The Happiness Podcast

The pandemic has changed the world as we have known it.  What Anthony de Mello offers in this podcast is a change of mind, a change heart that opens to a new way of looking at the world, a new way of looking at life, at everything.  It is a simple way of being in which peace and happiness become your constant companions, even as you relate to all the changes the Pandemic imposes.

Are you having trouble with people? You find somebody selfish, moody, unreliable, rejecting, stupid, intolerable, irresponsible, insulting? Think of the troubles you have with human relations. Do you know the root of all of those problems? Hold onto your chairs.

Yesterday you had occasions to be happy that you weren’t even conscious of. Do you see them now? It is inconceivable that anyone could be grateful and unhappy. Thank the Lord for each event of yesterday and notice the effect this has on you. And the things you call unpleasant, undesirable — search for the good that comes from these … the seeds for growth they carry … and find reason to be grateful for them too.  Finally, see yourself moving through each portion of today in gratitude —and happiness.  

Questions about feeling trapped, exhausted, and disgusted with routine life. Exploration of the emptiness behind chasing degrees, careers, and achievements. A call to nurture the flame of discontent by honestly examining your attachments. Discussion of how temporary thrills turn to suffering and why most avoid facing their own pain. An urging to transform disenchantment into genuine awakening.

A reflection on how painful events often trigger self-discovery and lasting change. Discussion of negative emotions as teachers that reveal conditioning and false beliefs. Guidance on identifying specific emotions and what they disclose about your perceptions. Thoughts on viewing faults and mistakes as necessary steps toward growth and gratitude.

A contemplative exploration of how trying to force renunciation hardens the heart. Observations on how attachments bring both pleasure and subtle anxiety. An invitation to enjoy the present, let things flow, and regain gentle sensitivity. A cultural critique of ambition, acquisitiveness, and the costs of clinging.

Simple objects like a rose, a lamp and a tree become metaphors for generous love. The talk explores love that gives to good and bad alike and why it cannot be forced. It contrasts conditional, selfish affection with freely flowing, gratuitous giving. Listeners are invited to notice their motives and practice letting go of control to allow natural, unselfconscious love.

A reflection on love as total sensitivity to life and people. It explores how closing off hardens us and kills compassion. Small everyday acts like removing hazards or helping strangers are highlighted as expressions of love. The narrative suggests love already exists inside, waiting to be noticed and released.

A provocative take on how childhood conditioning turns approval, success and applause into lifelong emotional cravings. Discusses withdrawal when approval is withheld and how dependence blocks real love. Explores the difference between reliance for tasks and harmful emotional need, and argues for freedom from needing others to be happy.

Have you ever considered that society conditions us to chase unhappiness? The discussion reveals how we often equate happiness with wealth, love, and success. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing these beliefs as illusions. By deprogramming from these societal constructs, we can find true fulfillment. The conversation encourages listeners to reflect on their personal definitions of happiness and detach from emotional dependencies.