The One Above - What if God were your neighbour?

“There is no path to Happiness. Happiness itself is the path. You need to always remain happy, as Happiness is your inherent nature.” - “The pursuit of true happiness is possible only in happiness. If not always, at-least become happy when you feel unhappy.” These seemingly illogical quotes are the premise and heart of the book. The protagonist of the book (and the reader) will undertake a retreat with a ‘vow of happiness’. It is about the journey of a common man in today’s contemporary setup. A journey from a state resigned to mundane existence and internal strife of dissatisfaction to that of true everlasting freedom in happiness… A mental journey of a shift in perspective without the influence of external circumstances… A journey from despair to constant bliss not bound to any reason… A Zen-Master-like puzzle sums up the journey of the book: “There is a cabinet with wealth in it. The owner happened to lock the cabinet, but left the key within the cabinet in the process. Now how do you open the cabinet without breaking it?” The answer to this is totally illogical if taken literally, but is completely true when seen as an analogy of life. The answer is – “Keep an open cabinet in front of the closed one. The closed cabinet will automatically open up.” This is a story of one such closed cabinet that comes in contact with ‘The One Above’, who is open and free. In the presence of a true Master, even a locked cabinet whose key has been locked within, can open up and reveal the wealth of happiness within. Various truths with increasing clarity dawn on the person during the journey. The journey begins with seeking solutions to daily problems, but progresses to not seeking solutions to outside problems but transforming oneself. The journey of self analysis goes deeper under the subtle but deep guidance of the The One Above (TAO). The guidance and teachings of TAO are put to daily test and great insights emerge through these experiences. Gradually the protagonist learns through these experiences that nothing outside needs to change for him to become or remain happy, thus yielding the way to permanent happiness. This book is a journey of experience through stages. It is an experiencing retreat. It is essential to read this book as a retreat. The book is organized into 30 chapters representing 30 days of the month. Read every stage, contemplate, see it in context to the happenings around you, understand the experience and move through the stages. The words are only expressions of experiences. The experiences of the understandings you will attain are the true wealth that will become yours. As the story unfolds, you will discover the wisdom that the protagonist received through his interactions with TAO. The story will make it easier for you to imbibe this wisdom. Wherever you find the word TAO, you will also hit upon pearls of wisdom, peals of true laughter, and glimpses of the invisible secret of Life. Do not get diverted by the description of the characters or the particular incidents from their lives. Do not look for a story in the details of the house, the office, or the marketplace. Just grasp the profound message that has been woven into this story and make it your mission on Earth.K27 About Author Sirshree's Introduction Sirshree’s spiritual quest, which began during his childhood, led him on a journey through various schools of thought and meditation practices. The overpowering desire to attain the truth made him relinquish his teaching job. After a long period of contemplation, his spiritual quest ended with the attainment of the ultimate truth. Sirshree says, “All paths that lead to the truth begin differently, but end in the same way—with understanding. Understanding is the whole thing. Listening to this understanding is enough to attain the truth.” To disseminate this understanding, Sirshree devised Tejgyan—a unique system for wisdom—that helps one to progress from self-help to self-realization. He has delivered more than a thousand discourses and written over fifty books. His books have been translated in more than ten languages and published by leading publishers such as Penguin Books, Hay House Publishers, Jaico Books, etc. Sirshree’s retreats have transformed the lives of millions and his teachings have inspired various social initiatives for raising global consciousness.