To unlock the wealth of happiness within, you need not give away all your worldly possessions and live in isolation in the Himalayas like a monk. This path is right for some, but it is not necessary for all. For most, we need to live in harmony with the rest of the world. We can still reach the inner peace and happiness locked away inside of us despite all the temptations of the material world. To this end, Buddha preached the idea of indifference. He believed that the highest welfare was the ability to balance one’s mind despite all the vicissitudes — the ups and downs of life. Indifference and acceptance rather than attachment and desire of the material world can help you overcome the grief and dissatisfaction that the material world brings to your lives. Let go of what is lost or unattainable so that you can instead invite contentment into your mind.
Buddha teaches us that Dukkha, the mental suffering that is life, can be eliminated through overcoming our material desires. The world around us tempts us to indulge at every moment. Society is built around a capitalist structure that feeds off of humanity’s obsession with materialistic thinking. Through deep concentration achieved by practicing mindfulness and meditation, we can begin to release ourselves from the grips of material desire. Mindfulness guides us back to the present moment where we can begin to derive joy from our existence in the time being.
