With Erric Solomon.
All beings want to be happy and lead a meaningful life, but the way we normally try to bring about this brings about very temporary happiness at best and, at worst, leads to blatant dissatisfaction and suffering. By making a slight but radical shift in our lives, we can develop a subtle feeling of contentment and well-being, even when things really don’t work as expected.
Most of us seek happiness in external circumstances and possessions, but both the great contemplative traditions of the world and modern science tell us that circumstances contribute very little to our sense of satisfaction. The root of happiness is not in our circumstances, but in how we deal with them.
We can only deal with our thoughts and emotions all our lives. We don’t even think of looking at its source, the mind itself, the consciousness that knows the thoughts and emotions. So if we learn how not to habitually chase each of our thoughts and emotions as we arise, and then explore their source, we can uncover the truth about who we really are and what our world really is — a love-imbued consciousness.
When asked about the seminar, Erric said, “By learning how to care for ourselves, as we learn to care for others, a profound joy arises —through cultivating loving-kindness, compassion and empathy. First, we need to base our endeavor on a healthy sense of self, free from anxiety and self-denigration. Next, our actions are informed by the interconnected nature of reality. In this way, we meet the dynamic, intensity of daily life head-on and heart-open.”
