Bliss Is Not The End — It’s the Unveiling of the Eternal
“Bliss is not the end of the path; it is the disappearance of the path.” — Zen saying
The Rhythm Beneath All Rhythms
Transformation is not a conquest; it is a surrender. It does not unfold in rigid lines, nor does it arrive with trumpets. It moves in spirals—like the breath, like the tides, like the seasons. We return, again and again, not to the same place but to deeper layers of knowing.
If you imagine a destination, a finality, you have misunderstood. The sacred traditions whisper gently: The journey is not a march—it is a dance. A ceaseless, tender dance that invites us to move with grace even when weary.
The first taste of bliss is not an achievement but an invitation—a call to awaken, not just in moments of grandeur but amidst the humblest acts of living.
Awakening vs. Abiding — A Sacred Distinction
Awakening is the gentle dawn—a fleeting illumination that touches us briefly. Abiding, however, is the steady sun—constant and unwavering. It does not seek applause or permanence; it simply “is”.
The truly awakened soul does not escape life but embraces it fully. Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. Bliss does not remove us from life’s rhythms; it deepens our presence within
Bliss Seems to Fade — And Why That’s Perfectly Natural
Bliss cannot be possessed; it is not a treasure to hoard but a current to flow within. When we forget this truth, when ego whispers its desires for control and permanence, bliss appears to vanish. Yet this forgetting is no failure—it is part of the dance.
Each return to bliss is sacred. Each moment of remembrance renews us. Falling away and coming back—this rhythm itself is the path.
The Gentle Art of Abiding
1. Cease Striving
Bliss cannot be chased; it reveals itself in stillness. Stop seeking and simply rest in what already “is”.
2. Honor the Ordinary
Bliss lives in simplicity—in setting a table with care, in answering gently, in noticing sunlight on a windowpane.
3. Witness Without Wrestling
Let thoughts come and go like clouds across the sky. Observe them as you would waves—without resistance.
4. Surrender Daily
True strength lies in surrendering to what unfolds: “Not my will, but Thy will.” This surrender births peace.
5. Return Again
Forgetting is inevitable; returning is divine. Each return deepens your understanding and strengthens your spirit.
The Hidden Truth
There is no mountaintop to reach; there is no "there." Bliss does not wait at some distant end—it breathes within each moment now.
The kitchen becomes holy ground; the child’s question becomes sacred; even unfinished tasks are woven into this divine tapestry.
Bliss is not a prize at life’s conclusion—it is the very essence of life itself. Those who truly abide do so quietly, their hearts radiant with knowing:
The wave does not need to reach the ocean—it has always been part of it.
Be still.
Be present.
And when you forget—as you surely will—
Return gently.
For bliss has never left you; it waits patiently within every breath you take.
Citations:
https://shaitubali.com/4-levels-of-bliss/
https://www.transformativelifecoach.co.uk/post/the-hero-s-journey-the-true-path-of-your-transformation
https://moniquetoonen.com/bliss-method/
https://web.ung.edu/media/university-press/WLA-Part%206.pdf?t
https://www.brainzmagazine.com/post/embracing-bliss-the-transformative-power-of-blisswork-practices
https://hellopoetry.com/words/untethered/