At every moment, each day, our mind is a running ticker tape of thoughts—both positive and negative; pertaining to the past and to the future. These may be related to things that we’ve done or that we plan to do. These may be related to things that others have done or that they plan to do (at least in our minds!). These thoughts form a continuous wave of noise…like the static sound of an old CRT TV set—an item of nostalgia for those who’ve grown up watching television in the 80s.

This thought stream gives rise to a constantly fluctuating current of emotions. Fear, Anxiety, Depression at the negative end. Satisfaction, connectedness, peace at the positive side of the spectrum. These emotions continually crop up; then abate. Sometimes, they even morph into each other instantaneously. On the whole, we rarely feel emotionally stable due to the discomfort caused by this constant noise. So, we often express ourselves by being distracted, indifferent, impatient or apathetic. How does the world react to our unmindfulness?

Nature—like any living person—feeds off our attention and devotion. Like any conscious soul, she wants to express her love to us. Unlike most ordinary people, though, she’s pure and wants nothing in return. So, when we are indifferent to her expressions; when we abuse her or when we go against her flow; she’s unable to pass her positive energy to us. Consequently, our latent positivity remains trapped and gets swamped by a swirl of negativity. On a daily basis, we feel like tired zombies – stuck in monotonous routines. We feel unappreciated, ignored, unloved. A common symptom of this state of unconsciousness is the persistent feeling of drowsiness and fatigue that pervades us at all times. And, a sense of disappointment with the world for being unkind to us. These are all consequences of being out of sync with nature’s flow.

On the other hand, when we are in the moment—we feel alive. We may not have slept much the previous night. Perhaps, even less than 4 hours! Yet, we feel incredibly alert. This is because by being present in the moment, we are able to attune ourselves to the frequency of nature. In this state of Oneness, we derive intense joy from even the minutest aspects of life—things that we deride; often ignore; for being inconsequential or stupid. In the state of oneness, these mundane beings take on cosmic significance.

That squirrel—who we’d never notice on our daily excursions—assumes the form of a messiah with a tail. Those pigeons—who we’d normally shoo away for littering our path—turn into minstrels crooning our good fortune. Those children in the playground—whom we’d regard with annoyance and disgust—take on the forms of playful wood fairies. Is it possible for anyone to feel negative in the presence of such delightful sights, sounds and fragrances? Of course not!

The only feeling that courses through our veins during these moments is satisfaction. A deep, lasting sense of satisfaction. This is a feeling that isn’t halting or static-y like the white noise that afflicts us on a daily basis. This is a feeling that doesn’t die prematurely in our souls. This feeling is lasting because we emit it to others and to the environment. As a result, we make the universe happier. This is the true definition of happiness. It’s not what we feel; but what we radiate. Our contribution to the universal bounty of positive energy.

Thus, to experience happiness, you don’t have to necessarily embark on a world-changing endeavour. All you have to do is to be present in the moment by being attentive to nature.

She will reciprocate with more love than you could ever imagine.