The mind has a tendency to get bored. We experience this on a almost a daily basis. We desire something and we strive to acquire it. It can be money, a car, bigger house, a promotion etc. The chasing gives us a thrill. It makes us feel as if we are doing something worthwhile with our life. We are not wasting time. We are being productive. We are achieving something. Chasing the desire makes us feel really good.
Eventhough the journey is full of uneasiness, anxiety, misery and pain, the goal makes it all worthwhile. We are sure that achieving the goal is going to be worth all the effort and pain.
And then, one fine day, we end up achieving it. And we are overjoyed. We are excited. We are over the moon. Flying. Ecstatic. Vibrating with joy. Yes. Finally! I have done it. I have achieved my goal. Wow! What a thrill! What an amazing feeling!
And then, nothing.
The moment we acquire it, we become familiar with it. It loses its charm. We realise that the charm was only in the distance. As long as it was far away, it was bright and shiny. Now that its in our hand, you have no more interest in it. The thrill is no longer there.
How long can you stay excited about your bank balance or your new house or your partner or the promotion or the new car? How long? Sooner or later you are bound to get bored. The mind cannot stand to be bored.
It was the chase that was fueling the mind. The desire was what kept the engine running. Now that you have arrived at the destination, whats the point of keeping the engine running? You can turn it off.
And it does get turned off momentarily. Anytime you achieve a desire, the desire ceases to exist. In that moment, the chasing mind also ceases to exist. The joy, bliss, happiness that you experience is actually the state of desirelessness. You are aware but there is no mind.
As long as desire was there, the mind was required, thinking was required, the past and future were required. Now that the goal is achieved, the mind vanishes. And your true nature shines through.
The mind is like dust covering the mirror. It doesn’t allow the mirror to reflect properly. Your being is covered by the mind. Anytime the dust is cleared, the mirror reflects clearly. Your being shines through, and this experience is what feels like bliss, happiness, peace, contentment, presence, fulfillment, love. All are the being’s natural state of being.
But the mind is very tricky. Instead of allowing you to see this, it spins a story — that it was the achievement of the desire, and the chasing, and finally reaching the goal, that has caused your so called good feelings.
The uneasiness and sense of lack creeps in again because now the mind starts looking for other goals and desires. Probably bigger and much more difficult to achieve. The good feeling is covered up again and you are now trying to chase it again.
A simple misunderstanding, and the entire chasing and agony begins again. Round and round it goes until you die.