The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter

I was listening to Wayne W. Dyer’s “There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem” recently. I have to admit that I am somewhat of a self-help/motivational CD geek – I listen to and read dozens of these titles. Near the beginning of the program, Dr. Dyer cited Shakespeare:

Return to Thy Bosom,

Knock There,

Question what Thy Heart

Doth Already Know.

I am not sure of the source (any suggestions?) but I love the quotation. In my estimation, these words offer one very powerful insight into how to approach one of the all-time favorite human questions, i.e. “What is happiness?” I will briefly examine what I think the quotation is suggesting in terms of where we should start our defining and discovering of happiness on an individual basis.

How should we begin our search for happiness? I believe the advice here is that if you want to know how to define your own personal happiness, begin your search by examining your heart. We have all heard this suggestion many times. I can think of a dozen rock songs, bumper stickers, and book titles that offer similar advice. While it is interesting to suggest that we should listen to our hearts, I think the point of the above quotation is suggesting something slightly different. I believe the Bard's point here is to suggest that we turn internally in order to begin our search. Let me put it another way – the quotation seems to be suggesting that we not look externally for the source of our answer to this all-important question. He is calling us to perform a "Copernican Twist" in how we construct our model (or approach) to seeking happiness! In an age where commercialism is rampant and quick fixes for every conceivable issue are abundant, the suggestion to pause and turn inward borders on the counter-intuitive. Our hunger for what ails us can be likened to the long lines we often see at the drive-thru windows of fast-food restaurants. Just as we feed our hunger for food as quickly as possible (without considering typically the nutritional value of what it is we are so quickly consuming), so too do we indulge our need for immediate gratification through relying on external sources of guidance. Just as that “quickie hamburger and fries” combo leaves as hungry and craving more, so too do the externally driven quickie solutions for happiness leave us starving for nourishment. Only you know, in your very core, how to define happiness for you. You know, better than any marketing guru or campaign, what is good and healthful for you. Stop relying on the white noise, the get-happy-quick solutions, and the pre-packaged one-size fits all approach no matter how attractive the packaging! Start listening to the quiet yet constant beat of your heart. Let your passions, i.e. what your heart will tell you will make you happy if you would only stop and listen, define you. If you can, incorporate those passions into your career choice. If your passions can not define your job, then work your passions into your "daily grind" as an expression of you. Let your passions be expressed throughout all of the different realms of your life.

A final note here: I am not suggesting that “what feels good is good!” In other words, not all internally received advice is good. Conversely, not all externally received advice is wrong. To the first point: I have an active faith life. I place my faith and my heart in that which is external. How I live and how I express my faith, however, is guided by my heart. Currently, my passion is to help others see their worth and get on the road to fitness. I see this as a sort of ministry. This is just one example of how the internal and external can be balanced. To the second point: if your passions are telling you that excessive “insert your choice of poison here” is the road to happiness, please think again. Dig deeper! You may be knocking but you are not truly questioning the heart. You will know when you are truly questioning and listening because it will be reflected in your actions, your choices, and in your life!