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Sadness, seriousness are parts of a psychologically sick man - they need causes. So when you are feeling happy, don't start asking, "Why am I happy?" When you are feeling sad ask why you are sad. But strangely, it has become conventional to our minds that when we are sad we accept it as if it is our nature. And when we are joyous even we are surprised; deep inside we even start worrying: "What is happening to me?"
Rajneesh
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote highlights the importance of understanding the reasons behind our emotions, particularly sadness and happiness.

Rajneesh reflects on how society often normalizes feelings of sadness while questioning moments of happiness. He suggests that while sadness may have identifiable causes, joy is often met with surprise and suspicion, encouraging us to explore our emotional landscape more deeply and recognize that it is natural to experience a range of feelings.

Themes

HappinessSadnessEmotionsPsychologySelf-Awareness

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about emotional intelligence.

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There is no separate art of life. If you know how to allow poetry, if you know how to allow dance, if you know how to allow love - if you know how to ALLOW, then you know the art of life. In the allowing, in the let-go, in the surrender, is the art of life. How not to be and to let God be - that is the only art of life.
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Love is not a relationship, love is a state of being; it has nothing to do with anybody else. One is not "in love", one is love. And of course when one is love, one is in love – but that is an outcome, a by-product, that is not the source. The source is that one is love.
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