Sadness Cannot Stay in Satsang

Excerpt from The Truth Is

Edited by Prashanti de Jager, page 115

Devotee: It seems since coming to Lucknow I am not as happy as I was before I came here. I do enjoy being here in this beautiful sangha. What is happening to me?

The happiness you had before Lucknow was probably a mind-conceived happiness based on a person or persons or objects who returned happiness to you. Maybe you got happiness just from your own concepts. That is not happiness! True happiness cannot be described. If you describe it or its source then it is only a mental flight whose purpose is to gain or attain something. Happiness doesn’t come from another person, not even from a Saint or Sage. Happiness comes from Within. Happiness is untold, unaware. You can’t get happiness in Satsang for it is always within you.

You come to Satsang and are told to be quiet and not to think of anything, including your own body and mind and ego and activity of the senses. Then you can be quiet and at Peace. Here you learn to be quiet, not allowing any thought to arise from your mind. Then you will have a happiness beyond description and your face will show this within you. Your face will absolutely change when you are happy. And anybody who looks at your face will be happy.

This sadness welling up is a good sign. It was untouched in the bottom of your heart and more was accumulating there for lifetimes. This sadness has become one with your body and is not separate from it. Like dust collecting on the bottom of a glass of water, this sadness will accumulate in your heart on account of your wrong behavior and wrong activities, The reason you are feeling this sadness now is because Satsang stirs it up and brings it to the surface where it can be removed. Everybody’s mind gets stress in Satsang and what is unnoticed for years comes to the surface. But sadness cannot stay in Satsang and so it is dissolved. Actually, it is the suffering and sadness that brought you here so you must be thankful to it.

Once you know your own Self all of this sadness will no longer be an issue for you. You may feel unlucky but actually you are incredibly lucky. Soon the past will no longer affect you and you won’t care about these burdens that you have carried. You will only know Now!