Happiness is elusive, but you can still grasp it

In the post-modern society that we live in, people are, on average, sceptical of the world around them, and many experience a crisis of meaning; a sense of ennui or listlessness, that life ultimately has no meaning. Insights concerning happiness are rare to come by, yet there is this urge in most people to go beyond the mere motions of life. The difficulty, though, is the inability to grasp the idea that happiness depends on a choice that we can make, regardless of our circumstances. William James, a leading philosopher and psychologist at the turn of the 19th century, was among the first to use fascinating examples from human history to demonstrate that free will is not an illusion, and that exercise of freewill can influence our psychological state.

James was the eldest of five children, born in New York in 1842 to theologian Henry James Sr., the writer Henry James’s brother. James joined Harvard Medical School in 1863 and received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) six years later and began his career at Harvard as an anatomy and physiology lecturer before moving on to become an assistant professor of philosophy and, finally, a full professor of philosophy and psychology. James founded the pragmatism school of philosophy, arguing that the meaning of an idea is best understood in its practical effects, that thought must guide action, and that truth must be tested by the real-world consequences of belief.

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Among his classic works is The Varieties of Religious Experience (Varieties), published in 1902, a lesser-known treasure in which James explores religious themes. He dwells on the individual human subject in this fascinating exploration of religious experiences in history. His interest is not in organised religion, ritual, or religious beliefs, but in the experiences of individual men and women in their solitude, and how they perceive themselves to whatever they may consider the divine.

The central distinction that he makes is that between the ‘religion of healthy mindedness’ and ‘the sick soul’. The healthy-minded religious person has a strong feeling of ‘the goodness of life’. Healthy mindedness might be involuntary, simply being who you are, but it can also be deliberate. For example, religious tolerance in Hinduism with the theme of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. In contrast, no matter how secure one feels, the sick soul discovers that ‘(un)expectedly… something bitter rises up from the bottom of every fountain of joy, a whiff of melancholy...’ These states also have ‘a sense of coming from a deeper region and often have an appalling convincingness.’

James discusses a variety of popular religious leaders focusing on the divided self and the process of its unification; and what he describes as the ‘state of assurance’ they achieve. Happiness, says James, is simply the loss of all worry, the sense that all is ultimately well with one. The peace, the harmony, the willingness to be, even if the outer conditions should change, are central to this state.

On ‘Mysticism’, James offers four marks that, when present in an experience, may justify calling it mystical. The first is ineffability: it defies description; its quality must be experienced directly; it cannot be imparted or transferred to others. The second is a ‘noetic quality’, mystical states manifest as states of knowledge. Third, mystical states are transitory; and fourth, subjects are passive in their presence: they have no control over their arrival and departure. The question to reflect on is whether these states are windows through which the mind looks out upon a more extensive and inclusive world. Though science and reason are important for understanding the world around us, they cannot fully capture the richness and complexity of human experience.

Happiness, according to the Varieties, is the result of our active participation in the game of life. Instead of dwelling on the suffering and tribulations of life, we must orient our attitudes and actions as if life does have an ultimate meaning, even if the rational mind can never prove this. ‘Believe that life is worth living, and your very belief will help create the fact’, writes James. The essence of finding happiness is a deeply personal and subjective experience. It has little to do with the objects or subjects of our desire without, and everything to do with finding that light of contentment within.

Read the Varieties, it demonstrates that happiness is not a destination but a journey that requires effort, self-reflection, and mindful awareness. Each person’s path to happiness is unique, so it’s crucial to explore what works best for oneself and be patient. Ironically, the attempt to be happy is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.

Happiness requires choice, it is entirely up to us how we see the world. It’s no surprise that William James was happily married and had five children, rather unusual for a philosopher.