Emanating Bliss In The World Now

'Follow your bliss' is that oft-quoted instruction on a life well-lived from the late mythologist and scholar Joseph Campbell. Do what you love, in other words. Do what brings you joy. Do what resonates with your inmost nature and Being. Do that which leaves you with a fulfilled heart and a satisfied conscience at the end of the day. Do what brings you peace.

The alternative to doing so, is to continually and chronically radiate suffering out into the world. If we are constantly and chronically dis-satisfied with what we are doing on a dialy basis (oftentime upwards of 10, 12, or even 14 hours a day) then imagine the 'vibe' that we are sending out into the environment around us. It is as if we are a 'suffering generator,' a 'duhkka-machine' that is churning out discontent and dissatisfaction the majourity of the hours of our day.

It may then be part of the Bodhisattva's task to 'invest and engage in activities that are in accordance with the production of bliss.' Not just to alleviate the suffering of others, but to also make sure that acquiring 'our daily bread' is not done so with an underlying tone of chronic, pervasive discontent. The twist would be that in 'following our bliss' we would be doing far more to relieve the suffering of others than if we were to adopt some virtue of 'noble suffering' while at the workplace so we can fork over a few charitable contributions at the end of another dreadful work-week.

The question we might want to ask then is this: not 'What can I do to relieve the suffering of others?' so much as 'What can I do that will produce bliss and generate peace?' Such that bliss (the absence of suffering) and peace (the absence of strife and conflict) will then radiate outward into the world... thereby affecting others in a subtle manner... if no less transformative and powerful.