During the practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation, students experience the unbounded ocean of bliss within, which is the basis of self-sufficient happiness.

Students find the key to lasting fulfilment
by Global Good News staff writer
22 April 2008

Ask a group of people what brings them fulfilment, and you might get twenty different answers. A student might say achievement in his studies; a child, with shorter vision, might describe a desired toy or a piece of chocolate cake; a mother might say her children; a business executive might depict a blossoming career. Family, friends, money, good grades, success in business—all these are sources of temporary fulfilment.

All the above examples exist in the relative, changing, material world and therefore, none of them offer lasting fulfilment. One’s children will grow up and might go away; one’s business might have a down turn, or one might retire; the sensory pleasure of eating a piece of cake disappears with the cake, and gives rise to the desire for another one later, and then another.

Ask the same group of people what brings them lasting fulfilment, and many will admit that their temporary goals are not enough to bring perpetual satisfaction. As life changes, achievements, personal relationships, financial success, and sensory experiences come and go. Nothing in the relative, changing world is permanent or dependable. As His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi points out, as one desire is achieved, this gives rise to a bigger desire, and then a bigger desire. The cycle of desire, action, achievement, fulfilment continues, spurring the wheel of action, propelling life in perpetual motion towards greater and greater happiness.

So one asks, where if anywhere, can one find lasting happiness?

In his book Thirty Years Around the World, Maharishi points out that putting too much emphasis on the material values of life, may cause one to miss the great happiness, which is found inside. Maharishi: ‘We should give all due importance to the material values of life, but should not overestimate them. We should be cautious that they are not overbalanced. Over estimating the values of material life has always had a danger of ignoring and missing the more charming glories of inner life and the experience of great happiness that is present in everybody’s heart.’

Maharishi explains that it is necessary to go beyond the material field of change to reach the unbounded ocean of bliss. This is the field of lasting fulfilment. Fortunately this field is within everyone. To find it, one only has to close the eyes and turn one’s attention within.

Maharishi says, ‘Unless the mind has experienced the greatest joy of the relative field and unless it has transcended it to experience the absolute bliss, it will not be satisfied in a permanent manner. If a man wants to live in peace permanently, it is necessary for him to withdraw the mind from the gross field of sense perception for some time and take a dive within and directly experience the glories of subtle nature within himself and finally experience the absolute bliss. . . . ’

During the practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Technique, one’s active, thinking mind, settles down and one experiences, the source of thought, the unbounded field of pure awareness, the field of absolute bliss. This inner field of infinite potential and happiness is also called the Self. Knowing one’s Self brings peace and inner contentment that is not dependent on any outer possession or experience. One finds that happiness is within.

Tapping one’s own field of inner bliss brings freedom and self-sufficiency. Think of the people who are slaves to their own desires, who focus great energy and time on achieving money, fame, popularity, friends, academic achievement, etc. How is someone who practises Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Technique different?

Someone, who practises Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Technique might pursue career or personal goals similar to one who does not. The difference is that the person, who practises Transcendental Meditation, enjoys the experience of fulfilment, even before he attains his goal. From his regular practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Technique, he is growing in the experience of inner happiness and contentment, even while he takes the necessary steps to fulfil his desires.

In this way, he balances his action on the outer, material level of life with inner peace and happiness. Then every new step of action brings a new wave of fulfilment. Such a person enjoys freedom because he already enjoys bliss from within, independent of any achievement.

Today, more and more students are enjoying the practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Technique and finding true freedom and self-sufficiency in the experience of lasting inner happiness.

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