does the liberated one have desires? Who has desires? The ego, the mind, and the sense perceptions of the body seek and desire. Every time a desire is unfulfilled, we become miserable. The liberated one realizes that we are not the body and the mind. Therefore, there are no more desires, except the desire for Liberation. A liberated person doesn't seek happiness because Liberation is the essence of joy, bliss, and peace. To understand it both ways, the liberated one is happiness itself and doesn't seek happiness. One doesn't seek happiness because one is liberated and doesn't need to desire to become happy.

Before Liberation, one was controlled by desire. To be happy, one had thought that one must first desire happiness and then fulfil the desire. Now one IS happiness; and one doesn't need to seek it. Every desire led either to happiness or disappointment and misery. One was imprisoned! Liberation eliminates desire as one doesn't need something to be happy. Since there is no desire, one is in a state of eternal bliss and happiness.

Does the liberated person have problems? Who has problems? Individuals who are driven by the ego, mind, and body face problems in life. On Liberation, one views everything as a four-dimensional dream knowing that one is energy and everything is

127
transitory. Problems are nothing but imaginary circumstances that appear just as a dream. They come and go. Therefore, Liberation leads to a life that is not affected by problems. A liberated soul is free from the problem prison.

The liberated one understands that life is an illusion. Ultimately, when the drama of life is over, nothing matters. But as long as one is alive, one has to play one's part. It doesn't mean that the liberated one doesn't act. Liberation leads to freedom in action, not freedom from action. Though the liberated one is part of the life drama, he very well knows it is a drama and not real. Problems that earlier attacked him like lethal bullets do not affect a liberated soul. They seem to pass through a liberated one as if he is invisible. Thus, problems have no effect on a liberated person.

Does the liberated one have lust? Lust is a strong, intense craving generally for sexual gratification; sometimes, it is also an obsession for power or an obsession for other sinful cravings. A body and mind led by an obsessive ego develops lust, which is sure to arrive at destination misery. Liberation frees us from lust because of the realization that we have a body and mind, but we are not the body and mind. A liberated one transcends lust and doesn't suppress it. Lust, in the past, raged like a fire that pushed one to an obsessive action, ultimately leading to misery. But now the liberated energy is in command of the body and mind and lives in peace and joy, transcending lust.

Letting the body and mind go astray after lust comes to

128
a stop on Liberation. Why should we permit lust to obsessively crave when we are not the body and mind? We are already blissful. We do not need lust to be fulfilled to be happy. This interesting question may give some perspective to understand lust and to overcome it. Would you crave for delicious food displayed in a show window when you very well know that it is made of plastic and is only for the purpose of display? Just as we would overcome the craving for fake food, a liberated one doesn't crave for anything as he knows that everything is fake and transitory. Thus, Liberation eliminates lust.

Does the liberated one worry? Who worries? As individuals who think, desire, and expect, we get imprisoned with worry. We worry about yesterday, and we worry about tomorrow. A liberated soul knows only the present moment. Yesterday is just a memory, and tomorrow doesn't exist. A liberated soul doesn't shuttle between the past and the future. A liberated soul lives in the bliss of the present moment after realization of the truth. There was no yesterday. It is just a memory in the mind. There will be no tomorrow. When it arrives, it will be a beautiful today. A liberated one knows to cross the bridge when he comes to it. Whatever is over can't be changed. So why think about the past in regret? Whatever is going to happen will happen, and when it happens, everything will be fine. The liberated one further realizes that everything is happening in the mind. If you close your mind, your eyes, and your ears, why do you find peace and bliss? Because the agitated mind that was producing worry stops doing so and is made tranquil when the mind and

129
sense perceptions are switched off. We too know it, but because we do not realize the truth, we are not liberated and we continue to worry.

Therefore, Liberation frees one from worry. Even if something were to happen, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters. The mind manipulates us to believe that everything matters, but when we are not the mind, we are liberated. Neither the past nor the future creates worry to the liberated one. He lives in the bliss and joy of the present moment, knowing that nothing is good or bad. Everything is perfect!

Is the liberated one affected by dreams and nightmares? Some people are foolish to permit dreams and nightmares to cause misery although they know it was just a dream. They still believe that it might have some impact on the reality of their life. They replay the dream again and again causing misery. A liberated soul is free from such sorrow. The liberated one not only knows a dream to be a dream, but also considers even life to be another four-dimensional dream. Just like a dream doesn't matter, even life doesn't cause any kind of misery and sorrow to a liberated soul.

First of all, a liberated one dreams less and has fewer nightmares. This is because the liberated one understands the difference between being awake and dreaming. Being awake, he knows that both the mind and body are agile and alert; so he lives. While dreaming, he realizes that the body is asleep, but the mind is awake. Being distinctively different from the mind, he makes the mind also go to sleep through different methods like meditation or recitation. This

130
leads to more deep sleep episodes of bliss and absolute peace rather than dreams and nightmares. On those days when he wakes up after a nightmare, he just pauses to laugh over the illusion created by the mind, deletes it from his current thoughts and memory like one would wipe off the writing on a board, and continues to live peacefully.

Is the liberated one imprisoned by ignorance? The liberated one doesn't live in the darkness of ignorance. His entire life was like a dark room. Realization is like switching on the light. In a moment, darkness is swept away and so is ignorance eliminated. Liberation conquers ignorance just like light conquers darkness. Liberation sweeps away ignorance and with it, the pain and sorrow created by it also vanish. Everything that was believed by one in the past and whatever one was habituated to drop like how over-ripe fruits drop off from a tree. The beliefs wither away, and with it, all that caused misery and sorrow also vanish. Suddenly, one experiences freedom, bliss, and joy! With ignorance swept away by Liberation, one is freed from this prison.

Does the liberated one accumulate Karmas? What is Karma? It the law of cause and effect: "As we sow so shall we reap". The body and mind constantly think and act. These actions, good or bad, produce corresponding good or bad karmas. Our positive thoughts and actions reap positive consequences just as our negative thoughts and actions reap negative consequences. We shuttle between being happy and unhappy.

131
A liberated soul realizes that we are not the body and the mind. The moment we realize we are not the body or the mind, we realize that all thoughts and actions were unreal just like projections in a movie. Since there are no thoughts and actions for the liberated person, there are no karmas created, and consequently one doesn't have to face good or bad consequences. We are pure energy that gives power to the body and mind. We therefore do not produce any karma as we are not the body and mind and are liberated from the negative influences of karma. Liberation thus frees one from the prison of karma, which otherwise creates so much misery and sorrow.

Not only are we liberated from the misery that may come from bad karmas, a liberated soul who realizes that we are the pure energy, not the mind and body that we seem to be, escapes not just from karma but also from possible rebirth and the cycle of death and future births. The liberated one knows this body is a manifestation. We appear as the body although we are energy cells scientifically discovered. We inhabit the body, but we are not the body just like we may drive the car, but we are not the car. Knowing that we are energy and not the outer casing of the body that we normally believe to be, we appear and disappear like a wave in an ocean. There is no birth. There is no death. The liberated one is immortal. It gives life to the body for as long as the body lives on Earth. Thereafter, the energy is liberated from the body, and the body drops back into where it came from like the wave descends into the ocean.

The five constituents of the body – water, air, fire, space,

132
and earth – that manifest from the Earth merge back with the Nature after death. Of course, the body may seem to age, decay, and die, but the liberated person who is pure energy neither ages, decays, nor dies. He is liberated from the misery and the pain that comes from being caged in a body–mind complex. The liberated one knows that the producer/director of life will free him from the body-mind complex at the appropriate time. Until such time, the liberated one just enjoys the show called life. He doesn't consider whatever is happening to be truly happening but rather a life drama that he is experiencing as an actor. Liberation frees him from all the pain and sorrow from the life drama, but lets him enjoy the drama as an exciting production till such time that he is freed from the body–mind complex. Thus, Liberation leads to freedom from all sorrow, misery, and pain that come from as our false belief that we are the body–mind complex.

A liberated soul has a body that will go through its cycle of growth, disease, decay, and death. While the body may suffer, the liberated soul doesn't experience pain and suffering. Yes, the body seems to experience pain and suffering; just like an actor seems to be bleeding in a movie, it all seems very real, but it is just a movie. The liberated soul is blessed to realize this even while the soul is still in the body–mind complex. But we mortals may only realize this truth after we are liberated from the body. Till we are in the body, we seem to believe that we are the body and so we feel the pain that the body and mind feel because of the ignorance that imprisons us.

We human beings become miserable thinking of death,

133
disease, and decay as we age. Why? This is because we consider ourselves to be the body–mind–ego complex. As long as we do, we have to experience the pain that the body complex experiences. But if we analyse and realize that the body emerges from the energy and the body merges into the energy, we can be liberated.

Therefore, Liberation frees one from all the prisons of misery, pain, and suffering by completely eliminating the joy stealers that are born from the ignorance that we arrive with on Earth. As long as we live with ignorance, we may experience pleasure that comes from Achievement and we will experience peace that comes from Fulfillment. But we will continue to experience pain and suffering because of all the prisons that we create because of our own mind and ignorance. Liberation is the only method for one to be freed from all the prisons of misery and sorrow as it dispels the darkness of ignorance by the light of realization. The prisons of anger, worry, fear, disease, death, or karma that otherwise seem so real, causing so much pain and suffering and stealing our joy and peace, suddenly seem to disappear into thin air and so does all the pain and misery!

Just Knowing about Realization does not lead to Liberation!

The reader may be confused. All along, he felt that once he knows about realization, one can be liberated, but now he reads that just knowledge on realization is not Liberation. What is the mystery of this statement?

Just knowing about realization does not lead to Liberation. There are thousands who are like

134
bookworms and can repeat the whole book on realization, but they are not liberated from misery and pain. This is because knowledge of realization is not Liberation. We may know the truth, but unless we see it with our "real eyes", we cannot REALIZE it. Why? Since realization that leads to Liberation would cause the end of the ego, the body, and the mind, the three musketeers continue to play a tug of war post realization and do not permit realization to lead us to Liberation. If realization wins, Liberation is achieved, but if the ego that leads the body and the mind wins, the realized soul can sink back into thoughts and desires and be imprisoned again by joy stealers even though realization has taken place. It is just like a prisoner sentenced for a crime is released from a jail and he is convicted no sooner he commits the same crime, thus finding himself behind the bars again. We too can be re-imprisoned if we commit the crime of letting the ego, mind, and body dominate our intellect.

The tug of war between happiness and unhappiness is the fight between who we truly are – the energy and whom we are not – the ego, mind, and body. Both pull in opposite directions. If ignorance wins, we continue to be imprisoned with misery and sorrow. But if realization wins, we are freed from the prison and we experience joy.

The fulcrum of the fight is the intellect – our power of discrimination. If the intellect is controlled by the body– mind, we are pulled downwards into the prisons of misery and sorrow with the thoughts and beliefs created by the mind. If we control the intellect and disconnect it from the mind, realization happens and we are pushed upwards and out of ignorance to Liberation, bliss, and joy.

135
 Intellect

vs.

Ignorance

Our life is a continuous tug of war

between our intellect

and our ignorance.

If the intellect wins, we can realize the truth. If ignorance wins, we will fall off the cliff to live and die again and again in ignorance.

136
One can also imagine this to be like a coin; it has two sides. If the ego surfaces up, the energy is pushed down and Liberation doesn't happen. If realization is complete and one conquers the ego, body, and mind, pushing that side down, then the energy side looks up, leading to Liberation. For one to enjoy the Third Peak of Happiness, one must conquer the ego, mind, and body and let realization lead to complete Liberation from misery, pain, and sorrow.

"We are unable to realize who we are because the mind wanders and the senses desire and thus we continue to be what we are not." – AiR

Therefore, the journey is long and challenging. It is about first going on a quest, then understanding the truth, then knowing about realization, and finally attaining realization by the elimination of the deep ignorance that we were in. Thus, the several rounds of tug of war leave only a very small, blessed group of fortunate human beings on the ultimate peak of Liberation who experience a life of eternal joy, everlasting happiness, peace, and tranquillity without pain, misery, and sorrow.

An interesting equation can help a seeker move towards realization.

Me = Power in body mind complex

EMB = Ego + Mind + Body

Here, "Me" is the power that resides in the body-mind complex, and EMB is the ego the leads the mind and body to act. Considering the above-mentioned definitions of Me and EMB, what does the

137
 equation below mean?

Me – EMB = Liberated Energy

Liberated Energy + EMB = Me

The above equation states that if we eliminate the ego, mind, and body controlling our life, we shall be liberated from all pain and sorrow. If we achieve Liberation but attach ourselves again to the ego, mind, and body, we once again start experiencing all the prisons of misery and sorrow.

Further, as long as I believe I am the ego, the mind, and the body, I shall never be able to experience Liberation. The realization that I am energy that gives life to the body is Liberation. If the realization of this truth is complete and the ego, mind, and body are transcended, then I can experience true Liberation!

Reaching the Third Peak

A pilgrim on the path to Liberation arrives at this third peak post the complete realization of the truth and defeat of the ego, mind, and body. The realization leads one to know what we truly are and what we always falsely thought ourselves to be. We are the pure energy that exists within our body–mind complex. Such energies exist in all persons and things, but without realization, we consider ourselves to be different from others.

Realization reveals the secret that the energy in you and energy in me are one, which is the universal energy. Therefore, there is no difference between you and me. This realization can create true bliss.

138
The liberated one realizes that he is energy. He also realizes that just like he is energy, everybody else is energy. In a home, there may be electrical energy in a bulb and energy in a fan and in an air conditioner, but these are not different energies. The source of energy is one power. The liberated one realizes that he is one with all as the same energy is within everybody, and this realization creates tremendous bliss and joy. A liberated one further realizes that so-called inanimate things also have energy. This is endorsed by science. The energy in me and the energy in everything are one energy. This thought creates an intoxication of bliss for the liberated one.

When one realizes that one is not the body, mind, and ego but rather the energy, one further realizes that everybody around is also nothing but energy. This realization creates bliss for the realized one. Till now, everybody else was different from me, but now there is no difference. The energy that is me and the energy that is you – both are the same energy that is the Creator. This realization is blissful!

Imagine believing that the air I breathe is different from the air you breathe. Isn't it absurd? There is one air that we all inhale from and exhale into. The impure air is inhaled by plants to exhale pure oxygen, but this is creation that is beyond human comprehension. Realization acknowledges that we have not been given that sense of perception to decode this process. Explaining this further, our eyes have perception to see and ears can perceive sound. If somebody were to tell you to close your eyes and see them with your ears, could you do it? It would be impossible! Each sense of

139
perception has limited capability of what it can perceive. We humans have not been gifted that sense of perception to understand how the Creator has created the entire universe. We are unable to see beyond Liberation and the third peak, but we do have the intellect to climb the peak.

The human being is not doomed to live in prisons of misery and sorrow. Several liberated ones have realized the truth and have been liberated from misery. Realization is the key! One experiences energy or consciousness all-pervading. One is liberated from the limited body and mind just as one is liberated from all the tiny prisons of misery and sorrow.

A person who is caught in a maze that is a tiny cell thinks that the cell is all that exists. He doesn't realize that there are millions of such cells that adjoin each other. If one were to break all the walls of all the cells, then one would truly experience how vast the space is. Such is the effect of realization!

One feels ultimate bliss, eternal peace, and tranquillity as one transcends desire, fear, worry, and other joy stealers. One doesn't seek happiness; one becomes happiness! The realization of the truth that one is part of the cosmic energy creates bliss beyond expression. One is liberated from all mental trauma and physical pain.

The most unique gift of Liberation is the bliss and everlasting joy that is born out of knowing the truth that one is consciousness. A liberated one lives as the universal energy without any duality. Dropping all differences with people and things, he becomes one

140
Are all these Prisons of Misery & Sorrow?

Mental | Anger

---|---

Stress | Worry

Physical | Fear

Pain

Karma   I/Me   Revenge

Death |   
 | Hate

---|---|---

Old | Disease | Jealousy

Age

I am imprisoned

in these prisons of misery & sorrow

from these prisons!

Liberation comes from Realization

Realization | Realization

---|---

I am Not This | I am That

(Not Body/Mind) | (The Soul)

The SOUL is FREE from All PRISONS. Liberation is Mukti, Moksh, Nirvana!

141
with the Creator and the creation, and this gift of Liberation creates everlasting joy and eternal bliss.

The peak of Achievement seems like a tiny ant hill and the second peak is like a little hillock just as the third peak stands as a majestic mountain above the two. In comparison to Liberation, Achievement is just a dot of happiness, which is constantly surrounded by sorrow. It is a yo-yo that goes up and down depending on success and unfulfilled desires. Fulfillment, the Second Peak of Happiness, is enhanced joy and peace, but constantly disturbed by problems and joy stealers, being imprisoned by misery and sorrow. Liberation is an ocean of happiness. There are no desires, no problems, no miseries, and no pain. The Third and Ultimate Peak of happiness is about realization and Liberation that transcends even death. A liberated being is eternally blissful and peaceful as it merges with the universal energy. Very few are fortunate to reach the peak of Liberation.

On Liberation, the ego, mind, and body cease to exist and therefore fight hard to keep us imprisoned. Even if we read a book like this and understand the truth, the mind wanders and distracts us from moving forward. Even if we move forward and start living a life of realization, the sense perceptions of the body distract us away from the realization into the prisons of misery and sorrow.

Therefore, the fight to be liberated is the ultimate fight of life. One has to use one's most important weapon that is the intellect to destroy the ego, the mind, and the sense perceptions of the body along with the ignorance that

142
we are born and we die with.

No wonder, only one out of hundred people think of Liberation, the Third Peak. The mind keeps us busy with other things. In today's world, there is enough and more to be occupied with. While we all want to be happy, we are so caught up with pleasures that we think that there is nothing beyond this joy. Thus, 80% of humanity live and die on the first peak of Achievement. The 20% of humanity who think that they have transcended to the ultimate peak don't realize that Fulfillment only promises peace and joy. It doesn't eliminate the several prisons of misery and sorrow that we live and die with birth after birth and death after death in what seems to be part one, part two, and part three of a movie called life that appears to be projected on the planet called Earth.

BEING LIBERATED WHILE ALIVE

A liberated soul continues to live in the body–mind complex but has realized the truth. I have a body and mind, but I am not the body and mind. How does the liberated soul live blissfully?

The key to a liberated blissful life is the use of the intellect. We all possess an intellect – the faculty to discriminate between what is right and wrong and what is real and unreal. Before Liberation and realization, the intellect is controlled by the body, mind, and ego. On realization, one takes charge of the intellect to be liberated. To be liberated while alive, one should continue to be in command of the intellect. Otherwise one will sink backwards and be overpowered by prisons of desire, lust, anger, and worry, and hence lose one's Liberation.

143
Why is taking charge of the intellect so important? The intellect is the faculty of discrimination. Every time we are approached by a thought from the mind or a sense perception from the body, we tend to act and react. But the question is should we respond, should we act, or what should we do? We need the most important tool of intellect to be able to question and to decide.

Therefore, if one is in command of the intellect, then the intellect controls the mind and the body both individually and simultaneously and lets one remain in a state of realization on the third and ultimate peak of bliss and happiness, free from the prisons of misery and sorrow.

But if one doesn't take charge of the intellect, then one is in deep trouble because the reverse will happen. The mind is like a monkey; it will keep jumping from one thought to another. And out of the fifty thoughts it produces every minute, we may get carried away by any of the thoughts. The senses are made to pull us down, not letting us climb the peak of ultimate joy. Therefore, through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, and our sense of touch, we get attracted towards desires that will make us sink in this world. If we sink into the illusion of ignorance, then we are destroyed and we are deprived of the third and ultimate peak of happiness. This can happen if we lose command of the intellect.

I read a very interesting story about a man who was liberated and he had realized that he was not the ego, the mind, and the body. He had renounced the world and lived a life of ultimate peace, bliss, and joy. He was

144
a lawyer by profession, and he had earned a lot of money, but leaving his money and his profession, he went into a life of solitude, peace, and bliss. Not that it was necessary for him to go into such a life, but that was his choice. One can be a king living in a palace or the CEO of an organization and still be peaceful. One doesn't have to run away into the forest in solitude to achieve the state of realization and Liberation.

Living in a forest, the only thing he owned was a little cloth that was used like underpants to cover himself. Unfortunately, when he used to sleep, this cloth was eaten by little rats, and he felt that he should take care of the cloth and so to get rid off the rats, he got a cat. Now he found that the cat needed milk, and so in the forest, he had to get a cow. The cow produced milk for the cat who kept away the rats. But who would milk the cow? So he decided to get a woman. The woman came and needless to say, they had children, and thereafter, he was no more in solitude in the forest. This little story tells us how we have to discriminate if we want to enjoy the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness. We must choose to live as a realized soul who is liberated.

Everything is a drama, a movie, a theatre. Why do we worry? Why do we do things that will make us sink in the world? We do things that make us sink in the world because we lose command of the intellect. If the intellect is sharp and always in command, it will question, it will choose, it will decide, and it will not let us sink. It will stop us from desires, cravings, and seeking things that will pull us downwards.

145
If we start thinking that we are the ego, the mind, and the body we are sure to lose our joy through joy stealers and sure to get imprisoned by misery and sorrow. If we start worrying about our duties and get carried away by lust and embarrassed by shame, these three joy stealers can imprison us forever in a prison that will stop us from climbing the ultimate peak. Therefore, if we want to eliminate the control of the mind and the body and if we want to stay away from these three terrorists, the most dangerous of all – duty, lust, and shame, we need the intellect.

Without us taking charge of the intellect, we do not have the tool of realization and Liberation. The only tool that can liberate us and lead us forward to the Third and Ultimate Peak is the intellect. The intellect is part of the mind, but it is not the mind. The mind wanders, the mind thinks, the mind decides, the mind remembers, and the mind has different faculties. And this faculty of the mind that is the intellect should be used to control that faculty of the mind that wanders and desires and makes us sink.

Therefore, carefully pick up the faculty of the mind called intellect, take charge of the intellect, and move towards realization and Liberation, enjoying the ultimate peak of joy, peace, and bliss.

To enjoy the third and ultimate peak of happiness, a liberated soul lives intellectually as the energy and not the body–mind complex. A liberated soul doesn't seek happiness post realization because the energy realizes the self to be a source of happiness. A liberated soul lives without problems and misery as it watches

146
everything as a four-dimensional dream, knowing death of the physical body not to be a painful and sorrowful end but rather just a bend to transcend.

To a reader, it may seem so magical and like a fairy tale that by using the intellect, we can be liberated from the pain of the body and the mind and we can just escape from the prisons of misery and sorrow. But it is true! If we use the intellect, then we can be free from all the prisons of misery and sorrow.

We are the energy. On realization, we KNOW it! We don't have to believe it; we don't have to doubt it. We absolutely know that we are not the body that experiences death and we are not the mind that continuously wanders, but we are the energy that gives life to the body and the mind and unfortunately also creates the ego. When we know that we are the energy, then we distance ourselves from the body, mind, and ego using the intellect.

It is not that the body doesn't experience pain, but we don't react to that pain as our pain. It is not that the mind doesn't wander and desire, but we transcend the mind and treat it as our neighbour and sometimes even as our enemy. This is the power of the energy. The moment we realize we are the energy, we transcend the ego. One of the two will dominate our life, the ego or the energy, and it is the intellect that makes this happen. The moment the intellect is weak, the ego dominates. If the intellect is strong, only then the energy will dominate and let us be on the ultimate peak of happiness. The intellect thus decides if we are ego or the energy.

147
As long as one is physically alive, the energy that is us inhabits a body-mind complex. At a destined moment, when the blissful energy merges with the universal energy, the body and mind ceases to exist, the microcosm becomes the macrocosm. The wave becomes the ocean. Till this happens, the liberated soul can continue to enjoy the ultimate journey of bliss, peace, and happiness as a human on the Third Peak of Happiness as it inhabits the body post realization.

Therefore, we the energy, need the help of the intellect for realization and Liberation to climb the Third Peak of Happiness. Without the use of the intellect, we can never be free from the prisons of misery.

Towards the Third Peak - Finally!

A seeker of the Third Peak of Happiness must start with a quest – a search of a peak unknown and not visible. The seeker must have faith, hope, and belief that the third peak exists at the distance. One of two things will lead the seeker to the third peak: a passion for finding the purpose of life or an obsession for discovering the Third Peak of Happiness. Either of these two will open the doors to Liberation from the prisons of misery and sorrow.

Those who have experienced Liberation describe the need to pass the four doors to Liberation:

  1. Discrimination

  2. Dispassion

  3. Discipline

  4. Desire for Liberation

The first door – Discrimination: A seeker cannot be

148
 FOUR DOORS TO LIBERATION

The third peak of happiness will be visible to a seeker in the distance, but the seeker must pass through these four doors to get to the third and ultimate peak of happiness.

Discrimination Dispassion Discipline Desire for Liberation

149
liberated without using discrimination at every step. This frees the seeker from being ordinarily human. This is the first door a seeker must pass enroute to Liberation. Without discrimination, the liberated one will fall back into the prisons of misery and sorrow because of making the wrong decisions without using the intellect.

If a seeker doesn't develop a power to discriminate, he is controlled by his wandering mind and craving body. By developing the faculty of discrimination, a seeker questions everything. Is it right? Should I do it? Should it be avoided? Without such questioning, the seeker would be doomed. His wandering mind would be in command rather than his intellect.

The second door - Dispassion: To strengthen the search, the seeker becomes dispassionate, detached, and void of desires. If the seeker doesn't pass this door and continues to let the body desire and the mind create passion, the seeker will be locked back into the prisons of misery.

A seeker who is void of desires and dispassionate transcends the mind and the body and progresses towards Liberation. If passion and obsession rule our life, how can we ever be liberated? Therefore, a seeker should overcome passion and should remain detached and disconnected from the pangs of desire that are common to humanity.

The third door – Discipline: Six disciplines are necessary for a seeker to move towards Liberation: Control of the body and its sense perceptions, control of

150
the mind and its wandering, control of continuous cravings together with unshakable faith, absolute focus, and forbearance at every step.

Without discipline, it is impossible for a seeker to be liberated. The seeker realizes that his first enemy is his own mind. He learns to discipline it. He then realizes that the cravings of his body need to be disciplined in order to be liberated. To discipline the body and mind, he adopts three positive virtues of faith, focus, and forbearance that complete his art of self-discipline.

The fourth door – Desire for Liberation: It is not enough to use discrimination, to be dispassionate, and to be disciplined. A seeker should develop a strong desire for Liberation.

Can a seeker who removes all negatives become positive? Discrimination, dispassion, and discipline gives freedom to a seeker to move on. But what gives the seeker the energy to be liberated? A burning desire for Liberation and nothing else is the fourth ultimate door that paves his way to Liberation.

One who passes these four doors seems to be qualified and blessed to realize the truth and be liberated.

The seeker then marches towards the third peak, seeking Liberation and nothing else. What does this mean? The seeker experiences full realization of not being the ego, the mind, and the body. This liberates the seeker from all the prisons of misery. The seeker doesn't seek happiness as he realizes that the source of

151
happiness is within.

Story: The Musk Deer

An extremely fragrant and valuable musk is found in the navel of the Himalayan deer giving it the title of "The Musk Deer" in the Northern Hills of India. When the aromatic musk comes out of the navel of the musk deer, the deer becomes attracted to the aroma of its own perfume. It leaps and roams around searching for the fragrance. Unable to find the source of the fragrance, out of restlessness, the deer jumps from the high cliffs into the valley in an attempt to track the source and thus meets its fate when the hunters get hold of him and tear out the pouch of musk, also known as Kasturi.

A poet mentioned, "O you foolish musk deer, you sought for the fragrance everywhere but in your own body. That is why you did not find it. If you only had touched your nostrils to your own navel, you would have found the cherished musk and would have saved yourself from suicide on the rocks below".

A seeker lives fearlessly without worry or stress enjoying every moment blissfully. Nothing is good or bad; everything is perfect. The seeker lives in total surrender and acceptance, accepting life as a divine manifestation of the Creator. The seeker knows death as just a bend to transcend. Like the wave is never born nor dies, the seeker enjoys appearing from and disappearing into the energy consciousness that is Omnipresent. The seeker doesn't try to decode the cosmic intelligence puzzle, but rather enjoys living in Ananda, ultimate bliss, as the microcosm of the macrocosm that has created him. The seeker realizes his

152
identity as the vast divine ocean, although he appears to be a wave that rises and falls, and the seeker enjoys splashing on Earth as a wave moment after moment as it appears in bliss and peace.

What do normal human beings think? We think we are the body, we are the mind, and we are the ego that has a spirit within. But a seeker who has attained realization thinks differently. He thinks that "I am the energy and I am in a body that has a mind and is controlled by the ego". These are two opposite paradigms of life. The understanding of the one who has not attained realization and the one who has attained realization are exactly the opposite. As long as we live a life without realization and we think that "I am the body that has a mind and an ego", we will never be free from the prisons of misery and sorrow. Therefore, we should understand that it is a part and parcel of living in the ignorance of being a human being having a spiritual experience. Realization changes the paradigm. We need to realize that "I am not a human being having a spiritual experience; I am the energy, spirit, or soul that is having a human experience. I am not the body, the mind, and the ego. I have a body, a mind, and an ego that I inhabit, and therefore, I am different from it". This is the key that leads us to realization and to Liberation and helps us to remain on the Third and Ultimate Peak of Ananda, ultimate peace, bliss, and happiness that knows no pain and sorrow. Yes, it is true that some people who are realized souls live a life of Liberation. They live as a spirit that inhabits the body–mind–ego complex, but they do not live as the body that suffers in pain and sorrow. Realization does the trick! It helps us remain on the top of the Third and Ultimate peak.

153
Once a seeker experiences realization of the truth, he starts to climb the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness. If the seeker is able to transcend the ego, overcome the mind, and control the body, the seeker steadily progresses to the third peak of eternal joy and bliss, being absolutely liberated!

If we take an empty pot and ask what lies inside it, the answer is simple – AiR. What is outside it, over it, and above it? The answers are the same: it is air everywhere. If the pot is broken, what happens to the air inside the pot? Obviously the air merges with the vast atmosphere of air that surrounds the pot. The seeker realizes that like the pot has air that is everywhere, the seeker is energy contained in a body–mind complex. On disintegration, the energy merges with the omnipresent energy that is everywhere. The seeker's realization is deeper. The seeker realizes that the energy within and the energy in other beings, other animals, and other things are ultimately one energy, and this realization is Liberation – the Ultimate Peak of Happiness. The seeker enjoys the cosmic drama of life no more as the ego, body, and mind, but as the universal energy.

This realization is Liberation – Liberation from all misery, sorrow, and pain. The seeker virtually detaches from the body and mind and uses the body and mind as entities separate from him, thus escaping from the maladies they face.

What do we do when we go for a movie? We enjoy it. We watch the actors play their part with costume, music, dialogues, and special effects. We just enjoy the

154
show. A realized one blissfully enjoys the show called life without internalising the life movie and its problems and miseries. The realized one blissfully enjoys the show.

A villager, on his visit to a city, was teased and asked, "What do you see on the screen?" as a movie of war was being projected. He said, "I see horses." Then he was questioned further, "What do you see beyond the horses?" He said, "I see elephants." The villager was once again asked, "No, my friend not the horses, not the elephants, look and tell me, what lies much beyond the horses, the elephants, and the soldiers". He said, "Oh yes, beyond the horses, the elephants, and the soldiers, I see the sky; in the distance, I see the sky." And so finally, the question was asked, "No I am asking you what lies beyond the sky?" The villager said nothing else. I can only see people on horses, elephants, soldiers, and sky and there is nothing else. Then the one who brought him to the city theatre waited for the movie to be over and asked him, "Now what do you see?" He said, "Oh! Now, I don't see the horses, the elephants, the soldiers or the sky, I don't see anything. I just see an empty screen".

This is a small story to tell us how the one who has not attained realization sees the world. We see the world without seeing the background, the screen on which the world is projected. We see people, we have duties, we have problems, we have aspirations and dreams, and there are so many projections and happenings, and every day, things happen to us. But finally, we don't realize that all these are being projected on a screen called life, and because we don't realize it, we are in

155
prisons of misery and sorrow that are joy stealers. Of course there are happiness triggers; we enjoy, laugh and play, and experience this amazing journey called life. We think we were born and we will die. But we don't realize that even birth and death is just a projection and that everything is a movie that is projected on this screen called life. The one who has attained realization not only realizes that it is projection – a movie on the screen called life – but also blissfully enjoys the show. That is the difference. The one who thinks that this is real gets involved in the show or the movie and internalises the sorrow and the pain that the actors feel. When you go to the movie, you sometimes cry. Why do you cry? You cry because you feel the emotions of the actors, and you start thinking of them as real actors and think what is actually happening on the screen as reality. But as you come out of the theatre, what do you realize? You realize that it was so foolish for you to cry. This is because in reality, it was just a movie and nothing happened to the actor, nobody died, and nobody felt pain. It was just an amazing production of the director that made you enjoy the emotion of the movie. But while we are able to know that this is just a movie in the theatre, we are unable to realize the truth that life itself is a movie. The realized soul, who is liberated and who is on the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness, watches all of life as an amazing movie and if something is happening, good or bad, he enjoys it. He finds it exciting. If a big problem comes, he doesn't look at it as a big problem, but as an amazing drama that is happening as he knows that finally nothing is going to happen. At the end, this is just a movie called life.

156
We human beings on the First and Second Peaks of Happiness try to recreate physical experiences to give us pleasure and joy. Today, you can watch a 3D movie in the theatre, where one feels that the pizza on the screen is coming towards the mouth as a 3D effect. Fear is created when a snake shoots out of this screen, and to create more excitement for mortal humans, the producer and director release fragrances in the theatre and even sprays that make one feel that ocean water is splashing on their face. While we all enjoy the movie, don't we realize that it is a clever 3D production?

A realized seeker sees the world to be a four-dimensional presentation just like a movie, only much more complex, sophisticated, and intelligent. On reaching the third peak, one thoroughly enjoys the journey, knowing the entire universe to be a global theatre.

The realized seeker realizes one more thing. We humans do not have the ability to comprehend beyond a point. We do not have the faculty or that sense to understand this global cosmic theatre. If we were asked to close our eyes and see with our ears, could we do it? Just as we can't, the realized soul doesn't try to comprehend beyond the Third Peak of Happiness, knowing that the human perceptions are limited and incapable of comprehending the unlimited cosmic perceptions. The realized one enjoys every moment blissfully and peacefully till he is released from the body and mind, and the energy merges with the cosmic energy and the wave becomes the ocean in eternal joy and everlasting bliss and peace.

157
My Personal Journey to the Third Peak

For 25 years, I was on the First Peak of Happiness, enjoying joy and sorrow like a yo-yo.

I discovered the Second Peak of Fulfillment and took an exit when I was 40. At 48, after 8 years of contentment and fulfillment, I set out on a quest, a search for the next peak of life.

Little did I know that the next peak that I was seeking would give me not just purpose, but also lead me to the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness. My quest or my search that lasted a few years led me to the realization of the truth. This realization is not common and just a handful of humanity are fortunate enough to experience it. I am grateful that I experienced the realization of the third peak as I was seeking the true purpose of life. Today, I realize I have a body, a mind, and an ego just like I have a house and a car. But like I am not the house and the car, I am also not the mind, the ego, and the body. I am a soul, the pure energy that gives life to the body and like a wave dancing in the ocean; I dance with bliss, joy, and peace each day as I live on Earth, a universal theatre. I thoroughly enjoy every moment of life without being imprisoned by any of the prisons of misery. I am happiness, and thus I don't seek happiness. I enjoy the journey of life with the realization, living on top of the Third Peak of Happiness with just one mission: to continue to live in realization and to help people to realize what I have realized.

I AM THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH!

"What is my Goal? To realize and live as the Soul! – Not the Ego, Mind, and Body." – AiR

158
You too can experience the Third Peak of Happiness!

Would you like to be the happiest person on Earth too? Stop! Don't just continue to run.... Understand who

you are, what you are, and what you are seeking. And to understand who you are, first realize who you are not and what you are not.

Seek Liberation; that's the first step, for without seeking it, you will be standing outside the door that did not open because you did not knock. Then go on a quest and start your search, and you will find answers. Do not give up. Realize that the truth lies ahead of you on a peak that is distant and beyond, but it promises eternal bliss and joy.

Liberation will not come to you as a wrapped gift by courier nor will it be hand delivered to you by somebody known or unknown. Liberation is a peak – a mountain that you have to climb – just like a trekker who works hard to scale that mountain. Yes, the first step is to desire Liberation and nothing else. You should be passionate and obsessed about wanting Liberation. That is the first step. Just desiring it is not enough. You must go on a search or a quest that means you must try to cut off everything else and make this a priority of life. You should not give any chance of escape or retreat or give any options to back out. If these two steps are followed and you realize, believe, trust, and know that there is a peak although it can't be seen as it is very far and beyond your vision.

If you believe strongly that there is a third peak that promises everlasting joy, eternal bliss, peace, tranquillity, and happiness, then you are ready to

159
experience this third peak of happiness. What if you doubt that such a peak exists? It means that you don't believe it! Then would you be able to scale it? Of course not! What if you believe that such a peak exists and just hope and pray and dream – will you ever get there? So it's a process that starts from desiring the peak, searching for it, climbing it, working hard on it, and conquering it. But it is worth it! If you experience scaling the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness, you have achieved every possible thing in life. Do not forget that this is the actual and ultimate goal of life. Those who think that happiness is the goal of life have missed the main goal of life. Happiness is the secondary goal of life when it comes to being happy on the First or the Second Peak. The real goal of life is, however, the happiness that comes from Liberation. True, ultimate, and everlasting happiness can only be achieved through Liberation that is attained through realization. From my own experience, it is far better to evolve from the first peak of Achievement to the Second Peak of Fulfillment before scaling to the third peak of Liberation, but if one wants to take a shortcut, one may try.

What does this mean? It means that there are two ways to climb the peak of Liberation. We all are born on this mountain of achievement going up and down. Gautama Buddha, who was enlightened, took a direct route, transforming from a prince to a monk who became liberated. He didn't evolve from the peak of Achievement to Fulfillment and then to Enlightenment. On the other hand, many others like me first go from Achievement to Fulfillment and then try to find the way to the third peak.

160
The choice is yours, if you would like to go in a steady, organised, and simple manner, then my suggestion is to go from Achievement to Fulfillment. Learn to overcome greed and desires, conquer some of the joy stealers, and prepare yourself on a plateau from where you can take off to the final and ultimate peak. But well, you can also try to be like Buddha and directly take a leap from Achievement to Liberation. The choice is yours! After all, we all have the same power or energy within. We just have to realize it. What matters is getting to the Third Peak, achieving realization and Liberation, and experiencing unlimited bliss, joy, and Ananda, no matter how!

Finally, remember that everybody cannot climb the peak called Liberation. Never forget that 80% of humanity lives and dies on the First Peak of Happiness – Achievement. Only 20% of our fellow humans pursue the Second Peak of Happiness that is Fulfillment. Less than 1% of human beings on Earth go on a quest for a peak beyond. Not even 1% of this 1% realize the truth and 1% of those who do reach the Ultimate Peak of Happiness. I hope you will be one of those fortunate ones who realize the Third Ultimate Peak of Happiness!

Summary

  * Can you imagine a life without pain, misery, suffering, and sorrow – a life full of joy, bliss, peace and happiness? Yes, it is possible if you discover the secret of the Third Peak of Happiness.

  * This is not for everybody. A very few people in this world scale the Third and Ultimate peak of happiness.

161
  * I discovered the Third Peak when I went in search for the true meaning of life. I not only discovered the meaning and purpose of life, but also found the Third and the Ultimate peak of Happiness.

  * The Third Peak of Happiness is Liberation – Liberation from the prisons of misery and sorrow. We are imprisoned by several prisons of misery. Prisons like fear, pain, anger, desires, lust, worry, superstitions, habits, dream, karma, rebirth, and more. These prisons stop us from enjoying a life that is full of bliss, peace, and joy.

  * We can be liberated from these prisons of misery and sorrow through realization. The essence of realization is that we are not the ego, mind, and body. We are the energy that gives life to the body.

There are several methods of Realization.

  1. Questioning Method

  2. Reflective Method

  3. Meditation method

  4. Peeling Method

  5. Negation Method – "Not this, Not this; I am That"

  6. The Seer and the Seen Method

  7. The Scientific Method

One may use any of the above methods or any other method to realize that we are energy and not the ego, mind, or body.

  * Realization of the truth of who we are and what we are liberates us from all the prisons of misery and sorrow mentioned above.

162
  * Just knowing about realization does not lead to liberation. Realization is eradication of ignorance and the supremacy of the intellect to discriminate between the real and unreal.

  * One who has realized the self and is liberated progresses on the journey of the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness. A liberated one experiences Ananda, which is ultimate everlasting eternal joy and peace without misery and joy.

  * One who is alive has the challenge of living as a liberated soul. There is always a tug of war between the ego, mind, and body that houses the energy.

  * A liberated seeker lives a life of Liberation by passing the four doors. The four doors to liberation are as follows:

  1. Discrimination

  2. Dispassion

  3. Discipline and

  4. Desire for Liberation.

  * I realized the truth of the self after I was 48 and after I went on a quest to search for the meaning and purpose of life. Today, I believe I have found the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness – Liberation. I feel like I am the happiest person on Earth who is gifted to live a life of peace, bliss, and joy without being imprisoned by the prisons of misery and sorrow.

  * The journey to the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness is not an easy journey. Less than a fraction

163
 of a per cent of humanity achieve this. But the joy, bliss and peace that come from this peak are worth the effort to try to realize and liberate ourselves to eternal and everlasting peace and joy.

164
 ACHIEVEMENT

Desire/Greed/More Success, Money...

Death

Birth

Achievement - A journey of many peaks and valleys

FULFILLMENT

No Craving/Peace/Contentment

Birth Death

Fulfilment - A plateau of peace and contentment

No Death

LIBERATION

No Craving/Peace/Contentment

Birth

Liberation - Freedom from the prisons of misery & sorrow

165
 AFTERWORD

Problems won't disappear. But they won't affect you anymore!

Will problems, misery, and pain disappear for a liberated one who has ascended the Third Peak of Happiness? No! Problems will not disappear, nor will pain stop attacking a liberated one. But one who has climbed the Third Peak of Happiness is unaffected by miseries, problems, and pain.

A liberated one looks like anybody else. He continues to live in the body till such time that his journey of life is over. While he is alive, he continues to do things. There is no freedom from action but there is freedom in action. He watches everything as a movie or a drama and doesn't react to whatever happens. Even if something happens to his body, it doesn't affect him. The body may suffer pain but he doesn't suffer the pain because he has realized that he is not the body. Therefore, do not imagine that something magical happens with the one who is liberated.

Each one of us is actually liberated, but on the top of our liberation, there is a blanket of ignorance. The ignorance continues to make us live as the ego, mind, and body. And due to being the ego, mind, and body, we continue to suffer in the prisons of misery and sorrow. We are unable to experience the true bliss of eternal joy and peace and a life without misery and pain. If somebody expects that the Third Peak of Happiness is a magical

166
peak where people will not grow old, will not die, and will not experience any disease, they are mistaken. To the onlooker, everybody is growing old, dying, and experiencing pain and disease. The one who has attained Liberation does not experience the pain, disease, and old age because he disassociates himself from the body. The body may grow old, but a liberated one does not grow old. Fortunately, the realized and liberated one understands and experiences this bliss of the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness.

The others who stand far below in the valley of Achievement occasionally climb up the peaks of joy and fall down the valleys of sorrow; they find it difficult to understand realization and to accept Liberation. Otherwise they too would subscribe for such a journey if it was so easy to escape from old age, death, disease, fear, worry, and anger. Some people want a shortcut. They want to be on the Third Peak of Happiness and experience this bliss without actually being realized. But well the only way to Liberation is Realization.

We need to realize the truth that we are not the body, mind, and ego, but the energy that gives power and life to the body, mind, and ego. If one is committed towards Liberation, then one will use a method of realization to realize the truth; and post realization, one will steadily grow towards being liberated and live peacefully and blissfully on the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness till the moment when one is liberated from the body!

||Om Namah Shivaya|| ||Shivoham ||

167

168
