Are you Satisfied?

Desire excites the mind and senses. When desire is gratified by enjoyment of the objects of desire, satisfaction comes in temporarily. Rapture is delight in the attainment of the desired object. Bliss is the enjoyment of the taste of what is attained. Where rapture is there is bliss; but where bliss is there is not, quite of necessity, rapture. Rapture is like a weary traveler who hears or sees water or a shady wood. Bliss is the enjoying of the water or entering the forest shade.

When there is desire, then alone is there is pleasure. The cause for pleasure is desire. When there is no desire, there cannot be any pleasure. When there is no hunger, delicious food can give you no pleasure. When there is no thirst, any refreshing beverage will have no effect. So, hunger is the best sauce. The first cup of hot milk gives pleasure. The second cup induces disgust. After the enjoyment is over, satisfaction comes. Hence, disgust arises when the second cup is taken. There is no real pleasure in milk. The happiness is in Soul only. It is reflected in the object (milk) owing to ignorance, owing to illusion. If there were real happiness in milk, it should induce pleasure always and in every person. It is not the case.

A desire arises in the mind. There is a thought wave now. This wave agitates your mind till you get satisfaction through enjoyment of the desired object. There is peace or happiness after the enjoyment is over. Another desire arises in the mind. Now, in the interval between the gratification of one desire and the manifestation of another, there is pure bliss, because there is no mind then. It is at rest. You are in union with Consciousness. That state of pure bliss between two desires is Consciousness. If you can prolong that period of bliss through practice by keeping up the idea of Consciousness and by not allowing another thought wave or desire to crop up, you will be in thoughtless state.

Never ending desires...

Mind plays havoc through desires. As soon as a desire arises, you think you will get all happiness by its realization. You exert yourself to achieve the desired object. As soon as you get it, a little satisfaction (gratification) is experienced for a short time. Again, mind becomes restless. It wants new sensations. Disgust and dissatisfaction come in. Again, it wants some new objects for its enjoyment. That is the reason why this world is termed as mere Imagination.

Desires are innumerable, insatiable and unconquerable. Enjoyment cannot bring in satisfaction. It is a mistake to think so. Enjoyment fans the desire. It is like pouring ghee in fire. Enjoyment strengthens, increases and aggravates a desire which is insatiable as a flame.

Free from Desires

You can attain Wisdom only if you are free from sensuous desires and immortal mental states. Aloofness of body from sensuous objects and aloofness of mind from immoral states of mind are needed for the attainment of Wisdom. Then only will Divine Light descend.

When a desire arises in the mind, a world-ling welcomes it and tries to fulfill it; but, an aspirant renounces it immediately through the power of discrimination. Wise people consider even a spark of desire as a very great evil. Therefore, they will not entertain any kind of desire. They will be ever delightful in Soul only!

Reference

Mind – Its Mysteries and Control by Sri Swami Sivananda