Using the power of your will to lead towards happiness.
I’m often told, “You always seem to be in a good mood,” but the truth is, I am indeed in a good mood. And you know what? I’m always happy. Unhappiness is just an emotion. Unhappiness is something that wells up. People say, “I always end up thinking about negative things,” but they get unhappy because they’re not actually thinking.
Human beings are designed to think about unfortunate things. The reason is that when winter is coming, we are naturally inclined to think, “Winter is going to be tough,” or “If we run out of food, it’s going to be tough.” We’re wired to think about unhappiness.
Happiness is something that happens through your will. Happiness is about deliberately moving towards the happier side of things. Like thinking, “I’m happy because I had a meal today,” or “I’m happy because I woke up this morning.” It’s about choosing to perceive things as happy.
Your will is like the rudder of a ship. We all have a rudder. People often say that living emotionally is human-like, but even monkeys and other animals live emotionally. Only humans have the ability of will.
The best form of volunteering is to be in a good mood
People should live in high spirits. Today, the meal was incredibly delicious for me. But even if I were served something incredibly terrible, I would still be in a good mood. You shouldn’t let trivial things ruin your mood.
That’s why people from all over Japan come to meet Hitori-san.(I call myself Hitori-san) If I were in a bad mood today or tomorrow, it would be tough for the people around me. No one has ever seen Hitori-san in a bad mood. That’s why everyone can come to meet me anytime, anywhere.
Even when you’re facing difficulties, you should maintain a cheerful attitude. Doing this practice is very enjoyable. The best form of volunteering in this world is to be in a good mood. When someone is in a bad mood, those around them become uneasy.
You should take care of your own mood. Don’t depend on others for it. You have to manage your own mood. There are three kinds of moods: good mood, neutral mood, and bad mood. Bad things frequently happen to those in a bad mood. People often ask, “Is there anything good happening to me?” But if you’re ordinary, only ordinary things will happen to you.
People who sow the seeds of good mood will experience events that make them happy
External happiness is fleeting. It can betray you. Happiness isn’t something given to you by others. My sister used to be unhappy until recently. Even in a couple of words, she would say, “I’m fine, so you should be happy.” It’s not about sharing pastries.
Happiness isn’t a physical thing. It’s something you notice and feel. Some people ask whether someone like Hitori-san is happy because he’s wealthy. However, I became wealthy because I’m happy. I have lived this way since I had no money. Happiness isn’t about sharing pastries. It’s about something you notice and feel.
I’m even happy when I’m sick. Honestly, my hospital room was like a harem; it was always full of nurses. But you mustn’t think of them as nurses. You have to think of them as cosplaying (laugh).
No matter what you think, you should steer yourself into a good mood. Otherwise, you inconvenience those around you. People might think, “Oh, this person seems upset; I wonder if they’ll get angry.” Unhappiness is contagious.
If you sow the seeds of unhappiness, you’ll reap unhappiness. If you plant wheat, you’ll definitely harvest wheat. If you plant potato seeds, potatoes will definitely grow. Those who maintain a good mood experience events that make them happy. This is called the miracle of a good mood. That’s why I believe the miracle of a good mood always happens.
As for me, I was just passing through this place. But today, I was invited to the year-end party. I think if I had looked angry or sad, they probably wouldn’t have invited me. Because I’ve always been in a good mood, these kinds of miracles have happened. That’s why it’s important to have the steering wheel to keep yourself in a good mood.
People can become happy by speaking loving words with a smile
Regardless, when you wake up in the morning, you should be grateful for waking up. Many people didn’t wake up. They passed away in their sleep. Waking up is a blessing. Having a meal is a blessing.
Listen, when you eat in silence, it’s just breakfast. But if you say, “This is delicious,” it becomes a delicious breakfast. It’s called “kotodama” – the power of words. You mustn’t remain silent. You have to say, “I’m happy.” Words are linked to it.
When people smile, their hearts relax, and they become happy. So just smile. Unhappy people don’t smile enough. People don’t smile because they’re having fun; they have fun because they smile. It’s really true. That’s why you can’t be sad while smiling.
You know, deliberately yawning like this actually makes you yawn. Yawning relaxes your internal organs. When people smile and speak words of love and kindness, they become happy. God has given us a steering wheel. We can move the muscles of our face. We can smile. And when we smile, we start thinking about enjoyable things. You just have to change something.
We, Hitori-san’s companions, are practicing being in a good mood. Standing under a waterfall is practice. Zazen meditation is practice. But the best practice is to be in a good mood. Even if you attain enlightenment by standing under a waterfall, what’s the point? Will you live unhappily? Will you look upset?
Ultimately, you have to live in a good mood. Enlightenment is about living in a good mood. It’s the practice of living with the highest good mood. When we go to a inn, sometimes a heavy comforter, equivalent to ten layers, is placed on us. Then we compete over which one is heavier(laugh). But you mustn’t let something like a heavy comforter ruin your mood. It’s a battle.
The Heart Sutra teaches that everything in this world is composed of elements. Canned coffee, for example, is made up of a can, water, coffee beans, sugar, and milk. If you remove the can, it’s no longer canned coffee. If you dwell on negative thoughts, make gloomy faces, and speak dark words, then just stop one of those things.
For me, living in a good mood every day is a form of practice. And no matter what happens, my good mood doesn’t waver easily. If you’re willing, you too can try the practice of being in a good mood from today. It’s truly enjoyable. Once you start living in a good mood, you can’t easily be unhappy anymore. Every moment is precious, every hour is precious, every day is precious.
If you’re silent, you’ll only have one good day out of a year. By intentionally practicing, you can have a good day every day. You can have ten years’ worth or even twenty years’ worth of happiness in a single year. Who wants a life of unhappiness? If you live in a good mood, miracles happen.
When a cheerful person enters this shop, the waiters and everyone else gradually become cheerful. Just by having an unhappy person around, the atmosphere becomes unhappy. What are you spreading? If possible, sow the seeds of a good mood and reap a good mood harvest. Good mood fruits will grow.
Today, I am in a good mood again. Thank you.
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