When the seeking self finds the object of its search it gives up searching and dies. When seeking stops happiness and peace are revealed.
Contrary to common belief, happiness and peace are not experienced because the object of our seeking is found. Happiness and peace emerge because searching has ceased. When we are no longer distracted by our attachment to thoughts of lack, deficiency, desire, and seeking the essence of our being is revealed. When our searching stops we relax, surrender, and recognize that a natural state of peace, joy, and equanimity, which is the essence of our being, has always been present and has simply been overlooked.
The separate self attributes happiness to the object of its desires. Unfortunately, once the object of desire is captured happiness soon diminishes and the desires and seeking tendencies of the separate self simply reemerge again. The seeking self’s habit is to spontaneously and quickly seeks another object to find happiness. For the seeker, this addictive process continues on endlessly.
Consequently, it is impossible for the separate, seeking self to achieve a lasting sense of happiness and peace.
At the core of our being happiness, peace, and joy are always present. It is the attributes of the seeking, separate self that dim, block, distort, and eclipse the ongoing existence of happiness and peace.
Upon close examination we recognize that the separate self is an idea, concept, and belief that comes and goes. It is constantly changing and therefore lacks any sense of consistency and stability. Something that is not constant cannot provide constant peace and happiness.
The greater our belief in the separate self and attachment to seeking the more suffering that occurs because the timeless, limitless happiness and peace associated with our inner being is eclipsed to a greater degree. As attachment to the belief in the separate self recedes and seeking behaviors decrease then higher levels of peace and happiness are automatically revealed.