One has to go beyond the mind to experience the spiritual bliss

Opening Scene

The world outside is bathed in the soft glow of the early morning, the air fresh with the remnants of the night’s coolness. The city is quiet, still wrapped in the peaceful embrace of dawn. The faint hum of distant traffic barely reaches the small room where Jack and Jeeny sit. The sun has only just begun to rise, casting gentle beams of light across the floor, illuminating the room in a warm, almost sacred light. The walls are bare but for a single painting, serene and calm, much like the stillness of the room itself.

Jack sits on the edge of the couch, his hands loosely clasped, looking out at the city through the open window. His eyes are soft, almost contemplative, as if he’s been wrestling with a thought. Jeeny stands by the window, her fingers brushing against the curtain as she gazes out, the early light catching her face. The quiet between them is thick, but not uncomfortable — it feels like a pause, a moment before something important is about to be shared.

Host: The silence is tangible, stretching between them as they each reflect on the words that have lingered in their minds for some time. Finally, Jeeny speaks, her voice soft, almost like a whisper.

Jeeny: “Do you ever wonder if we’re living too much inside our own minds? Like, we’re so caught up in thoughts, desires, and goals, that we forget there’s something beyond all of that?”

Jack: “I don’t know… I think we’ve been taught to focus on our desires, our ambitions. Everything we do seems tied to them — to what we want, what we need. It’s how we move forward, how we make sense of the world.”

Jeeny: “But what if that’s the problem? What if we’re trapped in that constant striving, and we never stop to ask ourselves if it’s even necessary? What if there’s another way to live, one that’s beyond the mind?”

Jack: “Beyond the mind? You mean, just… stop thinking? Let go of everything we want?”

Jeeny: “Not stop thinking, but to stop letting the mind control us. To move beyond our desires, to experience a kind of peace that doesn’t come from trying to get everything we think we need. It’s what Meher Baba said — ‘One has to go beyond the mind to experience the spiritual bliss of desirelessness.’”

Host: The room feels still, the soft light from outside making it feel like the moment is suspended in time. Jack’s gaze is fixed on Jeeny, his expression a mixture of curiosity and confusion, as though her words have stirred something within him but haven’t yet fully taken root.

Jack: “So, you think we should just give up on wanting things? Stop having dreams, stop striving for more?”

Jeeny: “Not exactly. It’s not about giving up on life, but about understanding that true peace doesn’t come from fulfilling every desire. It’s not about striving to get more, but learning to find happiness in simply being, in simply existing without the constant pressure of needing more.”

Jack: “So, what does that look like? How do you stop wanting, stop desiring? I mean, isn’t desire what makes us alive? It’s what keeps us moving, what gives us direction.”

Jeeny: “But what if the direction is the problem? What if constantly chasing after things, whether it’s success, love, approval — what if that’s what keeps us from true peace? Meher Baba says that desirelessness isn’t about giving up; it’s about realizing that peace isn’t found in external things. It’s found in being free from the constant pull of our desires.”

Jack: “But what about living in the world? We can’t just shut everything out and pretend it doesn’t matter. We have to act, we have to make choices, right?”

Jeeny: “Absolutely. It’s not about shutting out the world, it’s about changing how we engage with it. We don’t have to be ruled by our desires. We can act from a place of peace and clarity, without constantly needing things to change or to accumulate.”

Host: The soft breeze from the window stirs the room, carrying with it a sense of stillness, as if nature itself is listening to the conversation unfolding. The world outside remains unchanged, yet something about this exchange feels like a subtle shift — a quiet invitation to look inward.

Jack: “So, you’re saying peace comes when we stop chasing? When we let go of our attachment to the future, to our ambitions?”

Jeeny: “Exactly. When we stop tying our happiness to external things, we discover a deeper peace. We realize that we don’t need everything we think we do in order to be whole. True bliss comes from within, from understanding that we are enough just as we are.”

Jack: “But isn’t there a part of us that wants to grow? Doesn’t letting go of desire mean giving up on the possibility of becoming more?”

Jeeny: “It’s not about stopping growth. It’s about growing from a place of acceptance, not attachment. The difference is subtle but important. When we act from a place of desirelessness, we’re no longer chasing after something external. We’re finding peace within ourselves, which allows us to move through life with greater clarity, with intention, not just reaction.”

Jack: “So, it’s not that we stop wanting. It’s that we stop letting want control us. We stop believing that happiness will come only when we get the things we desire.”

Jeeny: “Yes, exactly. We find contentment in the moment, in the present. We stop thinking happiness is always just beyond our reach. Meher Baba said it beautifully: the bliss of desirelessness comes from within, from a spiritual awakening that allows us to let go of the constant need for more.”

Host: The quiet of the room deepens, the weight of their words hanging in the air. It’s as if the world has slowed just enough for Jack to let these ideas settle into his mind. The light outside continues to change, the morning stretching into full bloom.

Jack: “I think I understand now. Desire is like a never-ending loop — the more we try to satisfy it, the more we want. But if we can step outside that loop, we can find something deeper, something more lasting.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. When we move beyond the mind, when we let go of the constant pull of our desires, we open up to a deeper peace. We stop being ruled by our attachments and start living with more freedom.”

Host: The room feels lighter now, the conversation settling into a peaceful understanding. The world outside, still and quiet, mirrors the stillness they’ve just discovered within themselves. The light from the window pours in like an offering, as if the universe itself is nodding in agreement.

Jeeny: “And that’s where true bliss comes from — when we no longer need to chase it. It’s there, in the space beyond the mind.”

Jack: “It’s a powerful idea. Maybe the real freedom comes when we stop wanting, and just start being.”

Host: The world outside continues on its course, but inside, there is a new sense of peace. The desireless bliss they’ve spoken of lingers in the air, a quiet invitation to let go, to step beyond the noise of the world and find true contentment.