玩轉做自已,豐富生命之花

朗達．拜恩（Rhonda Byrne）

 　　朗達．拜恩是2006年橫掃全球的《祕密》影片幕後創作者，改變了數百萬人的生命，並引發一場全球性運動。同一年，朗達的書《祕密》也上市了，被翻譯成50多種語言，全球狂銷超過3500萬冊，一直是這個世紀上榜時間最久的暢銷書之一。

　　她其他的暢銷書包括《The Power力量》《The Magic魔法》《Hero：活出你內在的英雄》《祕密天天練》。

　　朗達出生於澳洲，目前則住在美國加州。

影音檔參考：

• THE GREATEST SECRET AUDIOBOOK. Best selling law of attraction books https://youtu.be/e0-FzXpLSdY
• 【有聲書】秘密終極奧秘【上集】｜作者 朗達．拜恩 https://youtu.be/NXc9eqNgYVM
• 0:00 片頭 5:15 開篇 11:09 第一章 藏在明處 24:00 第二章 最大的秘密：揭曉 53:34 第三章 揭秘繼續 01:12:08 第四章 你在做夢……該醒來了 01:27:12 第五章 從心靈中解脫 01:49:49 第六章 認識感受的力量
• 【有聲書】秘密終極奧秘【下集】｜作者 朗達．拜恩https://youtu.be/b-Xn2wc3ZEI
• 0:00 片頭 0:11 第七章 終結負面感受 22:38 第八章 不再受苦 35:40 第九章 擺脫狹隘觀念 49:40 第十章 永恆的快樂 01:19:44 第十一章 世界：一切都好 01:35:43 第十二章 結束——沒有結束 01:56:48 “最大的秘密”練習 01:58:46 書中人物小傳
• 《最大的祕密》修煉分享_鄭福長/周介偉https://youtu.be/rY4kxHuM5Ek
• How The Law Of Attraction REALLY WORKS (Achieve Anything By DOING THIS)| Rhonda Byrne & Lewis Howes https://youtu.be/30molCgfe4k

目錄:

第一章　隱藏在顯明之處

我們這個星球上的數十億人中，只有一些人發現了真相。那些少數人完全擺脫混亂和人生中的負面事物，活在永恆的平靜和快樂中；至於我們其他人，無論有沒有意識到，我們人生中的每一天都在不停地尋找這個真相。

儘管這個大祕密其實已經被寫下來，而且歷史上很多聖人、預言家及宗教領導者都有間接提到，大多數人對我們可以擁有的最偉大的發現仍是一無所知。而那些和我們分享這項發現的人，是佛祖、克里希納、老子、耶穌基督、尤迦南達、克里希那穆提，以及達賴喇嘛。

雖然他們每個人的教導都不同，適合各自的時代，卻都指向同一個真相──關於我們的真相，以及我們的世界背後的真相。

「在某些宗教中，這個真相比較不像其他宗教那樣公開且清楚地表達出來，然而，此真相存在每個宗教的核心。」

——麥可．詹姆士，出自《快樂與存在的藝術》

“In some religions this truth is expressed less openly and clearly than in others, but it is nevertheless the truth that lies at the heart of every religion.”

Michael James, from Happiness and the Art of Being

這個大祕密對我們每個人來說，都是顯而易見的。它比我們的呼吸更接近，我們卻看不見！古老傳統知道想要隱藏祕密，就應該把它放在顯而易見之處，放在沒有人會想到要去尋找的地方。那就是「最大的祕密」所在之處。

「因此，在喀什米爾濕婆教的傳統中，它被稱為『最大的祕密，比最隱密的事物藏得更深，卻比最顯而易見的更顯明』。」

——魯伯特．斯皮拉，出自《對覺知的覺知》

“Thus it is referred to in the Kashmir Shaivite tradition as ‘the greatest secret, more hidden than the most concealed and yet more evident than the most evident of things.’” Rupert Spira, from Being Aware of Being Aware

我們已經遺漏這個真相好幾千年了，因為我們一直沒有看著就在眼前的事物。我們很容易因為自己的問題、人生中的戲碼、世上種種事件的來來去去而分心，錯過了我們所能擁有的、就在眼前的最大發現──這項發現可以帶我們走出痛苦，進入恆久的快樂中。

什麼樣的祕密有可能這樣改變人生？哪一項單一的發現可以就此終結痛苦，或是帶來持久的平靜和快樂？

很簡單，就是揭露真正的你是誰的祕密。

你也許認為你知道自己是誰，但如果你認為你是一個有名字、目前是某個年紀、來自特定種族，擁有一份職業、一段家族歷史及許多生命經驗的人，那麼，在揭露你真正是誰之後，你會大吃一驚。

「一個人能對你有所幫助的唯一方式，就是挑戰你的想法。」

——戴邁樂，出自《覺知：與大師對話》

“The only way that someone can be of help to you is by challenging your ideas.”

Anthony de Mello, S.J., from Awareness: Conversations with the Masters

我們一生中接受了許多錯誤的想法和信念，而那些錯誤想法和信念讓我們成為俘虜。我們被告知這個世上有限制、有匱乏──沒有足夠的金錢、時間、資源、愛或健康：「生命是短暫的。」「你只是個凡人。」「你必須努力工作和掙扎，才能到達人生中某個位置。」「我們快要沒有資源了。」「這個世界很混亂。」「這個世界需要被拯救。」但是在你看到真相那一刻，那些非真相就碎裂了，而你的快樂將從殘垣中升起。

也許你正在想：「我的人生一切順利，為什麼還需要知道這個最大的祕密？」

套一句已故的戴邁樂說過的話：「因為你的人生一團糟！」

你也許不同意。我當然也不認為自己的人生一團糟，直到戴邁樂確切地定義他所指的是什麼。

你曾經心煩意亂嗎？曾經覺得有壓力嗎？曾經擔憂嗎？曾經覺得緊張、被冒犯，或是受傷嗎？曾經覺得難過、情緒低落或沮喪嗎？曾經覺得不快樂或心情不好嗎？如果你曾在任何時刻經歷過上述任何一種情緒，那麼根據戴邁樂的定義，你的人生就是一團糟！

你也許會想，一天當中被負面情緒困擾很正常啊，但人生不應該是那樣。你可以過著完全免於受傷、沮喪、擔憂及恐懼的日子，生活在持續的快樂中。

透過我們經歷的每一個具挑戰性的狀況，特別是那種非常具有挑戰性的狀況，生命向我們展現有一條路可以免於受苦。但是我們沒有看見。我們迷失在自己的問題中，錯失了一樣就在眼前、可以讓我們永遠從所有問題中解脫的東西！

「我們在一個經驗接著一個經驗、一段關係接著一段關係、一種療法接著一種療法、一個工作坊接著一個工作坊中尋找快樂──甚至在『靈性』圈的事物中尋找，那些東西聽起來很有希望，卻從來沒有處理受苦的根本原因：對我們的真實本質一無所知。」——穆吉，出自《白火》第二版

“We seek happiness in experience after experience, relationship after relationship, therapy after therapy, workshop after workshop—even ‘spiritual’ ones, which sound so promising but never address the root cause of suffering: ignorance of our true nature.”

Mooji, from White Fire, second edition

每當我們受苦，都是因為我們相信了某件關於我們的錯誤之事——我們誤解了自己的身分。人類所有的苦痛，都可歸因於錯誤的身分認同。

真相是，你不是一個對發生在你身上和你人生中的事毫無掌控力的人；你不是一個必須被不喜歡的工作捆綁，只能做到死的人；你不是一個必須努力掙扎才能勉強餬口的人；你不是一個必須證明自己，或是需要其他人認可的人。事實上，你根本不是一個人。你無疑擁有作為一個人的經驗，但放大來看，這不是真正的你。

「它不是看起來的樣子。你不是你所想的那樣。」——揚．弗拉澤，出自《存在的自由》

“It isn’t the way it appears to be. You aren’t what you think you are.”~Jan Frazier, from The Freedom of Being

「有時候，我們只聚焦在人生的症狀上，卻忽略了真正的肇因──對我們真實本質的理解和認識。這是萬靈藥。」——穆吉

“Sometimes we’re targeting the symptoms in life but the real cause in life we’re missing—the understanding and recognition of our true nature. This is the one medicine for everything.”~ Mooji

「我們在人生中經驗的所有不快樂、不滿足和不幸，都是因為我們不知道或搞不清楚自己到底是誰、是什麼。因此，如果想要免於所有形式的不幸和不快樂，就一定要讓自己脫離對自身真實本質的無知或困惑。」——麥可．詹姆士，出自《快樂與存在的藝術》

“All the unhappiness, discontent and misery that we experience in our life is caused only by our ignorance or confused knowledge of who or what we really are. Therefore if we want to be free of all forms of misery and unhappiness, we must free ourself from our ignorance or confused knowledge of what we really are.”~Michael James, from Happiness and the Art of Being

你對人生過得如何的衡量結果，就是你的快樂程度。你有多快樂？你一直都是由衷地快樂嗎？你持續生活在快樂之中嗎？你應該要一直都很快樂。快樂就是你，這是你的真實本質，是真正的你。

「每個人在這世上尋找的，其實是同一樣事物。每個人、甚至動物都在尋找它。那麼，我們都在尋找的是什麼呢？不帶悲傷的快樂，一種沒有沾上一丁點悲傷、持續的快樂。」——萊斯特．雷文森，出自《意志力》有聲書

“The thing that every one of us is looking for in this world is exactly the same thing. Every being, even the animals are looking for it. And what is it that we’re all looking for—happiness with no sorrow. A continuous happiness with no taint whatsoever of sorrow.” Lester Levenson, from Will Power audio

我們採取的每個行動、做的每個決定，都是因為我們認為自己會因此比較快樂。所有人都在尋找快樂並非巧合，因為我們在追尋快樂時，其實是在尋找自己，只是我們不自知！

透過物質事物不可能找到恆久的快樂。每樣物質事物出現之後，最終都會消失，所以如果你把自己的快樂交給物質事物，當那樣事物消失時，你的快樂就會消失。物質事物沒什麼問題（它們很棒，而且你值得擁有你想要的一切），但是當你了解你絕對沒有辦法從中找到恆久的快樂時，會是很大的突破。如果物質事物可以帶來快樂，那麼當我們得到自己真正想要的東西時，快樂應該不會離開我們，但事實並非如此。實際的狀況反而是，我們體驗到短暫的快樂，然後在很短的時間內又回到一開始的樣子──一種為了再次感到快樂而想要更多東西的狀態。

要找到持久、永恆的快樂，只有一種方法──找出你真正是誰，因為你的真實本質就是快樂。

「世人如此不快樂，是因為他們不知道真實自性。人真正的本質是快樂，快樂內建在真實自性之中。人類對快樂的追尋，是無意識地在尋找自己的真實自性……找到的時候，就找到了不會終結的快樂。」——拉瑪那．馬哈希

“The world is so unhappy because it is ignorant of the true Self. Man’s real nature is happiness. Happiness is inborn in the true Self. Man’s search for happiness is an unconscious search for his true Self . . . When a man finds it, he finds a happiness which does not come to an end.”  ~ Ramana Maharshi

「身處這個地球唯一真實的目的，就是去學習或重新憶起我們最初那個沒有局限的自然狀態。」——萊斯特．雷文森，出自《意志力》有聲書

“The only real purpose of being here on this earth is to learn or to re-remember our original natural state of no limitations.” ~Lester Levenson, from Will Power audio

「發現我們的真實自性，就有力量將無知造成的黑暗轉變為全然理解的光明。這是最深刻、最重要、最根本的發現，是一棵馬上會結出果實的樹。當我們知道自己真正是誰──那個經驗和感知這個世界的人──很多事情就會被導正。如果你在尋找的是真相，那麼要知道的事情不是太多。不需要大量知識，只需要認識你所是的那個真實自性就好。」——穆吉

“The discovery of our true Self has the power to transform the darkness of ignorance into the light of pure understanding. It is the most profound, important and radical discovery. It is a tree that bears fruit immediately. When we realize who we are—the one experiencing and perceiving the world—so many things will be set right. There are not many things to know if truth is what you seek. It’s not volumes of knowledge that are required—it’s to come to the recognition of the one true Self that you are.” ~ Mooji

幾個世紀以來，「憶起真正的自己」有很多說法：開悟、自我了悟、自我發現、啟明、覺醒、憶起。你也許認為「開悟」不會發生在你身上（「我只是個普通人」），但你完全錯了。這個發現──這份快樂、這份自由──就是真正的你，所以怎麼可能不會發生在你身上？

「此刻就敞開自己，接受你有可能體驗到『你是誰』這個真相。你可能會問，該怎麼做？藉由注意到路上唯一的阻礙就是你的想像──你想像出來的反對意見。」——我的導師

“Open yourself to the possibility that you can experience the truth of what you are, this very moment. How, you may ask? By noticing that the only obstacle in the way is your imagination—your imagined opposition.” ~ My teacher

「我們都是自由的，只是我們不知道。這感覺像是最不可能的事，也的確可能如此。我們會發誓自己被失敗或順利擺布，然而（真相來了），自由就在這裡。」——揚．弗拉澤，出自《存在的自由》

“We are free, and we don’t know it. It feels the furthest thing from possible, that it could be so. We’d swear we’re at the mercy of what goes wrong, what goes right. And yet (here is the truth), freedom is right here.” ~ Jan Frazier, from The Freedom of Being

「自我了悟對沒有受教育的人來說是可能的，對國王來說也是。自我了悟沒有先決條件，這不是只會發生在那些長年靈修的人身上，對菸酒不離身的人來說也有可能發生。」——大衛．賓漢，出自意識電視臺“

Self-realization is possible for someone who’s had no education and it can also be possible for a king. There are no preconditions to self-realization. Self-realization isn’t just for those who’ve undergone years of spiritual practice—it’s possible for someone who’s been drinking and smoking all the time.” ~ David Bingham, from Conscious TV

你的人生會是什麼模樣？

「我正在說的是一件幾乎沒有人經驗過的事。該怎麼描述呢？在任何方向的任何事物上都毫無限制，光是想到就有能力做到任何事。然而不只是如此。想像你可以擁有的最強烈的喜悅，然後乘以百倍。」——萊斯特．雷文森，出自《無攀冀無負累》

What Will Your Life Be Like?

“I’m talking about something that hardly anyone has yet experienced. How can I describe it? No limits on anything in any direction whatsoever. The ability to do anything for the mere thought of it. Yet it is more than that. Imagine the highest joy you can have and multiply by a hundred.” ~ Lester Levenson, from No Attachments, No Aversions

當你徹底認識自己是誰，你將擁有一個沒有問題，沒有苦惱、傷痛、憂慮或恐懼的人生。你會從對死亡的恐懼中解脫，從此不再被自己的心智控制或折磨。錯誤的想法和信念會消融，取而代之的是明晰、快樂、喜悅、平靜，以及無限的樂趣和驚奇──每一刻都是愉悅。你會知道，不管怎樣，你都很平安、很安全。

「當我們認清這一點……終極的快樂就永遠建立起來了。而快樂建立之後，不朽、無限、不受煩擾的平靜、完全的自由，以及每個人都在追尋的其他所有事物，都會隨之而來。」——萊斯特．雷文森，出自《快樂是免費的》第一～五冊

“And when we recognize this . . . ultimate happiness is established permanently, and forever. And with its establishment comes immortality, unlimitedness, imperturbable peace, total freedom, and everything else that everyone is seeking.”

Lester Levenson, from Happiness Is Free, volumes 1–5

當你徹底認識自己是誰，人生變得毫不費力──你似乎不必花費任何力氣，所需的一切就會出現。你的人生會被一種輕鬆自在和流動的狀態接管，匱乏和限制永遠消失了。你終於明白你對世上萬物擁有的至高力量。

當你徹底認識自己是誰，苦痛和掙扎會消失，恐懼和負面情緒會消融，而心智會安靜下來。你會充滿喜悅、正面性、滿足、豐足感，以及不受煩擾的平靜。這將會是你的人生。

引用身兼母親和文學教師的揚．弗拉澤的話：

「想像一下這件事：一直以來壓在你身上的東西突然不再沉重。它也許還在那裡，是你人生中的一個事實，但沒有了質量、沒有了重量。曾經困擾你的一切，現在只是景色的一部分，像是一棵樹，或一片飄過的浮雲。每一丁點情緒和心智層面的混亂都止息了──整個沉重的負荷（它的某種形式從你有記憶起就一直跟著你）都不再沉重。某種如同你最好的朋友一樣熟悉的事物──像你說的語言、你的膚色一樣是你的一部分──莫名其妙地完全消失。一股安靜的喜悅流進這個令人驚奇的空無中，早中晚都支持著你，無論你去到哪裡、身處何種情境，甚至是睡覺時，那股喜悅都會流過去。你著手進行的每件事都毫不費力地發生。你很快樂，卻毫無理由。沒有什麼事能困擾你，你感受不到壓力。一個問題出現時，你知道該怎麼做，也去做了，然後就放手。過去會讓你抓狂的人，現在對你不再有影響。你在憐憫別人的苦痛時，自己不會受苦。過去覺得乏味的活動，現在變得有趣。你不需要治療；你不會感到無聊、焦慮或心情不好。除了需要完成某項任務時，你的心智處於休息狀態。你的人生全然滿足──不需要你做任何事來滿足它……你知道無論你接下來的人生會遭遇什麼樣的挑戰，這份平靜都會持續，你不會再感到害怕、絕望、孤單。無論路上出現什麼，這份沒來由的喜悅都會持續下去。想像一下。」

“Imagine this: Whatever has weighed on you suddenly no longer weighs. It may still be there, a fact in your life, but it has no mass, no gravity. All that has ever troubled you is now just a feature of the landscape, like a tree, a passing cloud. Every bit of emotional and mental turmoil has ceased: the entire burden, some form of which has been with you as long as you can remember. A thing familiar as your closest friend—as much a part of you as the language you speak, the color of your skin—is utterly, inexplicably gone. Into the startling emptiness flows a quiet joy that buoys you morning, noon, and night, that goes everywhere you go, into any kind of circumstance, even into sleep. Everything you undertake happens effortlessly. You are happy, but for no reason. Nothing bothers you. You feel no stress. When a problem arises, you know what to do, you do it, and then you let it go. People that used to drive you crazy no longer do. While you feel compassion for others’ suffering, you don’t suffer yourself. Activities that used to be tedious are fun. You don’t need therapy; you don’t get bored, anxious, or moody. Except when needed for a task, your mind is at rest. Your life is entirely fulfilled—without your having to do anything to fulfill it, . . . you know that no matter what challenge you are handed—for the rest of your life—the peace will sustain. Never again will you be afraid, desperate, lonely. Whatever comes your way, this causeless joy will hold. Imagine it.” ~Jan Frazier, from When Fear Falls Away

這就是擁有最大的祕密的你的人生。這就是你的命運。

＊第一章摘要

1. 無論有沒有意識到，我們人生中的每一天都不停地在尋找最大的祕密。

• Whether we realize it or not, we’ve been in search of The Greatest Secret unceasingly every single day of our lives.

2. 這個大祕密對我們每個人來說，都是顯而易見的，我們卻看不見。

• We’ve missed the truth for thousands of years because we are distracted by our problems, the drama in our lives, the comings and goings of the events in the world.

3. 我們已經遺漏這個真相好幾千年了，因為我們被自己的問題、人生中的戲碼、世上種種事件的來來去去分了心。

• This great secret is in plain view for every one of us to see, yet we’ve missed it.

4. 我們一生中接受了許多錯誤的想法和信念，那些想法和信念讓我們成為俘虜。

• We’ve accepted many false ideas and beliefs throughout our lives, and they have kept us enslaved.

5. 每當我們受苦，都是因為我們誤解了自己的身分。

• Whenever we suffer, it’s because we’ve mistaken our own identity.

6. 人類因為誤解自己的真實本質而受苦。

• Humanity is suffering from a misunderstanding of our true nature.

7. 你擁有作為一個人的經驗，但放大來看，這不是真正的你。

• You are having the experience of being a person, but in the bigger picture it’s not who you are.

8. 你應該要一直都很快樂。快樂是你的真實本質。

• You’re supposed to be happy all the time. Happiness is your true nature.

9. 「發現真正的自己」有很多說法：開悟、自我了悟、自我發現、覺醒、憶起。

• Discovering who you really are has been given many names: enlightenment, self-realization, self-discovery, awakening, remembering.

10. 此刻就敞開自己，接受你有可能體驗到「你是誰」這個真相。

• Open yourself to the possibility that you can experience the truth of what you are, this very moment.

11. 當你徹底認識自己是誰，你將體驗到一個沒有問題、苦惱、傷痛、憂慮或恐懼的人生，而且，你會充滿喜悅、正面性、滿足、豐盛和平靜。

• When you fully recognize who you are, you will experience a life without problems, upset, hurt, worry, or fear, and you will be filled with joy, positivity, fulfillment, abundance, and peace.

Chapter 1

Hidden in Plain Sight

Of the billions of people on our planet, only a few have discovered the truth. Those few are completely free from the turmoil and negativity of life and live in permanent peace and happiness. For the rest of us, whether we realize it or not, we’ve been in search of this truth unceasingly every single day of our lives.

Despite the fact that this great secret has been written about and alluded to by many great sages, prophets, and religious leaders throughout history, the majority of us still remain ignorant of the single greatest discovery we can ever make. Among those who have shared this discovery with us are Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Jesus Christ, Yogananda, Krishnamurti, and the Dalai Lama.

While they each have different teachings that were appropriate for their time, they all refer to the same truth—the truth about us and the truth behind our world.

“In some religions this truth is expressed less openly and clearly than in others, but it is nevertheless the truth that lies at the heart of every religion.”

Michael James, from Happiness and the Art of Being

This great secret is in plain view for every one of us to see. It’s closer to us than our very breath, yet we’ve missed it! Ancient traditions knew that to hide a secret it should be put in plain sight, where no one will think to look for it. And that’s exactly where The Greatest Secret lies.

“Thus it is referred to in the Kashmir Shaivite tradition as ‘the greatest secret, more hidden than the most concealed and yet more evident than the most evident of things.’”

Rupert Spira, from Being Aware of Being Aware

We’ve missed the truth for thousands of years because we’ve not looked at what is right in front of us. We’ve become easily distracted by our problems, the drama in our lives, the comings and goings of the events in the world, and we’ve missed the greatest discovery we can make that is right here before us—a discovery that can take us out of suffering and into lasting happiness.

What secret can possibly be so life-changing? What single discovery can ever end suffering, or bring everlasting peace and happiness?

Quite simply, a secret that reveals who you really are.

You might think you know who you are, but if you think you’re an individual person with a name, who’s a certain age, from a particular race, who has a profession, a family history, and various life experiences, you will be stunned by the revelation of who you really are.

“The only way that someone can be of help to you is by challenging your ideas.”

Anthony de Mello, S.J., from Awareness: Conversations with the Masters

We’ve all accepted many false ideas and beliefs throughout our lives, and those false ideas and beliefs have kept us enslaved. We’ve been told that there’s limitation and lack in the world—that there’s not enough money, time, resources, love, or health: “Life is short,” “You’re only human,” “You have to work hard and struggle to get somewhere in life,” “We’re running out of resources,” “The world is in turmoil,” “The world needs saving.” But the moment you see the truth, those mistruths will crumble, and your happiness will arise from the ruins.

Perhaps you’re thinking, “My life is going swimmingly, and so why would I even want to know The Greatest Secret?”

To quote the wonderful late Anthony de Mello, S.J.:

“Because your life is a mess!”

You may disagree. I certainly didn’t think my life was a mess either until Anthony de Mello defined exactly what he meant.

Do you ever get upset? Ever get stressed? Ever worry? Ever feel anxious, offended, or hurt? Ever feel sad, down in the dumps, or despondent? Are you ever unhappy or in a bad mood? If you experience any of these emotions at any time, then according to Anthony de Mello, your life is a mess!

You might think it’s normal to be plagued by negative emotions throughout your day, but life isn’t supposed to be that way. You can live your life utterly free of hurt, upset, worry, and fear, and exist in continuous happiness.

Life is showing us there’s a way out of suffering through every single challenging circumstance we experience, especially the very chal lenging circumstances. But we don’t see it. We’re lost in our problems, and we miss the very thing that is right in front of us that is the way out of all problems forever!

“We seek happiness in experience after experience, relationship after relationship, therapy after therapy, workshop after workshop—even ‘spiritual’ ones, which sound so promising but never address the root cause of suffering: ignorance of our true nature.” ~Mooji, from White Fire, second edition

Whenever we suffer, it’s because we’ve believed something about ourselves that isn’t true; we’ve mistaken our own identity. All of humanity’s suffering comes down to a case of mistaken identity.

The truth is, you’re not a person who has no control over what happens to you and your life. You’re not a person who has to slave at a job you don’t like, only to die at the end of it all. You’re not a person who has to struggle from paycheck to paycheck. You’re not a person who needs to prove yourself or who needs anybody else’s approval. The truth is, you are not really a person at all. You are most certainly having the experience of being a person, but in the bigger picture it’s not who you are.

“It isn’t the way it appears to be. You aren’t what you think you are.” ~Jan Frazier, from The Freedom of Being

“Sometimes we’re targeting the symptoms in life but the real cause in life we’re missing—the understanding and recognition of our true nature. This is the one medicine for everything.” ~Mooji

“All the unhappiness, discontent and misery that we experience in our life is caused only by our ignorance or confused knowledge of who or what we really are. Therefore if we want to be free of all forms of misery and unhappiness, we must free ourself from our ignorance or confused knowledge of what we really are.”

Michael James, from Happiness and the Art of Being

Your gauge of how your life is going is your level of happiness. How happy are you? Are you genuinely happy all of the time? Do you live within a continuous background of happiness? You’re supposed to be happy all the time. Happiness is you. It’s your true nature. It’s who you really are.

“The thing that every one of us is looking for in this world is exactly the same thing. Every being, even the animals are looking for it. And what is it that we’re all looking for—happiness with no sorrow. A continuous happiness with no taint whatsoever of sorrow.” ~Lester Levenson, from Will Power audio

Every action we take, every decision we make, is because we think we will be happier from it. It’s not a coincidence that we’re all looking for happiness; in our search for happiness, we are actually looking for ourselves without realizing it!

It’s not possible to find lasting happiness through material things. Every material thing appears and eventually disappears, so if you vest your happiness in a material thing, your happiness will disappear when the material thing disappears. There’s nothing wrong with material things (they are wonderful, and you deserve to have whatever you want in life), but it’s a major breakthrough when you realize that you’ll never find lasting happiness in them. If material things brought us happiness, then when we receive something that we really wanted, the happiness would never leave us. But it’s not the case. Instead, we experience a fleeting happiness, and within a very short amount of time we’re back to where we started from—a state of wanting more things in an effort to feel happy again.

There’s only one way to find lasting, permanent happiness—it is to find out who you really are, because your true nature IS happiness.

“The world is so unhappy because it is ignorant of the true Self. Man’s real nature is happiness. Happiness is inborn in the true Self. Man’s search for happiness is an unconscious search for his true Self . . . When a man finds it, he finds a happiness which does not come to an end.” ~Ramana Maharshi

“The only real purpose of being here on this earth is to learn or to re-remember our original natural state of no limitations.” ~Lester Levenson, from Will Power audio

“The discovery of our true Self has the power to transform the darkness of ignorance into the light of pure understanding. It is the most profound, important and radical discovery. It is a tree that bears fruit immediately. When we realize who we are—the one experiencing and perceiving the world—so many things will be set right. There are not many things to know if truth is what you seek. It’s not volumes of knowledge that are required—it’s to come to the recognition of the one true Self that you are.” ~Mooji

Remembering who you really are has been given many names over the centuries. Enlightenment, self-realization, self-discovery, illumina tion, awakening, remembering. You probably think “enlightenment” can’t be for you (“I’m just a normal person”), but you couldn’t be further from the truth. This discovery—this happiness, this freedom—is who you are, so how can it not be for you?

“Open yourself to the possibility that you can experience the truth of what you are, this very moment. How, you may ask? By noticing that the only obstacle in the way is your imagination—your imagined opposition.” ~ My teacher

“We are free, and we don’t know it. It feels the furthest thing from possible, that it could be so. We’d swear we’re at the mercy of what goes wrong, what goes right. And yet (here is the truth), freedom is right here.” ~ Jan Frazier, from The Freedom of Being

“Self-realization is possible for someone who’s had no education and it can also be possible for a king. There are no preconditions to self-realization. Self-realization isn’t just for those who’ve undergone years of spiritual practice—it’s possible for someone who’s been drinking and smoking all the time.” ~ David Bingham, from Conscious TV

What Will Your Life Be Like?

“I’m talking about something that hardly anyone has yet experienced. How can I describe it? No limits on anything in any direction whatsoever. The ability to do anything for the mere thought of it. Yet it is more than that. Imagine the highest joy you can have and multiply by a hundred.” ~ Lester Levenson, from No Attachments, No Aversions

When you fully recognize who you are, you will have a life without problems, without upset, hurt, worry, or fear. You will be free from the fear of death and will never again be controlled or tortured by your mind. False ideas and beliefs will dissolve. In their place will be clarity, happiness, joy, peace, infinite fun and wonder—every moment a delight. You will know you are safe and secure no matter what.

“And when we recognize this . . . ultimate happiness is established permanently, and forever. And with its establishment comes immortality, unlimitedness, imperturbable peace, total freedom, and everything else that everyone is seeking.”

Lester Levenson, from Happiness Is Free, volumes 1–5

When you fully recognize who you are, life becomes effortless—everything you need seems to appear without any effort from you. There’s an ease and a flow that take over your life. A life of lack and limitation is over forever. You come to know the ultimate power you have over everything in the world.

When you fully recognize who you are, suffering and struggle will be gone, and fear and negative emotions will dissolve. The mind will quiet. You will be filled with joy, positivity, fulfillment, a sense of abundance, and an imperturbable peace. This will be your life.

From the words of Jan Frazier, a mother and literary teacher:

“Imagine this: Whatever has weighed on you suddenly no longer weighs. It may still be there, a fact in your life, but it has no mass, no gravity. All that has ever troubled you is now just a feature of the landscape, like a tree, a passing cloud. Every bit of emotional and mental turmoil has ceased: the entire burden, some form of which has been with you as long as you can remember. A thing familiar as your closest friend—as much a part of you as the language you speak, the color of your skin—is utterly, inexplicably gone. Into the startling emptiness flows a quiet joy that buoys you morning, noon, and night, that goes everywhere you go, into any kind of circumstance, even into sleep. Everything you undertake happens effortlessly. You are happy, but for no reason. Nothing bothers you. You feel no stress. When a problem arises, you know what to do, you do it, and then you let it go. People that used to drive you crazy no longer do. While you feel compassion for others’ suffering, you don’t suffer yourself. Activities that used to be tedious are fun. You don’t need therapy; you don’t get bored, anxious, or moody. Except when needed for a task, your mind is at rest. Your life is entirely fulfilled—without your having to do anything to fulfill it, . . . you know that no matter what challenge you are handed—for the rest of your life—the peace will sustain. Never again will you be afraid, desperate, lonely. Whatever comes your way, this causeless joy will hold. Imagine it.”

Jan Frazier, from When Fear Falls Away

This is your life with The Greatest Secret. This is your destiny.

CHAPTER 1 Summary

• Whether we realize it or not, we’ve been in search of The Greatest Secret unceasingly every single day of our lives.
• This great secret is in plain view for every one of us to see, yet we’ve missed it.
• We’ve missed the truth for thousands of years because we are distracted by our problems, the drama in our lives, the comings and goings of the events in the world.
• We’ve accepted many false ideas and beliefs throughout our lives, and they have kept us enslaved.
• Whenever we suffer, it’s because we’ve mistaken our own identity.
• Humanity is suffering from a misunderstanding of our true nature.
• You are having the experience of being a person, but in the bigger picture it’s not who you are.
• You’re supposed to be happy all the time. Happiness is your true nature.
• Discovering who you really are has been given many names: enlightenment, self-realization, self-discovery, awakening, remembering.
• Open yourself to the possibility that you can experience the truth of what you are, this very moment.
• When you fully recognize who you are, you will experience a life without problems, upset, hurt, worry, or fear, and you will be filled with joy, positivity, fulfillment, abundance, and peace.