Happiness Runs in a Circular Motion

“Happiness runs in a circular motion
Thought is like a little boat upon the sea
Everybody is a part of everything anyway
You can have everything if you let yourself be.”

These profound words have been guiding my whole life, particularly the last line— “you can have everything if you let yourself be”. This line reminds me of a verse from the bible Matthew 6:33 that says: “Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

My interpretation of these two quotes is that within is a place of heaven—happiness—and if we have happiness within then we experience happiness in every aspect of our daily life, thus we truly have everything.

How to Have Happiness Within?

Donovan answers this question when he says, “if you let yourself be.”  “Let yourself be” means to transcend and experience your own silent level of consciousness, which is a state of happiness.

The ancient Vedic texts from India say, “sat, chit, ananda” — the absolute non-changing (sat) being (chit) is also a state of bliss (ananda).

This field of happiness exists within every one of us. It is our own essential nature.  We just need to dive into this field of happiness, move in the bliss, and then bring it out into every aspect of the surface values of our life.  As Donovan says, “happiness runs in a circular motion.” The circular motion is bliss moving within itself, always referring back to itself, and stirring itself to rise into greater waves of happiness.

Object-Referral and Self-Referral

In everyday life we refer to everything on the outside— our family, friends, our studies, and our work, which is object-referral.   If our happiness is object-referral, it can never be lasting because the outside is always changing.

Self-referral is when we refer to that pure state of Being within when we transcend. In the state of self-referral bliss, our happiness is non-dependant on anything on the outside for its joy.  When we transcend, such as through the Transcendental Meditation technique, our happiness within grows stronger every day. We enjoy everything on the outside even more. At the same time, we become less dependent on outer changing events for our happiness, because we are growing in contentment within. It is like watering the root of the tree, and the sap rises to nourish every branch, leaf, and flower.

Circles of Happiness

Another interpretation of the phrases “happiness runs in circular motion” and “everything is a part of everything anyway” is that a ripples start at a point and then spread out into bigger and bigger circles.  We are like the first small point of expanding circles. If we are happy inside then that happiness spreads out around us into bigger and bigger circles of joy. Because we are all connected, we touch everything in the universe with our happiness. If we laugh or smile, then the whole universe smiles with us. Fortunately, happiness is very contagious, especially since everyone is seeking happiness.

In his book, Science of Being and Art of Living: Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said, “The purpose of life is the expansion of happiness.”
Donovan was inspired to write this song Happiness Runs in a Circular Motion after he learned Transcendental Meditation and studied with Maharishi in India. Below is a link to the song. The catchy, sweet melody of the song is happiness creating!

About the Author

Ann Purcell is an award winning author and musician whom has been teaching meditation around the world since 1973. Ann currently oversees the teaching of Transcendental Meditation in girl’s schools and communities in several countries in Africa. In addition, she has worked on curricula and course development for universities and continuing education programs. Her latest book, The Transcendental Meditation Technique and The Journey of Enlightenment was published on March 13, 2015 and her 7th album was released earlier this month (August 2016).