Happiness, Is it just a state of mind? Lets decode!

Recently, I went to a spiritual program about Happiness and thought to share my learning here in my own way about Happiness. This is very philosophical subject but i will try to put here some scientific facts as well.

How to start…This is such a difficult subject to write anything about, Ok, Lets start with a case, India lost ODI world cup final against Australia recently, Close your eyes and think that game! What comes in your mind? Happiness is a relevant subject of those emotions going through your mind right now. Now, You will ask How? So, Lets broadly categorize those thoughts in positive, negative and irrelevant. Let me ask you one more question, Close your eyes and think India winning 2011 ODI world cup. Lets again categorize your thoughts in positive, negative and irrelevant.

My point here is, In one case, you might have felt positive and in another negative. The positive feelings gave you the happiness, However you experienced the happiness because there is other alternate outcome is possible and that is negative outcome but it did not happen and you are happy. If that alternate outcome would had happened then we were not happy. So, This is 1st reason of being Happy as other alternates were possible but it went to your way, the way you wanted. Either achieved by you or others (Indian cricket team in above case) when outcome was in your favor, you became happy knowing that other alternate too was possible.

Now, Lets talk about that 3rd alternate in your mind, irrelevant. Does it mean that something happening around you which is irrelevant to you makes you happy or sad? What if we think in this way, Whatever is happening around me I make it or take it as a neutral feeling then that state of mind is called Ecstasy or “paramanand”. When you are ready with all the possible outcomes, you gets in to this state and thus liberated from the cycle of Happiness or Sorrow. I know this is too philosophical But i want to highlight as 3rd alternate is possible albeit hard to achieve in practical life.

Random act of Happiness. Sometime you find happiness out of no where, a small act of help/support in your surroundings brings smile on the face. This kind of experience is spontaneous, no outcome based and relatively momentary but strong enough to make you happy. Try to find them whenever and wherever possible!

Like a big river has many small tributaries, constant Happiness too has many small tributaries like healthy and fit body, calm mind, peaceful surroundings etc. Guess you are passing through the bridge built over the river. River gets some streams from industrial chemical waste or untreated sewage water. It smells foul and you are passing through it. It can irritate/disappoint/frustrate you. Now, this does not take your happiness away though, think reverse now, beautiful river, burble sounds etc. This too does not make you happy but this is the tributary (pleasant surroundings) which adds up to the main river (Happiness). So, try to find those small tributaries for you and keep re-creating them in routine life.

Lets assume you encountered a big failure, certainly it is unhappy experience, But remaining in it for prolong time causes denial to other opportunities to create happiness around you. This is also a tributary to you happiness river but causes negative impact on the river. Few, we cant avoid, try that those make little impact on you, however, identify the avoidable i.e places, people etc and take care of this river’s hygiene.

Breathe. Happiness is an emotion like anger etc. Have you observed your breathing pattern when you pass through the different emotions? Like when we are angry, we tend to breathe small and fast, in sleep we breathe full and long. But why i am talking about breathe? To tell the importance of breathing to control the emotions which contribute negatively to your happiness or to larger extent your body. Whenever you experience extreme aggressive emotions like anxiety, anger, jubilation, breathe full and long. It calms down the nerves. Agitated nerves cause stress in the brain and it could be a catastrophe.

Practicing this breathing pattern everyday like 3 cycles of 20 long and full, 20 medium and 40 short and fast breathe in sequence significantly prepares your brain for all kinds of emotions. Thus you can control emotional outburst. I learned “sudarshan kriya” recently and i find it has good reasons to practice everyday in your life. Calm and meditated mind is the way to achieve that 3rd alternative result.

With that, I will end this blog, Hope i am able to explain my thoughts on this very difficult philosophical subject precisely. Share your views too!!