Happiness in Daily Life
Happiness in Daily Life
Wish you all a very Happy New Year!!
The New Year invites us to pause, reflect upon our journey, and envision the path ahead. This year, I’ve again been privileged to forge meaningful connections with readers spanning the globe—from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, and France to Sweden, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Singapore, Portugal, Latvia, Finland, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Poland, and Israel. These bonds have enriched my life immeasurably.
My deepest gratitude goes to each reader whose encouragement, thoughtful feedback, and wisdom have sustained this journey of writing. I treasure your presence and sincerely value your feedback and insights.
In my last editorial note, I talked about reflecting on the spaces and times around us; the dimension of ‘Tangible Illusions’. Today as the year of 2025 gives way to ushering in the new year of 2026, I reflect back on the ‘Intangible Realities’ that run the entire world starting from our individual interactions to group behaviours and to collective consciousness of beliefs and misbeliefs…I find the world is getting increasingly aggressive, loud and unapologetic about the soulless acts and profanities committed at all levels and at all places…
‘Intangible Realities’ referred to are the torrents of negative energies and the upheavals of unseen positive forces…The subliminal battles of evil and good in the planes of our consciousness…. Are they decisively leaning to the victory of the evil side!! Are we facing more negativity than a few decades back? Are we feeling more insecure and unsafe… If not, then why are bad behaviours going unchallenged, why evil acts are finding complicit and why impostors are being hailed in our daily lives…in families, social circles, at work or in larger regions…Is toxicity the only new normal. Is humanity buried…The invisible currents of jealousy, resentment, and anger from those around us can gradually erode our peace like a subtle poison coursing through our lives.
People find themselves inexplicably anxious, drained of energy, troubled without apparent cause – Unnecessary conflict: Disputes in the home without any solid reason. Bitterness in speech despite love being present, Uncontrolled thoughts, Lack of concentration and Self-doubt.
This is how invisible energies, the hidden emotions of others, and our own carelessness make us unhappy. We understand how poison can be hidden inside a golden vessel and how a burning ember burns the one who catches it more than the one who throws it.
We navigate through an immense energetic ocean, constantly interacting with invisible forces. We are shaped by our thoughts yet equally important is recognizing how profoundly the mental currents of others influence us. harmful energetic patterns. Contemporary science identifies these as “negative vibes,” while traditional teachings described them as unwholesome mental formations or afflicted consciousness.
When someone experiences anger in our vicinity or secretly nurses envy toward us, their inner turbulence doesn’t remain contained. These individuals continuously radiate disturbance outward—invisible waves of unrest that permeate the surrounding atmosphere. This raises an essential question: how can we safeguard ourselves from these disruptive energies?
1.Influence of association is inevitable: We cannot escape it, no matter how hard we try, unless we are fully enlightened. We often think that if we haven’t harmed anyone, no harm will come to us. This is an illusion. The Tathagata emphasized the importance of Sangha or good company. He used to say that it is better to walk alone than to walk with fools. Here, “fool” does not mean someone with low intelligence. Rather, it is the person who is unaware. If we are surrounded by people who constantly complain, blame others, or curse their fate, we will gradually start doing the same. Their negative energy will diminish our own.
2. The Principle of the Burning Ember: How does negativity work? By holding on to the burning coal of another’s anger. The person who harbours jealousy towards us, who wishes for our destruction, is the first to destroy their own peace. They make their own body and mind sick. But if we are standing near them and we are not careful, the heat of that ember will burn us too.
3. The Golden Urn and the Poisonous Sweetness: It is easy to avoid an open enemy because we know they are an enemy. We can see it. But what about the person who is an enemy disguised as a friend? Many times, someone speaks to us very sweetly. They smile. They praise us. Their words are gentle. But sitting near them, we feel a strange fatigue. We want to leave . Our mind feels heavy. Why? They say, “I am our well-wisher.” But inside their minds, the poison of envy, malice, and ill will is present.
When someone speaks sweetly but harbours evil thoughts in their mind, a conflict arises within their being. This conflict generates a special kind of negative energy. Our highly sensitive consciousness senses this danger. That’s why we feel uneasy around that person. Our body and mind are giving us a signal: Beware, there is danger here. Get away from here. But we often ignore these signals. We get caught in a web of words and drink that poisonous liquid. As a result, we become victims of depression, anxiety, and conflict. Buddha says that truth is not seen with the eyes, but with inner intuition. Words can lie, but vibrations never lie.
4. Five Doors and Protection: How does this negativity enter us? Our body, like a fortress, has five main gates. Our senses: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin. Of these, the eyes and ears are the largest gates. What we hear is like food. If we eat contaminated food, our body will become sick. If we listen to contaminated things—criticism, gossip, pointless complaints, news of crime, frightening discussions— our mind will become sick.
Often, we think, “I’m just listening. I’m not doing anything.”
What do we see? Violent scenes, feelings of inferiority arising from seeing the wealth of others, or angry faces. When we see a disturbed person, subtle waves of fear or anger begin to rise within us as well. This is the principle of the mirror. Our mind begins to reflect the emotions of the person in front of us. Similarly whatever words enter the ear, they become a seed in the subconscious mind. In time, that seed will sprout and release poison into our behaviour.
Most People believe they are above these influences and their understanding of worldly matters is expedient and deep. Yet, an awakened mind can clearly see through their veneer of false bravados, feigned knowledge and assumed personas.
Every year brings us some revelations on the limitless potential of human capability – Sadly it is limitless on the negative side too. 2025 was one of those years which strengthened my belief in the principle of Three Obstacles and Four Devils in Buddhism. In Nichiren Buddhism, the Three Obstacles and Four Devils represent internal and external hindrances that inevitably arise as one nears enlightenment. The Three Obstacles include earthly desires (greed/anger), karma (opposition from family), and retribution (interference from authority). The Four Devils consist of physical/mental disharmony, earthly desires, the fear or disruption of death, and the “Devil King of the Sixth Heaven”—manipulation by those in power or authority.
But are we helpless? Are we merely puppets in the hands of others? No. let us learn the art of remaining pure, like the lotus flower, even while rooted in the mud. These challenges are viewed not as failures, but as proof of spiritual progress. By maintaining strong faith and courage, practitioners transform these obstacles into catalysts for profound personal growth and “human revolution.”
Regarding the protective shield and inner purification, Gautama Buddha said, “Be a lamp unto ourselves.” When darkness surrounds us, cursing the darkness will accomplish nothing. What is needed is to ignite a light within ourselves – अप्प दीपो भव. To protect ourselves from negative vibrations, we don’t need to change the outside world. We need to strengthen our inner system.
Eight powerful principles that can free us from all kinds of negativity and achieve Victory over Devilish functions are: .
1.The Shield of ‘Observance’: When someone shouts or insults us, they are directing their negative energy towards us. If we react at that moment, if we also become angry, it means we have taken that ember into our own hand. Now we too will burn. When hostile energy targets us, our refusal to engage leaves that negativity with its source. Protection comes through mindfulness: observing our emotional responses without immediate reaction, creating space between stimulus and response. In that sacred pause lies our freedom. When someone is negative towards us, we should say to ourselves: This is his anger, not mine. This is his unrest, not mine. I do not accept it. When we don’t react, the other person’s negative energy finds no basis. That energy bounces back and returns to them.
2.The Empty Boat Principle: There is an old story that Buddha’s followers often tell. Once, a monk was meditating in his small boat on the bank of a river. The river’s current was calm. Suddenly, he felt another boat collide with his boat. He was jolted. His concentration was broken. He became very angry. He thought, “What fool is this who doesn’t see that I am meditating here?” He turned to shout and curse at the person in the other boat. But as soon as he opened his eyes, he was stunned. The other boat was empty. There was no one in it. It was simply drifting along with the wind and the current of the river and had collided with his boat. All his anger vanished in an instant. Whom could he be angry with?
There was no one there. Buddha says that the people in society who are causing us pain, who are jealous, are all like that empty boat. They are not masters of their own minds. They are being carried along by the winds of their old habits, their conditioning, and their circumstances. They are not colliding with us intentionally. They are simply drifting unconsciously. If we consider them as individuals, anger will arise. If we understand that they are merely slaves of circumstances, that they are suffering, then we will feel compassion for them, not anger. And where there is compassion, negative energy cannot enter. The next time someone shouts at us, consider them an empty boat. Consider that the poor person is caught in the storms of their own mind. Sutra
- Cultivating the Opposite: When there is darkness, we don’t try to remove it with a stick. We bring light. Similarly, to remove a negative thought, we don’t fight it. Rather, the goal is to cultivate a positive thought. This is called “Counteracting Emotion” in Yoga and Buddhist philosophy. If we feel anger towards someone, forcefully bring forth feelings of friendship and goodwill towards them. This is difficult, but not impossible. Buddha had a very profound principle: hatred is never appeased by hatred; hatred is only appeased by love. If we silently pray for that person, wishing them well and peace, we have created white energy, white light. This white energy will instantly neutralize the other person’s negative energy, just as adding an alkali to an acid neutralizes it. This is the best weapon to defeat our enemies. Respond to their negativity with our positivity. This will shake them to their core and also protect us.
- Inner cleansing: We often say, “That person is very negative. I feel bad when I’m around them.” But a bitter truth is that a fly only lands where there is dirt. If our house is completely clean, a fly cannot stay there. Similarly, if there is already anger, greed, or fear hidden within us, only then does external negativity affect us. If there is no wound inside, we, sprinkling salt on it will not cause pain. Pain only occurs when there is already a wound. Therefore, before trying to change others, we should cleanse our inner self. Every day, sit in solitude for some time. Focus on our breath. See what is going on inside us. Are we still frustrated about something from the past? Have we not forgiven someone? Get that old garbage out. Forgive, and be free. The emptier and purer we are within, the more external vibrations will pass right through us; they won’t even be able to touch us. we will become transparent. Buddha says , just as a strong rock is not moved by the wind, so too a wise person is not disturbed by praise or criticism. The average person runs away from negativity. They want people to praise them. They want everything to be in their favor. But the seeker, the awakened one, knows that adverse circumstances are necessary to refine their strength.
- The Enemy is the Friend: The Enemy as the Catalyst. This may sound strange. But consider this: If there are no angry people in the world, how would we practice forgiveness? If no one insulted us, how would we practice tolerance? When someone spews negativity towards us, they are giving us an opportunity. They are testing us. They are seeing how alive our ego is. If their insult hurts us, it means that we still have a wound of ego within us. That enemy has only revealed that the wound has not yet healed. Therefore, Buddha says that we should be grateful to our critics. They are our free teachers. They introduce us to our weak points that we cannot see ourselves. The formula for transformation: The next time someone creates an obstacle, say to yourself, “This is not my enemy, this is my trainer. This person has come to teach me patience.” As soon as we think this, the effect of that person’s negative energy will disappear.
It will become fuel for us. We will use that energy to make our patience even greater. This is called ‘Changing poison into medicine’.
- The Power of Silence: Negative waves often spread through words. We talk too much. We waste our energy in useless arguments, explanations, and gossip. When we argue with a negative person, we descend to their level. We mix our high energy with their low energy. This is a great loss.The Buddha often remained silent. When someone asked pointless questions or insulted him, he would not respond. His silence was so profound and powerful that the other person would become calm on their own. Silence is not a weakness or Passivity. It has the power to unsettle unhappy people. The calmer and more silent a person is, the more influential their presence becomes. Practice speech fasting for at least some time every day. Do not speak when it is not necessary and do not speak unnecessarily faster or louder; both reveal your weaker and vulnerable self.
- Compassion to defeat negativity: Buddha says that hatred cannot be overcome by hatred, but only by love. When we understand that the person before us is not evil but rather suffering, that they are burning in the fire of their own anger, then compassion arises in our heart for them. Buddha said to Angulimal, the bandit, “I have stopped. When will you stop?” Buddha’s immense compassion melted Angulimala’s hardness. This is the power of positivity. If our positivity, our peace, is greater than the anger of the person in front of us, then that person will be defeated. They will have to change. Darkness cannot stand before light. Therefore, increase our radiance so much, expand our compassion so much that when a sad or angry person comes to us, they become calm. we don’t have to say anything. Our presence itself becomes medicine for them.
- Emptiness and Liberation – Revealing your true identity: Why are we unhappy? Because we consider ourselves to be a limited identity. “My name is this. My position is this. My honour is this.” When this small identity is threatened, we become disturbed. Buddha says we are not the body. we are not this name. we are like that infinite sky in which clouds come and go. Whether the clouds are black or white, it makes no difference to the sky. The sky is never tainted. The day we experience this truth that I am merely an observer, I am not this body, on that day no power in the world can make us unhappy. This is called the state of emptiness or Nirvana. Emptiness does not mean nothingness. Emptiness means completeness. When we renounce everything from within, all prejudices, all hatred, all attachment, then we become infinite. Then there is no difference between us and this universe. Then wherever we go, we become a source of peace.
Protect that sacred space within our heart. Be an Observer.
I pray you gain mastery over your mind, develop profound insight into others’ inner worlds, and help awaken humanity to its highest potential. May we collectively transcend our fundamental ignorance, conquering greed, anger, and jealousy—ensuring these destructive patterns don’t infect Artificial Intelligence, which would merely amplify our shadow selves.
Let us pursue enlightenment urgently, before creating autonomous machines wielding tremendous influence. Our consciousness must evolve before our technology does.
Wishing you a truly magnificent New Year filled with transformation and light!
From- “Manish ‘pakhi’
