An object remaining the same, it gives different experiences to different people. The power, therefore, of giving joy and sorrow does not lie in the object. It lies in the way our mind engages with it. There are times the world looks good and we get a sense of well-being. And yet, without much having changed, life suddenly seems a burden. We soon realise that the world is nothing but a reflection of our state of mind.

When things are not going well for us, we want to change the world around us. However, it is not the world, but the way we engage with it that changes our life. An agitated mind experiences a hostile world. A peaceful mind experiences a joyful world. This simple understanding can change the way we live our life.

Before we start reorganising things around us to make our world a happy place for ourselves, we need to reorganise our mind. No matter what success, fame, glory, power we achieve, the joy will be limited and temporary. And before we know it, the hunger for joy drives us seeking more and more. Of course, we must keep growing and achieving as much as we can, but we must understand a simple principle – achievements are in the world, our joy comes from the experience of the world.

When we are constantly established in love, joy, knowledge, and compassion, our world view changes. A challenge becomes an opportunity, not fear. Our success invokes gratitude, not arrogance. The suffering of others brings out our compassion, not cynicism. Relationships are built on love, not profit.

When we seek a better world, what we are really seeking is a better mind, because we realise the simple truth. As the mind, the world.

(Picture – La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland)