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A Guide and Index to Genuine Spirituality
Anatomy of Desire
How To Be Happy Even When You Don't Get What You WantBy Gina Lake
Reviewed by Dennis L. Trunk
According to popular culture, we would be happy if we were famous and wealthy. Yet we know the odds. For every celebrity, for every winner of a large lottery, millions of others must lose. Especially on the large ticket items of our dreams, we know that we seldom get what we want. And we also know that the occasional success doesn't grant permanent happiness or quench our desire for more. So, why do we continue to expect our desires to be fulfilled and to bring us happiness? Isn't there a better choice?
In her latest book, Anatomy of Desire, Gina Lake dissects and analyzes the components of desire and the consequences of following it blindly. Desire is the cause of suffering, said Buddha. But, as Gina points out, desire isn't evil, but rather a natural part of being human. It isn't desire in itself that leads to suffering, but how we choose to view it and deal with it. While most books about finding happiness tell you how to fulfill your desires, Gina tells you how to look beyond your desires to find happiness already present as your own nature.
Her discussion is rooted in the classic issue of identity, which is fundamental and crucial to any understanding of the spirituality of Self-realization. As if through amnesia, we have adopted a mistaken identity and don't know who we really are. (That, by the way, is why so many teachers have strongly recommended "Who am I?" as a powerful form of spiritual inquiry.) Throughout, Gina repeatedly contrasts the ego, or the false self, with essence, or the real Self. The false self, which is formed and perpetuated by attachment to ever-changing desires and thoughts of who we are, has no reality. It's a fictional self which has no existence outside of the story we tell ourselves. The real Self, on the other hand, is awareness, which is the unchanging witness to the fictional narrative.
Gina provides many insights on how to recognize the characteristic traits, differences and drives of each. For example, the false self and its interminable quest for fulfillment lead to suffering, while the real Self in its ever-present fullness is the source of joy and happiness. The false self obsessively grasps for security, while essence expresses freedom and spontaneity. The false self constantly worries, while essence serenely guides and inspires.
But, the enlightening analysis and distinctions are not all that Gina has to offer. More importantly, she tells you how to focus on and rest in your true identity. Her guiding assurance that essence is who you really are is the most valuable message in the book.
Essence, as she uses the term, is synonymous with the Heart. In the tradition of the highly influential sage Ramana Maharshi, she places great emphasis on the Heart, and she devotes an entire chapter to its qualities. The emphasis is not surprising, because the Heart is its own authority. It's the gravitational core of spirituality, the center of Being or Self as expressed through the body, and it can be literally felt as energy that seems to radiate like a sun from the area of the physical heart. Turning to it and identifying its intimate presence as one's own nature can be a direct fast lane to spiritual understanding.
As Gina says, you can tell whether or not someone is speaking from the Heart. The presence of its joyous power and subtle lure is unmistakable, and that presence is evident in these pages. They resonate with the authenticity and vitality of personal experience.
Published by Endless Satsang Foundation, 2006, Paperback: $12.95 U.S., Adobe eBook: $6.10 U.S., ISBN: 978-0-6151-3762-9.
Excerpts From: Anatomy Of Desire
About Gina Lake
Gina Lake has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and over twenty years experience supporting people in their spiritual growth. She has authored and edited several books on spirituality.
For More Information
To learn more about Gina Lake and her writings, or to purchase her books, visit Radical Happiness or email Gina at ginalakenow@aol.com. She is also available for phone consultations.
Copyright © 1999-2008
Dennis L. Trunk
All Rights Reserved
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