Pranam.

"At times I feel quite happy and content, but such is short-lived and overtaken by some concern or other, even if such concern has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"Pursuit of lasting happiness begins when chase for transients ends.

Reality is, nothing was ever in your control, and never can be. Giving up on every chase of transients is also not in your hand.

Only absolute acceptance of reality of what we truly are...
... just a knower and seer, never a doer...
... will make you at ease in each and every situation.

And, such will come about at its opportune time, with  Self-realization, experience of own eternal reality/soul/Atam-Ram/Him-within."

"So, what do I "do" till then?"

"Contemplate on any aspect of eternal truth, rooted in the fact that I am nothing but eternal soul.

Take a deep dive into what 'I am eternal' means...
... If I am eternal, then I am not this perishable body.
... If I am not this perishable body, then this body is not mine.
... If this body is not mine, then what really in this universe is mine? Not any thoughts that come about in the mind tied to this body, not any speech that comes out this body, not any actions that this body is involved in or associated with.
... Further, if this body is not mine, then every association thereof is not mine. Not the house, not the car, none of any so-called possession, or any worldly identifiers like resident of particular country or race or color. No familial associations are mine, or any associations of friends or any acquaintances is mine.

I am simply by my Self, without any attachments, without any guilt, any fault, any shortcoming, any worries, just pure conscience, supreme being.
... I am such, and so is every living being in existence, exactly like me.

Stay on this chain of reality and every cause of passion (ego, greed, anger, deceit), which is the root of unhappiness, will be vanquished...
... If I and every other living being are exactly the same, then how can I be better than anyone or anyone lesser than me. There goes my ego...
... If I am pure conscience, supreme being, then there is nothing that can ever be added on to me or reduced from me. There goes my greed and fear...
... If I have nothing to save, gain or lose, with no cause for greed, then there goes my anger and deceit.

I am free of all passions... I am pure happiness."

🙏

About the author: Himanshu is based in Boston, MA and is an avid follower of Jainism. He can be reached at h.gandhi@samved.com.