far greater than what people typically experience The sadhus described happiness using a Sanskrit word, ananda (Sanskrit: pure happiness or happiness), which signifies real happiness as infinite, unlimited, all-pervasive, and unchanging, that dwells within and beyond Swami Muktananda said that happiness is better described in terms of its limitless nature (personal communication, January 16, 2018) Similarly, Swami Nigamananda, the male White American sadhu from the Pacific region of the United States, also tried to explain the infinite nature of happiness in terms of truly fundamental human nature, as indicated from Theme In his own words, … but it’s often clearer to talk about ananda (Sanskrit: happiness) as ananth tvam (Sanskrit: infinite self or you are infinite) as limitlessness, because we all have very limited notions of what consciousness is, and what existence is, so when you remove the limiting constructs, and conclusions you have about what awareness is, meaning, who am I, remove the variables from self-identity, I begin to understand the truth of the swaroopa (Sanskrit: my true nature), and I am ananda swaroopa (Sanskrit: my true nature is pure happiness) (personal communication, January 31, 2018) By infinite happiness, the sadhus meant that unhappiness originates from the mind, whereas happiness does not Happiness and unhappiness are not two equal and opposite entities living in the mind, sharing equal but opposite status Swamini Ananadmayi explained that happiness is everywhere, therefore it is also available to everyone for recognition in their minds, but it is still separate from the mind She said, “… so, it is available only for recognition only in one’s own mind, which means in one’s own mind, what does it mean? As the truth of very ‘I’” (personal communication, April 2, 2018) She meant, happiness is the reality of every being, which is the truth of what most 135