7 Ways to Deepen Your Happiness and Joy

These inspirations are from Inside Out by Dadi Janki:

Begin by looking at your heart to examine its emotional state. Ask your heart what type of feelings do I have stored in it for myself and for others? What feelings within the heart do I have for the world? Since “happiness is connected with the heart, and there is a deep connection between the heart, the brain, and vision…whatever is in the heart will also be in my brain, and will show through my eyes. When my heart is filled with happiness, this will be obvious in my vision”…for the “eyes share that happiness…” (p.91/Janki)
For happiness to be within, “the heart must first become absolutely clean. If there’s any kind of thorn stuck in it, some pain from the past, that should finish. Don’t let there be any type of fear or sorrow from anywhere…If I’ve given sorrow to anyone, let me ask for forgiveness in such a way that they are able to forget the sorrow they received from me.”( p.92 Janki)
“What if that forgiveness is not forthcoming, what can I do then? I must check my own feelings. Am I really feeling that I want forgiveness from that person? Am I feeling love for them? If I am feeling genuine in this, I should first ask God for forgiveness. Then I can ask that person. The heart has to be so clean, so honest; otherwise, my asking for forgiveness is just another form of taking. There shouldn’t be ay kind of impatience. My feelings have to be filled with compassion, honest, and love…Then the other person will feel these qualities reaching them, as a gift, and they will accept that you are sincere in regretting what you had one and are wanting to make amends. Sometimes, I’m not able to experience those qualities of compassion, honest, and love within towards myself, and so certainly they won’t work for others”…(p.92-93/Dadi Janki
The next step and an amazing “secret is to check for and remove any trace of selfish feeling. Selfishness blocks my own highest nature, and my connection with God. It gives rise to sorrow, worry, or fear within; those negative feelings that destroy my strength and judgment and prevent me from interacting successfully with others. Then, no matter how hard I may try to project positive feelings, that projection will not work. I cannot give out what I don’t have inside.” (p.93/Dadi Janki)
This step is to realize that there is “no use worrying on behalf of other people. As you let go of worry, you can be engaged in good works and be able to share good feelings; whereas when one worries, there will definitely be sorrow. Can I have worry and sorrow internally, and still be able to share happiness…?” (p.93/Dadi Janki)
“For generosity of heart to thrive there must be selflessness and honesty. The funny thing is, selflessness is the best possible gift for the self! For if I’m selfless in my feelings and motivations, what is there to worry about? I have nothing to lose.
The last step is to remember God out of love and happiness…and you will find that you are connecting to an ocean of love and happiness. You’ll come to realize that this is your own true nature, too. If you continue to do this, no form of sorrow can come to you, because there’s an accumulation of the power of happiness inside. Understand that this internal happiness really is like an energy. When you practice remembering God, happiness accumulates and there is the power to keep God as your companion. Realize that sorrow weakens and happiness brings courage and faith in the self. Courage and faith in the self will give you the strength to carry on doing good work. If there’s something good to be done, go for it. And God will enable it to happen… This love connection is not a mysterious thing. If you are a mother, a parent, or a child of a parent, you know how a mother gives love to a child, and a child gives love to the mother. You know that relationship. There isn’t a question of how it happens. In the same way, just imagine how much love God has for His children. God’s love is wondrous. No one else can have that much love for us. My job is to accept wholeheartedly that this Mother/Father is mine. When I say with conviction: “You are my Mother and Father” this One enables me to move along in life. However, remembering God out of sorrow may be a comfort, but it doesn’t give strength or power. Also, if you are telling God: You are mine and I belong to You, but your heart is drawn to another human being, then God sees this as a lack of honesty. It is just as if a husband sees that although his wife is living with him, she has love for another man, his heart would be filled with so much sorrow. It’s not that God would feel sorrow, but there would be a difference in the love that would reach you If you are true rather in your love towards Him, nobody can give the love that God gives. God cares so much. So, have that much love for God. Open your heart to the One, and make that One your Mother, Father, Friend, Beloved, your everything. When there is this experience, you will remain immensely happy and the soul will sing a joyous song!” (p96-97/Dadi Janki)