and especially like wanting something to make you happy, is a sure way to be miserable.

That happiness is placed outside, that a relationship or you know, being in the right job, or passing whatever things you have to pass through,

will bring you to this place, is already ill-conceived notion.

Ill-conceived notion.

Happiness - even I want to say to you, like in the light of your own listening here, and then you say, 'No, also I, now I don't know what I want.'

Then, allow this complete access. Don't know what you want ó why you should want something? Can you be without want?

Is it a state of deficiency or something?

Have you ever heard amongst your own masters you talk about, can they be in a place of want and be happy?

Not at all. They abandoned all of this stuff, they are not in want.

No need.

But, it does not mean that without need, without wants, that their life stops.

Somehow, natural unfolding is taking place, and it is enough.

They're content, beautifully content. They're not working for happiness.

What a great spaciousness to not want.

[Questioner] But I do want, I think.

Now that's different, 'I want, I think'? What do you want?

Or do you think you should want? Because that's what your statements say.

[Questioner] No, I'll stick to: I don't know what I want.

[Mooji] Right.

[Questioner] And this 'don't know' affects...

[Mooji] Yes. But the very fact you say, 'I don't know what I want' means you don't want.

'I don't know what I want' means that what you want doesn't exist.

[Questioner] That's because I'm confused.

[Mooji] And then that leads to confusion.

You see. One friend was coming to the house, and he was always saying, 'You know, I have this problem, I have this problem. You know, I have this problem, and this problem,

and problem, problem. He came and stayed with me for a few days.

And we talked. And then one morning he came, we're having tea, and I looked at him and says, 'Okay, now what's the problem now?' [laughter]

I look at him, he says, [grumble grumble] 'Mooji, I have this problem.' What is the problem?

'The problem is, I can't find a problem.' [more laughter]

It's true. Some of you people here know him. 'My problem is, I can't find a problem!'

'And it bothers me, I cannot find a problem.' [laughter]

And you're saying, 'You know, my trouble is, I don't know what I want.'

So if you don't know what you want, what is the purpose of want?

Except that there's a feeling that I should want something. Everybody else has a want.

Or you may substitute the word 'want' for 'dream.' Everyone have a dream, I want a dream,

or it seems as though. But there are many people that don't have dreams,

as in projecting some state that will be beautiful, or something.

For one moment, just for one moment here with me, then you don't touch this idea of wanting something or that not wanting it is a problem.

Because if you want something, you're molested by it.

Listen to what Ramana Maharishi said, something I think might be useful for you.

He says, suppose you want this microphone, you've always wanted it. So even though you're talking to me, you're really just interested in the microphone. [Laughter]

Okay. You want this microphone so bad. You think it will make you happy. Okay?

So, as long as you want it, as long as you want this thing, you are never really available for anything else.

Every time you're talking, everybody you know, it's really just this want, just want this microphone, you know?

Okay? You cannot get ó your mind is focused only on satisfying your desire,

but there is no joy in the microphone.

You feel if you get it, you'll be so happy! But there's no happiness in the microphone. Just you feel, if I get this, then I'll be happy.

Here is what he says about it, and I found it fascinating, no?

He says, 'As long as you have a desire, you are being tormented by this desire.' Why?

Because if you don't get it, you're miserable.

All your energy is just waiting to try and fulfill your desire. So I give you the microphone.

When you get the microphone, you get your desire, in this moment, this thing is given to you, the object you desire,

you feel tremendous happiness, but the thing didn't give you the happiness. So he says this, there's no happiness in this thing.

What happens is that your desires were molesting you, it was troubling you, agitating your mind. When you get the thing now, okay,

the agitation stops, and it is the relief from the agitation that you're interpreting as the joy you're receiving.

[grins] You think this thing's giving you happiness. When you get it, 'Ah, I feel so good,' because you're enjoying the freedom from the desire to have it.

Because now you have it. But this thing has nothing in it!

Not one vitamin in it. [Laughter] But you are, 'Ah, ah, oh my God,' but all of this comes from you.

"As long as there is wanting in you, especially for someone or something to make you happy;

Paradoxically, this is a sure way to make yourself feel miserable."