Happiness is not a one-time event. Living joyfully requires attention and effort; daily.
In his book No Mud, No Lotus, Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh says we must feed our happiness regularly so it can flourish. He recommends five practices to condition mind and body for a happy life: “letting go, inviting positive seeds, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.”
When sharing on the practice of “letting go” he uses a story about “Releasing Our Cows.”
Using a worksheet from Thay’s Foundation – I checked out the steps to release my cows.
- “List the things you think are necessary to your well-being and happiness.
- Look deeply at whether each item is bringing you happiness or actually causing you to suffer.
- Consider which cow(s) you want to practice releasing.
- Write down concrete ways in your day life you can practice releasing your cow(s).“
At first glance it seemed easy. Then, when I took an honest inventory of what I consider basic for my “well-being and happiness” – I was kinda thrown. This is stuff I want to keep.
Thankfully, I saw step two asked me to consider how this “stuff” aided or hindered my well-being. So, loving to eat – is good. Excess sugar and the subsequent bellyache – are bad. Clothing – a must have. Over-consumption not so much. There are nuances within my list. A meaningful look reveals the sad cows. Not being a Buddhist monk, I’ll keep the happy ones.
Thich Nhat Hanh says “Freedom is the base of our happiness. We cannot be happy if we are trapped.” Finding the courage to call out what triggers suffering helps me take the baby steps needed to change my habits.
“The secret self knows the anguish of our attachments and assures us that letting go of what we think we must have to be happy is the same as letting go of our unhappiness.”
― Guy Finley
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