The Happy Buddha

Holding a bowl of plenty over his head, displaying a broad smile, and exposing a big belly mirrored in a crystal ball, the world is his oyster.

As I observe and identify with "The Happy Buddha", I also realize that the vastness of our universe and all that it contains is interpreted by a biological mass between my ears called my “brain”, and without it, nothing outside of it would exist. My happiness is a state of mind.

Evan Harris Walker from his book, The Physics of Consciousness 

Space, time, matter, and energy, -- the very stuff of objective reality, as it turns out--depend on the perceptual participation of the observer. ... Our consciousness, our mind, and the will of God are the same mind. ... Our knowledge of how quantum mechanics works with state vector collapse on observation ties in with a quantum mechanical picture of consciousness, consciousness arising out of the very observer-dependent processes that go on in the brain as they do in the laboratories of physicists, in the hearts of atoms, and in the cores of stars. And with an observer in the brain, this consciousness selects the things that happen in the external world.

That said, as I continue to be aware of all aspects of this person named Charles Patrick Woliver, I identify more strongly each day with “the Happy Buddha”.  The many blessings that I experience on a daily basis, plus the increasing shape of my belly, leads me to an ongoing appreciation for this historical icon. My perception of the "Happy Buddha" brings a smile to my face and I raise a metaphorical bowl of plenty above my head.

Psychologists advocate for acceptance combined with the avoidance of craving as a path to the state of happiness. It is a mind set.

I am not a buddhist, but I can lean toward certain Buddhist principles. One overarching truth is “Impermanence.”

Let’s consider a seesaw or teeter-totter:  a long, narrow board supported by a single pivot point, most commonly located at the midpoint between both ends; as one end goes up, the other goes down.  Now let’s place suffering on one end and happiness on the other.  We must accept both, but our intent is to balance between the two opposite poles, always acknowledging that due to the impermanence of life experience, we will teeter-totter between suffering and happiness.

But perhaps even more appropriate, we should consider the iconic ying/yang symbol and visualize that the black dot is always present in the white space, and the white dot is always present in the black space, and that the two opposites are always in a state of flux spiraling forth in search of a position of balance and resolve. It has been called, The Way and is like a kaleidoscopic spinning wheel.

Take a listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFEewD4EVwU

As I sit atop a painted pony, I, like the Happy Buddha, am PollyAnnish, but also recognize that our planet and its inhabitants are in a gross state of suffering.  Power and Greed are catalysts to Suffering, and, unfortunately, the rich and powerful often fall into the craving abyss and set agendas that are antithetical to a state of happiness. May humanity recognize The Way and shift toward a state of equilibrium.

CPW