Happiness Made Simple

The idea that living organisms are motivated to pursue pleasure and avoid pain was proposed by the Greek philosopher Epicurus. He called his theory hedonism. Since the great philosopher's death in 270 BCE, his ideas have been warped by many into logic for sexual promiscuity and the lesson has been lost to taboo. 

Epicurus' philosophy is based on the theory that all good and bad derive from the sensations of pleasure and pain. What is good is what is pleasurable, and what is bad is what is painful. For Epicurus, pleasure and pain were the basis for the moral distinction between good and bad or "right and wrong". Pain is often chosen over pleasure only because that choice will ultimately lead to a greater pleasure. 

Although Epicurus has been commonly misunderstood to advocate the rampant pursuit of pleasure, what he was really after was the absence of suffering - both physical and mental - and the attainment of a state of satiation and tranquility that was free of the fear of death and the retribution of the gods. When we do not suffer pain, we are no longer in need of pleasure, and we enter a state of "perfect mental peace".

I believe that all living things are imprisoned by the pursuit of happiness until such time as happiness is attained. These ideas lay a strong foundation for a belief in the general philosophy of reincarnation. The notion that a human spirit can shake itself clear of imperfections and attain the knowledge necessary to achieve Epicurus' "perfect mental peace" during the fleeting moment of a lifetime, defies all logic.

What a challenge we all face - seemingly insurmountable odds loom before us as we struggle forward into the great darkness. What little light we have at times. So many distractions infuse every day, and the path is often forsaken for mere survival. The task of finding a path at all feels miserably impossible for those lost in the labyrinth of the soul. Hearts bleed, bruised minds scream, and children cry aloud in the dark for the golden light of truth to show them the way. 

Your light will be love. Follow the light. Love one another, and you will be happy. It is as simple and as difficult as that.

For My Children,

Pappy