From Supreme Master Ching Hai’s Book “Secrets to Effortless Spiritual Practice,” Part 2 of 2

After some times of more effort and sincerity, God will take us to the Land of Laughter. That’s where we have a lot of jokes and everything is funny to us.

Actually, we practice hard only to reach the point of relaxation so that we can enjoy what we are and what we have in any circumstance. Then we can open our hearts and tolerate anything, and we can feel the God Nature in all beings so we don’t look down upon anyone. We might look down upon their habits or their accumulated bad manners, but we don’t look down upon them. Even if we don’t like their habits, we like the person all the time.

Some spiritual practitioners are very contented, lively and at ease because nothing is stuck in their minds. They’re more ingenuous, and don’t feel any restrictions or pressure. Therefore, they don’t need much sleep, and still remain very relaxed and energetic. It truly is so. If you recall, when we’re happy, cheerful, no matter for what reasons, no matter if we’re with friends, husband, wife or children, we can chat happily all through the night. Even though we’ve only slept for one or two hours, we still feel that we’re full of energy. But when we’re miserable, carrying a guilty conscience, or when karma comes, we feel very, very tired, no matter how much we’ve slept. That’s why I told you this morning to relax, relax and relax! Love your family, truly love them, and they will love you, too. Then, due to this love, we will feel very lively and happy. It will be easy for us to accept people from outside, and to love others. Try it when you return home. This is the path to being happy.

Most people owe their success in their career to having a secure family. Members of their families have more affection for each other. They are more united and cooperative, and not complicated. Both the husband and wife create a harmonious atmosphere so they are not easily affected by trials outside. They’re also not easily troubled. When we’re happy, we don’t mind about others’ mistakes as much. We’re not concerned or troubled. If we refuse the love from our families, refuse the love from people close to us, then we won’t be successful in whatever we do. We will feel so miserable that we can’t bear even ourselves; and of course, we can’t bear other people. The disorders and troubles in society all come from dissonance at home. It’s because we don’t have good friends who are willing to make sacrifices, to offer sympathy to each other, accept each other, and respect each other. We don’t have anyone who truly knows us well and can be a friend for life. Understand? That was why I said not to turn your home into a hell. Because we live in it, we need to look after it, organize it, repair it, make it look beautiful and turn it into a Heaven.

It’s not out of compassion or brotherly love that we love others. We love others because we want to be comfortable and happy. The more we offer our love to others, the more others will love us. When all the people love each other, how comfortable that will be!