Posted by Buddhism often distinguishes between the experience of true happiness and regular happiness. The following are a few key differences that I have noted with their long term effects:
| Spiritual/True happiness | Regular/Ordinary happiness |
| 1. It is experienced regardless of desire fulfillment or during a pleasurable activity | It is experienced primarily during desire fulfillment or during a pleasurable activity |
| 2. Gratitude is always present | Gratitude comes on fulfillment of material desire |
| 3. Leads to opening of new doors, application of LOA and expansion of life force, self discovery | Leads to no such thing |
| 4. Empathy/compassion rises | Not necessarily |
| 5. Absolute and long lasting | Relative and short lived |
| 6. Leads to decrease in fear due to systematic desensitization arising from a desire to feel happy | One’s fears may stay with him/her |
| 7. Makes you want to focus on the present and forget the past even more | No such inclination to move ahead |
Kukiinsights 