But what causes one to be unhappy?
Buddhism identifies the reason for unhappiness is not being able to get what one wants.
I put together a simple (and I mean simple!) list of what each sign in the zodiac is likely to become upset if the following are taken away from them:
Aries- when you are not number one, when you cannot fight back, when you cannot be yourself
Taurus - when you don’t get to possess what you want, when your routine gets disrupted, when you are not financially secure
Gemini - when you can’t say or think what you want, when you cannot gossip and chat with your friends, when you are forced to delve too deep into issues (especially ones you’re not interested in)
Cancer - when you cannot protect who you want, when you are deprived of your privacy, when you feel emotionally vulnerable
Leo - when you cannot shine, when you are ignored, when you cannot tell others what to do
Virgo - when you cannot have control over your environment, when you cannot have order in your life, when you cannot achieve perfection
Libra - when you cannot please other people, when you are not being admired, when there is disharmony around you
Scorpio - when you have no control over other people, when you are betrayed, when you don’t get what you desire
Sagittarius- when you do not have the freedom to do as you please , when you cannot play, when life becomes too serious for you
Capricorn - when you don’t achieve what you want, when you cannot identify a goal to strive towards, when you feel disrespected
Aquarius- when you cannot be different, when you are forced to conform, when life become too emotional
Pisces - when you cannot relax and let things flow, when you are forced to plan ahead, when you feel unloved
Ask yourself why do you become unhappy under those circumstances. Tease out the ultimate reason. For example, if you have money insecurity issues, then work out where it originates. If you are earning fine but still have this problem chances are that you picked up this mode of thinking back in childhood. If you are still struggling financially as an adult, then look into why that is.
There is always a solution to a problem, it’s just a matter of finding what that is, or for some of us, having the stamina and initiative to unravel the problem.
So to answer my original question of 'Is there a path to happiness?' My conclusion is yes there is, provided you have the energy to do some weeding so you can see the path.
