Chapter 17:
Is Happiness possibly more than something we seek to obtain?
Earlier I discussed how man is a goal-driven machine. As we consider the setting and accomplishing of goals, what are the steps involved in the process?
As I'm sure you're aware, the first step to accomplishing anything is to identify the purpose, “the why” of the goal. The second step is to determine the objective, “the what.” The third step is to develop a strategy for achieving the objective, “the how.” The fourth step is to identify the step-by-step tasks that are involved in executing the strategy. The fifth step is to determine how to best measure progress in executing the action plan. The sixth step is to execute the plan, monitoring progress according to the specified methods included in the plan.
While all of these steps are essential, the objective, strategy and tactics are meaningless without a way to monitor progress.
Consider the following ways people can monitor progress:
 A company produces monthly financial reports to monitor progress toward annual financial goalsA traveler watches road signs to determine if he/she is on track for reaching the determined destination
An investor monitors daily stock reports to measure the performance of his/her stocks
A concerned parent monitors his/her child's homework and test scores to track the student's progress
Now, let me ask you this question: If living life to the fullest (i.e. plucking and savoring the 7 Ultimate Fruits of Life) is our objective (and hopefully it is our objective!), how do we go about accomplishing this objective?
This is the question of the ages, isn't it? People have debated this question of how to live life to the fullest since the beginning of time. Additionally, since there is not one person who believes exactly the same, the number of answers to this question equals the number of people living on the planet, or who have ever lived, for that matter!
Nevertheless, I offer what I believe to be the answer to this question. I ask you to carefully consider this answer to determine how true it feels to you.
Here's my answer to the question: To truly pluck and savor the Ultimate Fruits of Life--Power, Peace, Joy, Health, Love, Value and Prosperity--we must connect with the Source of All Abundance.
What is "the Source"?
The "Source" goes by many names. In religious circles It is called Spirit, Light, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God, the Light of Truth, the Light of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, the Father, and God, among others. In non-religious circles It is called Infinite Intelligence, the Universal Mind, the Universe, Higher Wisdom, Inner Wisdom, Intuition, Intention, the Metaphysical, and others. In psychology circles, It is called Superconscious. In philoso-phical circles It is called Super Ego. In scientific circles It is called Energy.
One book of scripture describes this Source with these words:
“…the light of truth…is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also [it] is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; as also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; and the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through [that which] enlighteneth your eyes, which light is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space - the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God…”
In the same book we find these words:
“For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Christ. And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.”
Outside of religion, we find many other references to this Source as well as man's relationship to It. Here are just a couple:
“In the universe there is an immeasurable, indescribable force which shamans call intent, and absolutely everything that exists in the entire cosmos is attached to intent by a connecting link.” -- Carlos Castaneda, quoted by Dr. Wayne Dyer in his book The Power of Intention
“As we examine that seed/egg dance attempting to discover its origin, moving backwards toward Creation, we first find molecules, then atoms, then electrons, then subatomic particles, and then sub-subatomic particles. Ultimately, were we to put these tiny quantum subatomic particles into a particle accelerator and collide them, trying to put our finger on the source of life, we'd discover what Einstein and his scientific compatriots discovered: There's no particle at the source; particles do not create more particles. The Source, which is intention, is pure unbounded energy vibrating so fast that it defies measurement and observation. It's invisible, without form or boundaries.” -- Dr. Wayne Dyer, The Power of Intention
The Source--this Infinite Intelligence that fills the immensity of space and gives light and life to everything in It--has only one purpose: To bring us all to the Fullness that It is.
Consider this statement from Esther and Jerry Hicks' blockbuster book Ask and It Is Given:
“Well-Being is the basis of this Universe. Well-Being is the basis of All-That-Is. It flows to you and through you. You have only to allow it. Like the air you breathe, you have only to open, relax, and draw it into your Being…Well-Being flows; Well-Being wants you! Well-Being is lined up outside your door.”
What is the Infinite Flow of Life?
I'm reminded that some years ago two newspapers reported accounts of communities suffering from insufficient water supplies and pressure. These communities undertook costly studies and planned extensive improvements only to later discover by chance that the main valve of the water system in the towns was only partially open.
These communities had been surviving on a thin stream of water providing only a weak force when at any time they could have enjoyed vastly enhanced power simply by opening the valve.
For most of us, Life is like this: We're operating on a very thin stream of the Infinite Flow of the Abundance of Life.
This Flow of Life from the Source is infinite and eternal, and It flows whether we are aware of it or not; whether we believe in it or not. Accordingly, we decide how much of It we allow to flow into our lives. We control the “valve” and how far we open that valve.
If we're fully connected with the Source, we've opened up our valve all the way, and we can thereby effortlessly and easily enjoy the Ultimate Fruits of Life because we're just going with the Infinite Flow of Life.
On the other hand, when we're cut off from this Source, we resist the Infinite Flow of Life, and we consequently struggle and experience misery.
This concept is symbolically illustrated in a couple of different ways in scripture. The first symbolism is the contrast between the Garden of Eden and the Lone & Dreary World.
The Garden of Eden represents the Presence of God, or more specifically, the Oneness of our connection with the Source of All Abundance. In the Garden of Eden, everything flourishes spontaneously, and abundance is found everywhere. In contrast, in the Lone and Dreary World man experiences "thorns and thistles," and eats his bread “by the sweat of his brow.”
The second example is the contrast between the Wilderness and the Promised Land. The Wilderness is desolate and barren while the Promised Land is "a land flowing with milk and honey." Of this Land we read:
And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. (Num 13:23) (Just imagine the size of those grapes!)
Both of these symbolisms teach us that when we're connected to the Source, we enter the Garden of Eden/Promised Land, where the Abundance of Life naturally flows to us and through us. They also teach us that when we're cut off from this Source, Life for us becomes a barren and desolate wilderness, the Lone & Dreary World in which we eat our bread by the sweat of our brow.
As we increase in our understanding of this concept, we gradually come to see that our strategy for plucking and savoring the Ultimate Fruits of Life is to connect with this Source.
Once we set ourselves to connect with this Source, which becomes our objective, how can we measure our progress? How can we know when we're connected and when we're not? In other words, how can we know when we’re progressing to our objective or not? Accordingly, what role might Happiness play in that understanding?
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Pluck and Savor the Ultimate Fruits of Life!
POWER: the power to consciously create desired results
Is there a simple science to getting what you want?
