March 7, 2025 • 14 mins
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In this episode of Spirituality on the Go, we explore the Contemplative Path to Happiness and how it leads to a life of true fulfillment. Learn about the contemplative path and how integrating the four lifestyle practices of Divine Flow can transform everyday moments into sacred, joyful experiences.
Tune in to discover how these practices can help you live with intention and cultivate lasting happiness in your life.
Click the link to get your copy of Finding Flow on Amazon:
Get into the Divine Flow by purchasing your copy of Finding Flow: Spiritual Practices to Reclaim Inner Peace, Balance, and Wholeness.
Click the link to purchase on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jDXfla
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brian Plachta (00:02):
Welcome to Spirituality on the Go, the
podcast where you can discoversimple practical tools to put in
your spiritual toolbox so youcan experience more inner peace,
connect with divine flow, andlive with a deeper sense of
clarity, purpose, and joy.
Today we're diving into a topicI call"The Contemplative Path to
(00:28):
Happiness." So, here's aquestion.
If happiness is something thatwe all seek, that we all want,
why do we struggle to be happy?
The answer is happiness isn'tsomething we can chase.
(00:49):
It's something we awaken to.
Yet so often we try to grasphappiness.
We try to chase it, to make itcome alive for us.
Unfortunately, we often tellourselves, I'll be happy when I
get that promotion.
(01:09):
I'll be happy when I lose 10pounds, when I retire, when
maybe life finally slows down.
Or we look for happiness in allthe wrong places, in
distractions like social mediascrolling, shopping,
overworking, or we seek approvalfrom outside of ourselves, from
(01:32):
others, by what we do or what weachieve.
We think happiness will finditself within us.
But deep down.
It seems like we often hesitateto give ourselves permission
just to be happy.
Maybe we've been taught thathappiness is selfish.
(01:56):
Or maybe we feel guilty when weenjoy life when others are
struggling.
Maybe we believe we have to earnhappiness rather than just
receive it as a gift.
And yet happiness, truehappiness, is something God
wants for us.
(02:17):
God is love, and God's deepestdesire for us is to be happy.
It's part of who we are.
If we are the divine image oflove, and God is love and
happiness, then that happinesslies within us.
It's part of our human anddivine nature.
(02:38):
And when we live in harmony withour true selves and with God, we
experience a deeper sense ofhappiness.
We awaken to the wholenessthat's already within us.
It's not like life gets perfect,because there's always ups and
downs.
(02:58):
But the ups aren't as high.
And the downs aren't as low, andwe know how to navigate through
those ups and downs by livingthe contemplative path.
And that to me is the secret tohappiness: the contemplative
(03:20):
path.
It's a pathway that has beentaught and lived throughout all
the ages.
It's something we're justreawakening to in this modern
age.
The contemplative path is anancient spiritual tradition that
invites us to slow down, turninward, and awaken to the
(03:47):
presence of the divine within.
It's rooted in monastic wisdomand mystical traditions, but the
path is not just about silentprayer or meditation.
It's more than that.
The contemplative path is a wayof life, a lifestyle, that
(04:11):
allows us to experience deeperinner peace.
Over the ages, the contemplativepath has been practiced by
spiritual seekers acrossdifferent faith traditions, from
Jesus, the Desert Fathers andMothers of early Christianity.
(04:31):
It's been practiced by Buddhistmonks, Sufi mystics.
The contemplative path is auniversal invitation to develop
a lifestyle that fostersawareness, simplicity, love, and
divine guidance.
(04:52):
But it's not just an ancientpractice.
It's profoundly relevant fortoday.
In a world that often feelschaotic and overwhelming at
times, the contemplative pathoffers each one of us a
grounded, sustainable way tocultivate happiness, not just as
(05:12):
a fleeting emotion, but as adeep and abiding presence within
us as we discover the path toconnect our human and divine
natures.
It's interesting that in thismodern age, many are reawakening
(05:33):
to the contemplative pathwaythrough men and women like
Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen,Mother Teresa, John Main, and I
believe the Spirit is invitingeach one of us to integrate the
contemplative path into our ownlives in our own unique ways.
(05:59):
I'd like to share a poem withyou I wrote just to reflect on
what I think captures theessence of this truth about
happiness and the contemplativepath.
Happiness is not a place toreach.
It's not a prize to earn or win.
(06:20):
Happiness is the soft unfoldingof your heart in the presence of
what is.
A quiet morning wrapped inlight, a deep breath that fills
your soul, the laughter of afriend who knows you well, the
sacred joy of knowing you arewhole, human, and divine.
(06:46):
Happiness is not beyond yourgrasp.
It's not waiting on some distantshore.
It lives within each moment'sgrace, and as you awaken to the
divine embrace that's holdingyou, you hear the voice of love
whisper,"You are enough.
(07:09):
You need nothing more." So ifhappiness isn't something we can
chase, but something we liveinto, how do we cultivate it?
Happiness on the contemplativepath starts with creating a
lifestyle that nourishes innerpeace and joy, and that's where
(07:36):
what I call the contemplativepath or more modern terms,
divine flow comes in the rhythmof the contemplative path.
The divine flow is built on foursimple but powerful lifestyle
practices that you can integrateinto your life in your own
unique way.
(07:57):
That when practiced on aconsistent, regular basis,
happiness takes root in yourdaily life.
And those four practices I callQ S C S.
The first one, daily quiet time.
(08:20):
Happiness flourishes when wemake space for stillness.
In silence, daily stillness orsolitude, quiet time, we come
home to ourselves and to God.
Whether it's five minutes ofdeep breathing, a short prayer,
or sitting in the morning light,quiet time lets us receive
(08:43):
happiness.
It nurtures our soul so we canhear the divine voice whispering
truth, love, guidance within ourhearts.
The second is spiritual reading.
Wisdom seeks to guide ourhearts.
(09:07):
When we nourish our minds withsacred books that we read,
uplifting books or the words orpodcasts of wise teachers, men
and women, they're just a littlefurther on the path than us, we
align our thoughts with deepertruths.
We give our minds something goodand holy to chew on.
(09:28):
Truths that remind us happinessis not out there, it's within
us.
We learn from other spiritualauthors, whether it be through
scripture or.
Podcasts or books, how theyintegrated the contemplative
path into their lives.
And then we find the ways wewant to integrate that spiritual
(09:52):
reading and texts, those wordsinto our hearts and lives.
The third is community.
We aren't meant to walk alone.
True joy is found in deep,meaningful connections with
other people.
Whether we connect with atrusted friend, enjoy a
spiritual group or a communitythat lifts us up, sharing life
(10:16):
with others nurtures a happinessthat is real and lasting.
When we surround ourselves withpeople who inspire us to grow,
affirm who we are in truth, weremember who we are.
We learn and grow.
And we allow and invite them togrow, too.
(10:41):
The final part of Divine Flow isspiritual gifts, or you
contemplative action.
Happiness grows when we have apurpose in our lives.
When we discover and use ourspiritual gifts, those talents
that we're naturally wired withqualities, such as the gift of
(11:02):
encouragement, craftsmanship,teaching, or hospitality.
When we discover our spiritualgifts and use them, through
contemplative action, by servingothers, it is life giving for
us.
It's life giving for others.
(11:23):
When we share our unique talentswith the world, we experience
joy.
And we make the world a betterplace.
So by integrating these fourDivine Flow Contemplative
Practices into your life, you'llfind, perhaps, what many have
found.
(11:44):
Happiness becomes more than afleeting emotion.
It becomes a way of being.
The pathway to happiness becomesthe way in which you integrate
the contemplative path into yourlifestyle through daily quiet
time, spiritual reading,surrounding yourselves with
(12:08):
people, a community thatinspires you to grow, and
discovering your spiritual giftsand using them in contemplative
action, a way that makes theworld a better place.
If you're feeling a God-nudge tocreate a life filled with inner
peace and true happiness, Iinvite you to explore these four
(12:32):
practices more deeply in mybook, Finding Flow, Spiritual
Practices to Reclaim InnerPeace, Balance, and Wholeness.
In Finding Flow, you'll discoverthe four keys to a lifestyle
that nourishes happiness andthat deep, abiding sense of
Divine Flow.
You'll discover stories abouthow I and other people have
(12:58):
integrated the contemplativepath of Divine Flow into their
lives and are discovering deeperwisdom, guidance, joy, and
happiness.
You can find Finding Flowonline, wherever books are sold.
I've included a link at the endof this podcast so you can buy
(13:18):
the book on Amazon.
I invite you to pick up a copy,read it, and find your own
unique ways that you can takethese four lifestyle practices
and integrate them into yourlife as your contemplative path
to happiness.
Remember that happiness isn'twaiting in the future.
(13:41):
It's here in this moment,whispering to you through
stillness, wisdom, connection,and purpose.
So today I invite you to giveyourself permission to be happy,
not because you've earned it orsomething you can grasp, not
because everything is perfect,but simply because you are alive
(14:06):
and happiness is already withinyou.
You just need to awaken to it todevelop a lifestyle of authentic
living in your truest self,connected with the God of love.
Until our next podcast, may youwalk in Divine Flow, and may
(14:31):
happiness find you in the sacredordinary moments of your day.
May you experience lots of Godsightings, as you discover and
follow the contemplative path tohappiness.
Welcome to Spirituality on the Go, the
podcast where you can discoversimple practical tools to put in
your spiritual toolbox so youcan experience more inner peace,
connect with divine flow, andlive with a deeper sense of
clarity, purpose, and joy.
Today we're diving into a topicI call"The Contemplative Path to
(00:28):
Happiness." So, here's aquestion.
If happiness is something thatwe all seek, that we all want,
why do we struggle to be happy?
The answer is happiness isn'tsomething we can chase.
(00:49):
It's something we awaken to.
Yet so often we try to grasphappiness.
We try to chase it, to make itcome alive for us.
Unfortunately, we often tellourselves, I'll be happy when I
get that promotion.
(01:09):
I'll be happy when I lose 10pounds, when I retire, when
maybe life finally slows down.
Or we look for happiness in allthe wrong places, in
distractions like social mediascrolling, shopping,
overworking, or we seek approvalfrom outside of ourselves, from
(01:32):
others, by what we do or what weachieve.
We think happiness will finditself within us.
But deep down.
It seems like we often hesitateto give ourselves permission
just to be happy.
Maybe we've been taught thathappiness is selfish.
(01:56):
Or maybe we feel guilty when weenjoy life when others are
struggling.
Maybe we believe we have to earnhappiness rather than just
receive it as a gift.
And yet happiness, truehappiness, is something God
wants for us.
(02:17):
God is love, and God's deepestdesire for us is to be happy.
It's part of who we are.
If we are the divine image oflove, and God is love and
happiness, then that happinesslies within us.
It's part of our human anddivine nature.
(02:38):
And when we live in harmony withour true selves and with God, we
experience a deeper sense ofhappiness.
We awaken to the wholenessthat's already within us.
It's not like life gets perfect,because there's always ups and
downs.
(02:58):
But the ups aren't as high.
And the downs aren't as low, andwe know how to navigate through
those ups and downs by livingthe contemplative path.
And that to me is the secret tohappiness: the contemplative
(03:20):
path.
It's a pathway that has beentaught and lived throughout all
the ages.
It's something we're justreawakening to in this modern
age.
The contemplative path is anancient spiritual tradition that
invites us to slow down, turninward, and awaken to the
(03:47):
presence of the divine within.
It's rooted in monastic wisdomand mystical traditions, but the
path is not just about silentprayer or meditation.
It's more than that.
The contemplative path is a wayof life, a lifestyle, that
(04:11):
allows us to experience deeperinner peace.
Over the ages, the contemplativepath has been practiced by
spiritual seekers acrossdifferent faith traditions, from
Jesus, the Desert Fathers andMothers of early Christianity.
(04:31):
It's been practiced by Buddhistmonks, Sufi mystics.
The contemplative path is auniversal invitation to develop
a lifestyle that fostersawareness, simplicity, love, and
divine guidance.
(04:52):
But it's not just an ancientpractice.
It's profoundly relevant fortoday.
In a world that often feelschaotic and overwhelming at
times, the contemplative pathoffers each one of us a
grounded, sustainable way tocultivate happiness, not just as
(05:12):
a fleeting emotion, but as adeep and abiding presence within
us as we discover the path toconnect our human and divine
natures.
It's interesting that in thismodern age, many are reawakening
(05:33):
to the contemplative pathwaythrough men and women like
Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen,Mother Teresa, John Main, and I
believe the Spirit is invitingeach one of us to integrate the
contemplative path into our ownlives in our own unique ways.
(05:59):
I'd like to share a poem withyou I wrote just to reflect on
what I think captures theessence of this truth about
happiness and the contemplativepath.
Happiness is not a place toreach.
It's not a prize to earn or win.
(06:20):
Happiness is the soft unfoldingof your heart in the presence of
what is.
A quiet morning wrapped inlight, a deep breath that fills
your soul, the laughter of afriend who knows you well, the
sacred joy of knowing you arewhole, human, and divine.
(06:46):
Happiness is not beyond yourgrasp.
It's not waiting on some distantshore.
It lives within each moment'sgrace, and as you awaken to the
divine embrace that's holdingyou, you hear the voice of love
whisper,"You are enough.
(07:09):
You need nothing more." So ifhappiness isn't something we can
chase, but something we liveinto, how do we cultivate it?
Happiness on the contemplativepath starts with creating a
lifestyle that nourishes innerpeace and joy, and that's where
(07:36):
what I call the contemplativepath or more modern terms,
divine flow comes in the rhythmof the contemplative path.
The divine flow is built on foursimple but powerful lifestyle
practices that you can integrateinto your life in your own
unique way.
(07:57):
That when practiced on aconsistent, regular basis,
happiness takes root in yourdaily life.
And those four practices I callQ S C S.
The first one, daily quiet time.
(08:20):
Happiness flourishes when wemake space for stillness.
In silence, daily stillness orsolitude, quiet time, we come
home to ourselves and to God.
Whether it's five minutes ofdeep breathing, a short prayer,
or sitting in the morning light,quiet time lets us receive
(08:43):
happiness.
It nurtures our soul so we canhear the divine voice whispering
truth, love, guidance within ourhearts.
The second is spiritual reading.
Wisdom seeks to guide ourhearts.
(09:07):
When we nourish our minds withsacred books that we read,
uplifting books or the words orpodcasts of wise teachers, men
and women, they're just a littlefurther on the path than us, we
align our thoughts with deepertruths.
We give our minds something goodand holy to chew on.
(09:28):
Truths that remind us happinessis not out there, it's within
us.
We learn from other spiritualauthors, whether it be through
scripture or.
Podcasts or books, how theyintegrated the contemplative
path into their lives.
And then we find the ways wewant to integrate that spiritual
(09:52):
reading and texts, those wordsinto our hearts and lives.
The third is community.
We aren't meant to walk alone.
True joy is found in deep,meaningful connections with
other people.
Whether we connect with atrusted friend, enjoy a
spiritual group or a communitythat lifts us up, sharing life
(10:16):
with others nurtures a happinessthat is real and lasting.
When we surround ourselves withpeople who inspire us to grow,
affirm who we are in truth, weremember who we are.
We learn and grow.
And we allow and invite them togrow, too.
(10:41):
The final part of Divine Flow isspiritual gifts, or you
contemplative action.
Happiness grows when we have apurpose in our lives.
When we discover and use ourspiritual gifts, those talents
that we're naturally wired withqualities, such as the gift of
(11:02):
encouragement, craftsmanship,teaching, or hospitality.
When we discover our spiritualgifts and use them, through
contemplative action, by servingothers, it is life giving for
us.
It's life giving for others.
(11:23):
When we share our unique talentswith the world, we experience
joy.
And we make the world a betterplace.
So by integrating these fourDivine Flow Contemplative
Practices into your life, you'llfind, perhaps, what many have
found.
(11:44):
Happiness becomes more than afleeting emotion.
It becomes a way of being.
The pathway to happiness becomesthe way in which you integrate
the contemplative path into yourlifestyle through daily quiet
time, spiritual reading,surrounding yourselves with
(12:08):
people, a community thatinspires you to grow, and
discovering your spiritual giftsand using them in contemplative
action, a way that makes theworld a better place.
If you're feeling a God-nudge tocreate a life filled with inner
peace and true happiness, Iinvite you to explore these four
(12:32):
practices more deeply in mybook, Finding Flow, Spiritual
Practices to Reclaim InnerPeace, Balance, and Wholeness.
In Finding Flow, you'll discoverthe four keys to a lifestyle
that nourishes happiness andthat deep, abiding sense of
Divine Flow.
You'll discover stories abouthow I and other people have
(12:58):
integrated the contemplativepath of Divine Flow into their
lives and are discovering deeperwisdom, guidance, joy, and
happiness.
You can find Finding Flowonline, wherever books are sold.
I've included a link at the endof this podcast so you can buy
(13:18):
the book on Amazon.
I invite you to pick up a copy,read it, and find your own
unique ways that you can takethese four lifestyle practices
and integrate them into yourlife as your contemplative path
to happiness.
Remember that happiness isn'twaiting in the future.
(13:41):
It's here in this moment,whispering to you through
stillness, wisdom, connection,and purpose.
So today I invite you to giveyourself permission to be happy,
not because you've earned it orsomething you can grasp, not
because everything is perfect,but simply because you are alive
(14:06):
and happiness is already withinyou.
You just need to awaken to it todevelop a lifestyle of authentic
living in your truest self,connected with the God of love.
Until our next podcast, may youwalk in Divine Flow, and may
(14:31):
happiness find you in the sacredordinary moments of your day.
May you experience lots of Godsightings, as you discover and
follow the contemplative path tohappiness.
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