Have you ever been in Nirvana?
If so, wouldn’t it be wonderful to create Nirvana in your life all the time?
Before you let your imagination run riot, let’s be clear that I am not talking here about some drug-infused state of mind.
Nirvana means different things to different people.
For Buddhists, Nirvana is the perfect peace of the state of mind that is free from craving, anger and other afflicting states. For Hindus, it is the union with the Supreme Being.
For a lot of Westerners, the word probably just means the musical band.
Nirvana is also not about sitting cross-legged and meditating – though I am told it helps!
I would like to explore with you today is what Nirvana means to you and show you how you can experience it in your life
What I mean by Nirvana in this context is when:-
- You are in a state of bliss and joy.
- You are in the flow and everything is working really well in your life.
- You are fulfilled, happy and content within yourself.
- You are a sea of calmness and peace.
- You feel healthy, energised and full of life.
- Your heart is overflowing with love, gratitude and appreciation.
- You have great relationships with everyone in your life.
- You feel that you have found your calling and you love what you are doing
- You are making a contribution to the world.
Just writing and reading that list gives me the goose bumps.
For me, Nirvana would be an exalted feeling of bliss, joy, love and peace.
Can you remember a time when you felt such bliss and joy?
I have been lucky that I felt like this once – during my visit to an orphanage in India.
Thankfully we can also get to Nirvana through the kindness of other people.
Here’s a simple exercise for you to experience Nirvana:-
Close your eyes right now. Breathe deeply 3 times and then visualise a time when you felt really blissful and joyous.
Remember what it was you were seeing, hearing and feeling at the time. Put yourself back in that time.
Make your feelings of bliss and joy as strong as possible. Relax your face and allow yourself to smile – it’s okay to be happy.
As you feel these wonderful feelings in your body, ask yourself what it would be like to be in this state most of the time.
There you are – Nirvana delivered via your computer:-)
No matter how you did this exercise, you will be feeling a lot better than you did a few minutes ago.
Now that you know how easily you can summon up your Nirvana, make a habit of doing so daily or even a few times each day.
A coaching friend asked me last week what it would it like for me to be living in Nirvana and I came up with 7 things covering all areas of my life:-
- Feeling blissful, peaceful and joyous
- Life of laughter and love
- Fulfilling, soul work, making a difference
- In a soul mate relationship
- Healthy, fit and energised
- Writing, coaching and speaking
- Worldwide impact through my work
In summary, I would be living a life of contribution, connection and celebration.
Clearly, all I have to do now is to actually start living as if I am already in Nirvana.:-)
Now over to you.
Please spend a few minutes (or however long it takes) today to get clear about your Nirvana in life. Deep down you already know the answers.
What’s your vision of Nirvana?
And what one single thing will you do today to move towards your own Nirvana?
It reminds me of the line from the Desiderata,
“Deep inside you know who you are……. and you know what you want!”
Once you get clear about what it Nirvana feels like to you…..
The next step is to get clear on what you need to say….. yes to………, and what you need to say…… no to…………… in your life, to really claim and honor it daily, in each moment.
Because your life is made up of moments….. and how you live your moments is how you live your life!
Here is to Nirvana every Day!
Thank you Arvind for this wonderful Invitation to have Nirvana Now!
Hi Arvind, there’s an interesting paradox at work here. You ask us what we might do to move towards our own Nirvana, but what if having such an intention to do so keeps our own Nirvana forever at bay? Perhaps it is less about movement and more about allowance – assuming that Nirvana is always and already here and now and allowing it to blossom forth into our lives with a presence of mind and heart that is our birthright.
Christopher, welcome to my blog.
I agree with what you say – Nirvana is all about allowance, but the challenge is to come to that state of mine in the first place.
I look forward to all of us allowing Nirvanato blossom forth into our lives.
There I go again, looking forward, when it’s already here!
honesty, integrity, love, helping others and making a difference, relationship with God, great relationships with others, fulfilling my goals.
I think, for me it comes down to commitment, connectedness, celebration and contentment.
CC, welcome back to my blog. Hope all is well in your world.
Thanks for sharing your 4C’s 🙂
Good prospective, Arvind. Enjoy reading your down to earth article.
Nirvana is a one-state mind, i.e., there is only one happening and we are submerge in it completely. I am getting my Nirvana by giving my 100% attention to things I do at any time. No thinking, imagining or distraction of any kind once i know what I am doing. I feel joy doing so. Even it is just walking or listening to someone. Complete attention is the key.
One at a time and no multitasking – multitasking is a serial killer of Nirvana or happiness of mind.
Sanjay, welcome to my blog.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful tip about getting to Nirvana by giving 100% attention to just one thing at a time.
Multi-tasking is definitely a killer of Nirvana – and I am an “expert” at doing so!
I hope to join you soon in Nirvana:-)
My Nirvana is the time at night when the day’s responsibilities are over and my wife and I have have time to be together and simply relax. This is such a warm, comfortable and loving feeling.
Alex, thanks for sharing your personal Nirvana story.
You have clearly found your Nirvana and your soulmate:-)
For me Arvind Nirvana is living in complete unity within a community where I feel energised, happy, included and have an identity. One where people respect each other, enjoy each other and are positive about life and all it offers. Where everyone’s uniqueness is encouraged. That will give me bliss to grow and expand who I am safe in the knowledge of such uplifting foundations. Now I only need to find such a place. But it does exist, I know it does…..!
Welcome back to the UK, John!
What you describe also sounds like my idea of utopia or Nirvana. Let’s hope such a place exists.
As soon as you find it, let me know and I shall join you:-)
Good one, Arvind! I am going to be thinking about my personal Nirvana now. A place of hope and joy. A place without fear. I like this idea so much. mmmmm.
Thanks Diana – glad you liked the idea.
If more people strive to come from a higher place and find their own Nirvana, the world would be a much better place.
I just did it. I read your list, I closed my eyes, I smiled and even felt a laugh bubble up. Thank you. Nirvana achieved, just like that!
Before going to bed every night when I pray, especially if I encountered any problem or done something wrong during the day and I ask forgiveness from God – that is the time of my Nirvana because I feel at peace with my Creator.
This is a very helpful post.
Thanks for sharing, Arvind.
Great article and topic. In my experience this is easier said than done. Though if people have reached a point of contentment in their life overall, it seems that Nirvana could be reached through developing emotional awareness, and learning to self-monitor our feelings. The more mindful we become, the more likely we will be able to focus on ideals of compassion, joy, peace, and altruism. Thanks!
Aloha Arvind!
Thought provoking post…ah there I go thinking 😉 You have struck a deep chord within me…something not often talked about so thank you for the opening.
I would say my “Nirvana” would be more of a Mystic Union and something that is not “found” or “created by doing” but more that my doings are changed from my being touched or altered by this state.
The mystical walk is characterized by stages,
1. Awakening (I do not believe we find this but more that “it” finds us)
2. Purification of the self (I think this is the letting go of attachment to the personality)
These last three seem to be in a whole different realm.
3. Illumination
4. Purification of the Soul
5. Union
Union perhaps being the merging of the individual consciousness with the Divine Consciousness. It has a name in almost every religion. Nirvana being the Buddhist term.
The place where this is most profound in my life is when the idea that I am in the world and not of it bubbles to my consciousness.
Great Peace and Love.
Gina
To me Nirvana is summed up in the words of Desiderata.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labours & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
First peace with God and then peace with your fellow man. I think that if you achieve this then you are well advanced on the path of wisdom and your life will be an example inspiring others to follow.
My vision of nirvana is being absorbed in the present moment, filled with inner peace, serenity, and gratitude. I could be sad, yet still be at peace, knowing I am going to be OK. I find myself in this state on and off throughout my life, but I usually reach it when I’m mindful of my surroundings, my thoughts, my breathing and everyone around me and when I am still.
I stumbled across your post after re-establishing my search for nirvana. Its something we do not realize until someone has been on the beaten path for a while.
One typically turns around and hopes to see how far they have come. But only to realize they’ve never left.
Brian, welcome to my blog:-)
Yes, it’s rarely about travelling and looking at how far we’ve come. Nirvana is here already, if we only we can realise that.
Brian, I wish you well on your journey of discovering your own Nirvana.