Are You Happy Yet?

I’ve often wondered whether the founding fathers of this country laid some esoteric curse on its citizens when they declared our right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” What did they have in mind by making it a pursuit, instead of simply a given? Is this perhaps why we are always seeking something that is just sitting there waiting for us at every moment? 

A student recently told me that after a recent Awareness Through Movement® lesson, she took a shower and experienced what can only be described as ecstasy. The sensation of well-being when we are more connected to our parts seems obvious in those moments. Their impermanence fosters a longing, and the feeling that we are not enough. More money, more wine, more validation become our pursuit of something called happiness, when all that is really necessary is to lie down and sense your midline, your breath, your being.

I’m reminded of the quote from Kafka: “You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

I recently received an email advertisement for a course that promises to take me Beyond Happiness. Is ecstasy beyond happiness? The Thesaurus lists 68 synonyms for happiness ranging from peace of mind to exhilaration to bliss. There is something about feeling the stability of the skeleton, the increased freedom of movement and options that just feels like…joy. 

If you’d like to experience your midline, your breath, and your bliss, enjoy this lesson, it’s beyond awesome. You may find yourself rolling in ecstasy!