After Class XII , my dad asked me what career I wanted to pursue, I was very clear it was psychology, at that time I had no knowledge of what this subject was, what it entailed yet the inner voice was so clear.
The year was 1992. Thirty years later as I write this I realize Happiness School is a manifestation of this inner voice, my soul song. This is probably the fourth attempt at building this website and I hope we sustain it this time. Since I was a young child, inspiration (quotes), stories and humor (jokes) attracted me, you will find some essence of that child here.
I have had three DBD (Dying before Dying) experiences. One in the period 1992 – 1995 where my identity of intelligent, super smart, achieving student was shattered, second between 2015 to 2016 where my identity of a successful, highly successful Corporate CXO was broken and the third in 2019 where the most precious identity, that of a good son, a good husband, a good father, a family person was crushed to dust. In my writings you will see these phases. I have traversed the dark night of the soul thrice and I am grateful for this journey, for it took away all that, what I was not.
I have had a long journey with depression, anxiety, and fear, from class 10 th where I puked before exams, to the age of 23 when I first met a therapist and took medication to 8 th Aug 2012 when I resigned said fuck off to an abusive boss & a sucking job. For last Six years I run my own organization, everyday (mostly ) do the job I love, travel, read, write, cook, garden, learn – I live a dream. Yet there is a big part of my being which is still hurting suffering and is a work in progress. I hope in these pages / writings you find hope, love, sadness, pain, joy, laughter, and the courage to sit with each one of them.
For years together I talked about happiness, spread happiness, but through my third dark night of the soul I realized that below happiness there was a layer which was eternal, indestructible which is – authenticity, love, and abiding joy- Sat, chitt, Ananda.
I realized this layer was to be found in silence, stillness, living ordinarily and most important in living in the now and being myself. There are many shades to me you will find them all in these pages
If something touches your heart, pass it forward, write to us at paritosh@happiness-school.org
One of our hopes and dreams is to turn this website into an app called YANA – You Are Not Alone, a community where people feel heard, people feel listened to, people seek help and above all people find their tribe.
For I as a human being and most of us seek only two things freedom and belonging. I want you to say this to yourself and feel in the depths of your heart – I am loved, I am beautiful, I am complete, I am enough as I Am.
Love and Light,
Paritosh