Happiness is More than a Warm Gun

I think most yogis agree that happiness is more like a warm cup of tea than a warm gun.


I listened to a radio program recently called "On Being", the theme of the show was "Pursuing Happiness" and covered many topics with the Dalai Lama and three other spiritual leaders (a rabbi, a bishop, and a Muslim scholar).  This all sounds like the beginning of a joke ("A priest and a rabbi walk into a bar and discover the meaning of happiness...), but I assure you the program was authentic and inspiring.  The discussion explored themes on suffering, beauty, and the nature of the body.


This is the link to the show:


http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/pursuing-happiness/


The show is a couple hours long, so I'll summarize what I took away as the three main points on maintaining a happy life--three main points that align with yogic philosophy as well.


1) Bless every moment:  In this part of the discussion, they assert the idea of making every moment a prayer.  It is pointed out that a prayer can simply be a pause...or a breath...just an awareness that there is some greater essence of existence that exists beyond yourself.  As Thich Nhat Hanh says in "The Miracle of Mindfulness," While washing the dishes, one should only be washing the dishes...The fact that I am standing there and washing these bowls is a wondrous reality.  I'm being completely myself, following my breath, conscious of my presence, and conscious of my thoughts and actions."  What if we approach each moment with a feeling of gratitude for the "wondrous reality" each of these moments exists within?  Hanh goes on to say, "People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.  But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or thin air, but to walk on earth."  And to go even further, what if we go beyond blessing each moment, but also bless each person that we encounter?  Each person you meet has something special to give you, that is if you are open to receiving it.  The interactions you have with others give you more information about yourself and give you the opportunity to know and love your inner self more deeply.


2) Recognize your Inner Beauty:  This is one of those expressions that we say all the time in yoga, and it's a topic I'm going to let alone for now because I'm planning a whole separate blog entry to approach it.  But for now, remember that beauty is internal and love yourself.


3) Serving others:  This section of the discussion was my favorite because service is a theme that resonates close to my heart. (I've been a waitress for years!)  A quote from the show says, "Someone else's material needs are my spiritual duty."  Perhaps the key to happiness isn't just about providing for our own physical needs, but is also about providing the needs of others. To take it beyond the discussion on the radio program,  perhaps we are given these bodies  to accept these gifts from others.  Both giving and receiving are spiritual practices.   Happiness is not simply taking care of ourselves-- we must take of each other also.  Happiness is love and kindness, giving and receiving both.