Benefits of laughter (contd…)
Laughter and the Brain:Very little is known about the specific brain mechanisms responsible for laughter. There have been studies on the brain mechanisms in negative emotions like depression, fear and anger but not much on positive emotions. But recent research suggests that on a simple level the complex process involves three main brain components. One part, a cognitive thinking part, helps you get the joke. A second movement part helps move the muscles of the face to smile and laugh. And a third emotional part helps produce the happy feelings that accompany a mirthful experience. The humour-processing pathway includes parts of the frontal lobe brain area, important for cognitive processing; the supplementary motor area, important for movement; and the nucleus accumbens, associated with pleasure. Humour helps integrate both hemispheres of our brain, for the left hemisphere is used to decipher the verbal content of a joke while the right hemisphere interprets whether it is funny or not.
Laughter is deep breathing: During belly laughter, your diaphragm and abdomen are sucked in and the lungs are emptied. It has a cleansing effect. It is followed by intake of full-oxygenated air. This amounts to deep breathing. This process is being utilised by the laughter clubs in laughter yoga. It is equivalent to kapalavati pranayam in yoga. Thus laughter is believed to help in respiratory ailments. It is beneficial for patients who are suffering from emphysema and other respiratory ailments. Scientific evidence has shown that laughter helps people breathe easier and it massages the heart and other vital organs. Researchers have found that antibodies in the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory passages increase after laughter therapy. The frequency of colds, sore throats and chest infections comes down.
Laughter strengthens Immune system: Our immune system plays a most important role in keeping good health and keeping away infections, allergies and cancers Medical researches have found that laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter boosts the interferon levels of the immune system, which helps in fighting illness, and stimulates healing. Laughter decreases stress hormones that constrict blood vessels and suppress immune activity. It may also increase the release of disease-fighting cells in the immune system. Research results indicate that, after exposure to humour, there is a general increase in activity within the immune system. According to Dr. Lee S. Berk from Loma Linda University, California, USA, laughter helps to increase the count of natural killer cells (NK cells - a type of white cell) and also raises the antibody levels.
Laughter is natural painkiller: - Laughter reduces the level of at least four of neuroendocrine hormones associated with stress response. These are epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone. Laughter increases the levels of endorphins in our bodies, which are natural painkillers. Endorphins released as a result of laughter may help in reducing the intensity of pain in those suffering from arthritis, spondylitis and muscular spasms of the body.
Laugher is aerobic workout: Laughter activates many parts of the body. When we laugh, we alter our facial expressions and make sounds. During exuberant laughter, the muscles of the arms, legs and trunk are involved. Laughter is equivalent to a small amount of exercise. It involves internal muscles particularly of lungs, intestine and diaphragm. It improves the blood supply and helps the bowels to move properly. Laughter is an aerobic exercise as it involves intake of lot of oxygen. It increases the body’s ability to take more oxygen that results in feeling of happiness and joy. According to Dr. William Fry from Standford University one minute of laughter is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine. Unlike many other aerobic exercises, for some of which, you need to go out, you can engage in laughter at any place, even if you are bed ridden or on a wheel chair.
Laughter is the key to joy: You will agree that the present times are very stressful for all of us. Many of us are suffering from anxiety; depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, insomnia, migraine, allergies, peptic ulcers -nervous breakdowns, insomnia, suicidal tendencies etc. which are related to stress. Laughter is likely to benefit in keeping us less stressful and in fighting such diseases. Laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones epineprine and cortisol. You feel relaxed and joyful after you have bouts of laughter. Laughter is an essential ingredient of a healthy, happy life and is one of the most effective and immediate antidotes to stress and tension. When you are under stress, adrenalin is secreted. When you laugh, the adrenalin level goes down and the cumulative effect of stress is minimised. Those who laugh often are less prone to heart attacks than those who are introverted and tend to brood. Laughter dissolves tension, stress, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression. Like crying, laughter lowers inhibitions, allowing the release of pent-up emotions
Laughter makes you look younger: The exercises you do may be exercising various part of your external and internal muscles. But there are hardly any for the facial muscles. But laughter is one that exercises you facial muscles. It increases blood supply to your facial muscles. Thereby, done regularly, it may tone up your face and you may look young and cheerful.
Laugh and be joyful: We have seen the many benefits of laughter. It is now for you to learn to laugh. One way is to join the neighbour yoga centre that also practices laughter yoga. But there are numerous humorous serials, pictures, films, comedies etc that you may watch on your TV or CD player and enjoy the belly laughs. Also you may have hearty laugh when reading a joke book, telling a joke or listening one from others.
Laughter is not about jokes alone. It is a way if life. It is how we view the things. We need not always be serious or follow disciplined way of life. We can be sincere without taking life always seriously. We can learn to laugh about our mistakes and pain. We can learn to laugh at ourselves and enjoy life. Nobody is free from mistakes, sufferings or problems. But when we learn to laugh, life may be less stressful. When we learn to laugh at our sorrows and sufferings, they become more bearable. We then take life more positively. It leads us to more happiness and joy.
The brain does not differentiate between a genuine laugh and when you fake it such as when you do it in a yoga class. So you can fake laughter and have the full benefits of laughter. It would give you the relief from stress and it keeps you health and happy.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Laughter- the salt of life Part I
Stressful? Serious? Brooding over something at home or office? Bogged by the reports of violence and inhumane happenings from the morning newspaper or the news channel? Feeling insecure? In the present times, when stress levels are spiralling and the media constantly bombard us with bad news, be you are a school student or a top executive or a political leader, you are bound to be grim and stressful. Just relax a little. Turn the channel or put on a CD to a humorous comedy. Try a good mouthful of hearty laugh. You will find immediate relief from stress. If you continue doing it, you will realise that bursts of belly laughter hold the key to a more joyful and healthier life. Laughter is a great way to help you to lower your stress levels, improve your health, cope up better with stressful world and also quicken the process of healing. The way and with the speed the laughter is spreading over the world in the form of laughter yoga, laughter therapy, laughter clubs, laughter networks, think of taking little time out from the daily grind for a few minutes of hi hi hi! Ha ha ha! Wa ha ha!
Why We Laugh: According to Aristotle, we laugh at inferior or ugly individuals, because we feel a joy at being superior to them. Freud believed that laughter is an "economical phenomenon" whose function is to release "psychic energy" that had been wrongly mobilised by incorrect or false expectations. Philosopher John Morreall believes that human laughter may have its biological origins as a kind of shared expression of relief at the passing of danger. Not much is known about the brain mechanisms responsible for laughter. But it is known that laughter is triggered by many sensations and thoughts. We laugh at the sound of laughter itself. It occurs unconsciously. We don’t decide to laugh at these moments. Our brain makes the decision for us. Of course, we may consciously inhibit it. Whatever may be the reasons, we laugh to express certain emotions like mirth, joy or delight, laugh at others and also at ourselves when situations may be humorous, laugh off or a laugh away to dismiss something as ridiculous and also laugh in secretly to rejoice something naughty.
Evolution of laughter: We believe laughter evolved from the panting behavior of our ancient primate ancestors. Today, if we tickle chimps or gorillas, they don’t laugh “ha ha ha” but exhibit a panting sound. That is the root of human laughter. Other animals produce vocalizations during play, but they are so different that it is difficult to equate them with laughter. Rats, for example, produce high-pitch vocalizations during play and when tickled. But it is very different in sound from human laughter.
Humour is part of human civilisations: Humour and laughter is not something new. It is a part of all traditions, cultures at all the times. In India, in olden times, the kings and emperors, used have learned people on different subjects in their durbar (court). The durbar included jesters or Vidushak who used to bring smile to the royal lips with his wit. The Indian Jataka stories, the stories of Birbal and Tenali Raman are filled with humour that not only entertained then but these continue to be stress busters even today. But humour as such is not practised in India. In western countries, it seems to be of more practical prevalence. Of course, nowadays, you will find several good serials both in India and other countries dedicated to humour.
Laughter is contagious: Laughter is contagious. When one starts laughing, others just follow without waiting for appreciating the situation. Even when you see strangers laughing, you involuntarily start to laugh or smile, sometimes even when you did not hear the joke. That is why TV comedy serial makers put a lot of sounds of laughter in their programmes. According to scientists, laughter truly is contagious: the brain responds to the sound of laughter and the muscles in the face to join in the mirth. It is absolutely true: "You laugh and the whole world laughs with you." It simply bubbles up from within us in certain situations. We laugh at the sound of laughter itself.
The language of laughter: The language of laughter is universal. There are thousands of languages and dialects, but everyone laughs much the same way. Everyone can understand the language of laughter what ever may be his language, community or country or sex. A child first learns to laugh at the age of 3 to 4 months. At ages 5 and 6, we see the most exuberant laughs. The child communicates with others through the language laughter and crying. The children laugh about 400 times a day while adults only laugh about 15 times a day. Some how, with age, we become more stressful and loose the ability to laugh frequently. Or on the reverse, because we stop laughing enough, we become more stressful. May be, laughter is associated with play. Hence adults laugh less than children because they play less. It is said that the angels fly because they take life lightly.
Laughing is relationship: Laughter is social. We laugh when in groups, when watching a comedy program with family or a game with friends. We hardly laugh when alone. According to psychologists, most laughter is not about humour; it is about relationships; it is a communication tool. Laughter has a bonding function within individuals in a group. Everyone loves someone who can make him or her laugh. The more you share your sense of humour, the more friends you will have. Evolution may have selected laughter as a useful device for promoting social communication. Laughter is like a social lubricant. It releases tension and feelings of animosity in a group. It’s often positive, but it can be negative too. There is a difference between “laugh with” and “laugh at.” People who laugh at others may be trying to force them to conform or casting them out of the group. When you make fun of yourself, you disarm others. A sense of humour makes one more efficient performer in social and other fields of life. The sense of humour also brings you more friends.
Evolution of laughter: We believe laughter evolved from the panting behavior of our ancient primate ancestors. Today, if we tickle chimps or gorillas, they don’t laugh “ha ha ha” but exhibit a panting sound. That is the root of human laughter. Other animals produce vocalizations during play, but they are so different that it is difficult to equate them with laughter. Rats, for example, produce high-pitch vocalizations during play and when tickled. But it is very different in sound from human laughter.
Humour is part of human civilisations: Humour and laughter is not something new. It is a part of all traditions, cultures at all the times. In India, in olden times, the kings and emperors, used have learned people on different subjects in their durbar (court). The durbar included jesters or Vidushak who used to bring smile to the royal lips with his wit. The Indian Jataka stories, the stories of Birbal and Tenali Raman are filled with humour that not only entertained then but these continue to be stress busters even today. But humour as such is not practised in India. In western countries, it seems to be of more practical prevalence. Of course, nowadays, you will find several good serials both in India and other countries dedicated to humour.
Laughter is contagious: Laughter is contagious. When one starts laughing, others just follow without waiting for appreciating the situation. Even when you see strangers laughing, you involuntarily start to laugh or smile, sometimes even when you did not hear the joke. That is why TV comedy serial makers put a lot of sounds of laughter in their programmes. According to scientists, laughter truly is contagious: the brain responds to the sound of laughter and the muscles in the face to join in the mirth. It is absolutely true: "You laugh and the whole world laughs with you." It simply bubbles up from within us in certain situations. We laugh at the sound of laughter itself.
The language of laughter: The language of laughter is universal. There are thousands of languages and dialects, but everyone laughs much the same way. Everyone can understand the language of laughter what ever may be his language, community or country or sex. A child first learns to laugh at the age of 3 to 4 months. At ages 5 and 6, we see the most exuberant laughs. The child communicates with others through the language laughter and crying. The children laugh about 400 times a day while adults only laugh about 15 times a day. Some how, with age, we become more stressful and loose the ability to laugh frequently. Or on the reverse, because we stop laughing enough, we become more stressful. May be, laughter is associated with play. Hence adults laugh less than children because they play less. It is said that the angels fly because they take life lightly.
Laughing is relationship: Laughter is social. We laugh when in groups, when watching a comedy program with family or a game with friends. We hardly laugh when alone. According to psychologists, most laughter is not about humour; it is about relationships; it is a communication tool. Laughter has a bonding function within individuals in a group. Everyone loves someone who can make him or her laugh. The more you share your sense of humour, the more friends you will have. Evolution may have selected laughter as a useful device for promoting social communication. Laughter is like a social lubricant. It releases tension and feelings of animosity in a group. It’s often positive, but it can be negative too. There is a difference between “laugh with” and “laugh at.” People who laugh at others may be trying to force them to conform or casting them out of the group. When you make fun of yourself, you disarm others. A sense of humour makes one more efficient performer in social and other fields of life. The sense of humour also brings you more friends.
Benefits of laughter
Therapeutic practises of laughter: Although we may treat the phraseology "laughter is the best medicine," as an old saying, now research has attributed specific medical benefits to laughter leading to improved health and well being. Laughter is free of cost and it has no negative or side effects. Laughter offers distraction from pain. This has led to birth of few therapies all over the world during last few years. Such therapies are being practised in hospitals and practiced by doctors, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals to help patients to cope up with or quickening the process of healing. Such therapies include Humour Therapy, Clown Therapy, Laughter Therapy, Laughter Yoga or Laughter Meditation. In Humour Therapy, humorous materials such as books, shows, movies, or stories are used to encourage spontaneous discussion of the patient’s own humorous experiences. This can be provided individually or in a group setting. In Clown Therapy, individuals trained in clown therapy make rounds of the hospital particularly children’s ward and entertain them with jokes, actions, music, fun or magic. In Laughter Therapy, patients are encouraged to laugh with things from childhood, situations, movies, jokes, comedians, basically anything that makes them laugh. In laughter meditation, like traditional meditation, it is the laughter that focuses the person to concentrate on the moment, through a three stage process of stretching, laughing and or crying, and a period of meditative silence. In Laughter Yoga, similar to traditional yoga, there are exercises, which incorporate breathing, yoga, stretching techniques along with laughter. Or this is practised in addition to other yoga exercises. Of course laughter is meant to aid in healing and not to replace treatment.
Laughter guards the heart and Blood Pressure: High blood pressure and heart diseases are caused by several factors like heredity, obesity, smoking and excessive intake of saturated fats etc.. Stress is also one of the factors. Distressing emotions lead to heart disease. People, who are chronically angry and hostile, live in stressful lifestyle; have a greater likelihood of heart attack, and greater blockages of their coronary arteries. It is believed that when you laugh, serum cortisol, which is a hormone that is secreted when we are under stress, is decreased. So when under stress, if you laugh, the cortisol that has been released during the stress reaction is reduced. Thus laughter reduces stress. Laughter improves the blood circulation and oxygen supply to the heart muscles. Due to improvement of blood circulation there are less chances of forming a clot. Further studies show mental stress impairs the endothelium. It is the protective barrier lining the blood vessels. When the endothelium is impaired, it may cause inflammatory reactions that lead to cholesterol build up in coronary arteries, which may ultimately lead to a heart attack. Laughter appears to increase production of infection-fighting antibodies, which can help prevent hardening of the arteries and subsequent conditions caused thereby such as angina, heart attacks, or strokes. Laughter also activates the cardiovascular system, so heart rate and blood pressure increase, when the arteries dilate, causing blood pressure to fall again. Repeated short, strong contractions of the chest muscles, diaphragm and abdomen increase blood flow into your internal organs, and force respiration. Laughing helps expand capillaries, increasing blood and oxygen flow throughout your body, says Michael Miller, M.D., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland's Medical Center in Baltimore. This may help protect you against heart attacks and strokes by relaxing constricted blood vessels.
Fight Diabetes with Sweet Laughter: A Japanese study finds that a chuckle after a meal may help lower your blood sugar. The study of type 2 diabetes—the most common form of the disease—found that laughter was linked to lower blood sugar levels after a meal. Over two days, participants were given identical meals. On one day, they watched a humourless lecture, and on the next they watched a Japanese comedy show. The group of 19 people with diabetes and five without had their blood sugar monitored during the study. Afterward both diabetics and non-diabetics alike had lower glucose levels after laughing through the comedy show than they didwhen they listened to the monotonous 40-minute lecture. (http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20030528-000003.html)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Jogging Your Way to Joy
Jogging for Joy: - A great way to keep happy is to walk. It is good at all ages, young and old. It is said to be one of the best life time habits. Brisk walking, jogging and running are the exercises that not only keeps you physically fit and mentally alert but keeps your heart singing! According to health experts, chemicals called endorphins are released by the brain when you do exercise. The endorphin gives a feeling of happiness and wellbeing. University of California psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, based on research findings by her and others, gave certain practical suggestions for a more satisfying life. (as published in Mind and Body Happiness Time, January 2005 - http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article). One of the suggestions is to take care of the body. It says that getting plenty of sleep, exercising, stretching, smiling and laughing can all enhance your mood in the short term. Practised regularly, they can help make your daily life satisfying.
How do I Jog: - You may do running, jogging or brisk walking? Among the three, running is the fastest and most vigorous, jogging is slower than running and faster than walking. While walking, one foot is always on the ground but during jogging and running, both feet are often above the ground in the air. If you are a beginner, you may start with brisk walking and do jogging and running later, if you like. While doing these exercises, please see that you carry your body straight and not bent forward, head is not drooping and you are looking ahead and not at the ground. Your shoulders are loose and relaxed and your hands swing aside close to your body. You may do these exercises indoors like walking or running in place, as if on a treadmill, without moving ahead. But doing it outside in the fresh air is better. If you are doing it indoors, better to do it near an open window so that you get enough fresh air.
Consult your doctor: - These are the exercises that one can do irrespective of one’s age. No gadgets are required and hence you are not spending a pie. You can do it in your home or outside. Though mornings and evenings are better, you can do it any time of the day. You can do it in one go or in few short spells. Before starting, you may better consult your physician that you can do these and the period for which you should do it. If you are not doing anything, just start with going for a short walk and gradually change over to jogging or running. You may start with few minutes and increase up to a maximum of 30 minutes. You should ensure that you are not overdoing because it may strain and harm you joints and muscles. Avoid overload.
Take care of your food: -Your diet influences your disposition. It sustains and nourishes your body. It affects both your body and mind. Drugs and alcohol show its effect immediately. Other foods take time in getting digested and assimilated into blood before its effect is felt. It is therefore important that you discreetly plan what you eat and when you eat what. You should ensure that your diet is balanced and include adequate amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, minerals and vitamins. Further, the food you take should be easily digestible by you. Within the balances diet, you have the choice of taking one item or the other, meat or no meat, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. It is believed that vegetarian diet is better suited to our system and it may keep you healthier in the long run. But, nevertheless, ensure that your diet contains sufficient vegetables, fruit juices and those having more liquid content.
Benefits of Jogging: -These exercises are called aerobic exercises because they involve intake of more oxygen by speeding up breathing. The heart beats faster and stronger pumping more blood and oxygen into the muscles. Running regularly has many benefits and directly and indirectly contributes to good health and happiness and well being. It improves your health and keeps you in shape. It flushes out toxins from the body. It decreases the risk of several diseases. It may help in fat loss. It strengthens immune system. It alleviates or removes stress and tension. It gives you confidence and a winning attitude. It keeps you energetic the whole day. It induces sound sleep. It keeps your body fit and in shape. It flushes out toxins from your system.
From Jogging to Joy:- According to recent studies, exercises, particularly aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, running, jogging, and swimming produce endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are chemical released in the brain when you intake anti depression drugs like heroin and morphine. Endorphins are neurotransmitters produced in the brain and it gives relief from pain. They induce the state of euphoria or what is said as “natural high” or “runner’s high”. It is believed that continuous exercise for about 20 minutes or so contributes to secretion of the endorphins into the brain causing the euphoria sensation. Endorphins are said to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The level of euphoria caused varies from person to person and is also dependent upon the amount of exercise. But regular physical exercise appears to be an effective tool to your feeling of happiness and well being. But the matter is not free from controversy. Some scientists believe that the positive feeling during a physical challenge, rather than the exertion of exercise, is what stimulates the endorphins release. But the fact remains that these exercises are not only responsible for good health but also give you relief from stress, tension, fatigue and anger and lead you to joy.
Energizing while jogging: - According to yogic philosophy, there are two types of energy on which the body works. One is the energy we get from the intake of food, liquids and air we breathe. The other is the cosmic energy. The cosmic energy is sucked in automatically into the body through the medulla oblongata located in the posterior bottom part of the brain. The yogis, through the breathing exercises and the power of will, cause this energy to flow into the body. It is possible to increase the flow of this energy into your body, if you, while exercising, visualise that this cosmic energy, warm and golden in colour, is sucked inside through the medulla with each inhalation. Visualise that it enters through the medulla and then into the nervous system and then to all the cells of your body. Visualise, with flow of this energy, your body becomes vibrant with energy, radiant with health and glowing with joy. Your visualisation will strengthen your will power over a period of time and cause the cosmic energy to flow inside.
Develop Happy Attitude: - Enjoy your walking. Remain mentally relaxed. While walking outside, there may be other people. Associate with those who talk positive. Avoid the negative minded. Your body pose indicate the state of your mind. When happy, you stand tall and erect with you chest out and a smile on your face and joy in your heart. Learn to walk like that. Enjoy the environment. Feel happy. Feel the energy within and carry yourself as a happy and contented person. All these will set the right chemistry in your brain to keep you happy If you are indoors, do put on a music that is positive and that makes you sing.
How do I Jog: - You may do running, jogging or brisk walking? Among the three, running is the fastest and most vigorous, jogging is slower than running and faster than walking. While walking, one foot is always on the ground but during jogging and running, both feet are often above the ground in the air. If you are a beginner, you may start with brisk walking and do jogging and running later, if you like. While doing these exercises, please see that you carry your body straight and not bent forward, head is not drooping and you are looking ahead and not at the ground. Your shoulders are loose and relaxed and your hands swing aside close to your body. You may do these exercises indoors like walking or running in place, as if on a treadmill, without moving ahead. But doing it outside in the fresh air is better. If you are doing it indoors, better to do it near an open window so that you get enough fresh air.
Consult your doctor: - These are the exercises that one can do irrespective of one’s age. No gadgets are required and hence you are not spending a pie. You can do it in your home or outside. Though mornings and evenings are better, you can do it any time of the day. You can do it in one go or in few short spells. Before starting, you may better consult your physician that you can do these and the period for which you should do it. If you are not doing anything, just start with going for a short walk and gradually change over to jogging or running. You may start with few minutes and increase up to a maximum of 30 minutes. You should ensure that you are not overdoing because it may strain and harm you joints and muscles. Avoid overload.
Take care of your food: -Your diet influences your disposition. It sustains and nourishes your body. It affects both your body and mind. Drugs and alcohol show its effect immediately. Other foods take time in getting digested and assimilated into blood before its effect is felt. It is therefore important that you discreetly plan what you eat and when you eat what. You should ensure that your diet is balanced and include adequate amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, minerals and vitamins. Further, the food you take should be easily digestible by you. Within the balances diet, you have the choice of taking one item or the other, meat or no meat, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. It is believed that vegetarian diet is better suited to our system and it may keep you healthier in the long run. But, nevertheless, ensure that your diet contains sufficient vegetables, fruit juices and those having more liquid content.
Benefits of Jogging: -These exercises are called aerobic exercises because they involve intake of more oxygen by speeding up breathing. The heart beats faster and stronger pumping more blood and oxygen into the muscles. Running regularly has many benefits and directly and indirectly contributes to good health and happiness and well being. It improves your health and keeps you in shape. It flushes out toxins from the body. It decreases the risk of several diseases. It may help in fat loss. It strengthens immune system. It alleviates or removes stress and tension. It gives you confidence and a winning attitude. It keeps you energetic the whole day. It induces sound sleep. It keeps your body fit and in shape. It flushes out toxins from your system.
From Jogging to Joy:- According to recent studies, exercises, particularly aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, running, jogging, and swimming produce endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are chemical released in the brain when you intake anti depression drugs like heroin and morphine. Endorphins are neurotransmitters produced in the brain and it gives relief from pain. They induce the state of euphoria or what is said as “natural high” or “runner’s high”. It is believed that continuous exercise for about 20 minutes or so contributes to secretion of the endorphins into the brain causing the euphoria sensation. Endorphins are said to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The level of euphoria caused varies from person to person and is also dependent upon the amount of exercise. But regular physical exercise appears to be an effective tool to your feeling of happiness and well being. But the matter is not free from controversy. Some scientists believe that the positive feeling during a physical challenge, rather than the exertion of exercise, is what stimulates the endorphins release. But the fact remains that these exercises are not only responsible for good health but also give you relief from stress, tension, fatigue and anger and lead you to joy.
Energizing while jogging: - According to yogic philosophy, there are two types of energy on which the body works. One is the energy we get from the intake of food, liquids and air we breathe. The other is the cosmic energy. The cosmic energy is sucked in automatically into the body through the medulla oblongata located in the posterior bottom part of the brain. The yogis, through the breathing exercises and the power of will, cause this energy to flow into the body. It is possible to increase the flow of this energy into your body, if you, while exercising, visualise that this cosmic energy, warm and golden in colour, is sucked inside through the medulla with each inhalation. Visualise that it enters through the medulla and then into the nervous system and then to all the cells of your body. Visualise, with flow of this energy, your body becomes vibrant with energy, radiant with health and glowing with joy. Your visualisation will strengthen your will power over a period of time and cause the cosmic energy to flow inside.
Develop Happy Attitude: - Enjoy your walking. Remain mentally relaxed. While walking outside, there may be other people. Associate with those who talk positive. Avoid the negative minded. Your body pose indicate the state of your mind. When happy, you stand tall and erect with you chest out and a smile on your face and joy in your heart. Learn to walk like that. Enjoy the environment. Feel happy. Feel the energy within and carry yourself as a happy and contented person. All these will set the right chemistry in your brain to keep you happy If you are indoors, do put on a music that is positive and that makes you sing.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
From Boredom to Wisdom
The boring situations: - You may be residing in a remote village or the most advanced city. But, at times, you have to, for one thing or the other, stand in a queue to have something done. You may be doing so to collect your ration, railway ticket, a boarding pass or at the passport office. Or, maybe, the train or the flight is delayed and you are waiting for the next announcement. You become bored. You do not know when your turn will come or when will the expected announcement made or the job done. Similar boredom strikes when you are on a long journey by the train or bus or even by the plane. Your mind is in a state of what is called boredom. It is a mental state or a reactive emotion when you feel dissatisfied with your environment and also when the time is seemingly standing still or moving slowly. There are other situations also when you get bored. Such as, you are in a class and the subject taught is so simple or commonplace or already taught or on the other hand, it is complicated and uninteresting that causes failure of your attention. Or you are made to go to the same restaurant and eat same food again and got bored. Boredom may also affect other areas of a person’s life and could be clinical symptom at times.
2. Boredom while waiting: - In the present article, I am dealing with the situation where you are in a queue or on a long journey. The basic purpose is how to be happy and joyful in such situations. In these situations of boredom, your mind gets vacant as the outside environment fails to keep you fully occupied or aroused. You are in a situation when, it seems, you are forced to engage in some unwanted activity or activity not worthy of your engagement and that the time seems to move slowly. You feel injustice is being done to you by making you to do something and may be that too for a period more than it deserves.
3. Managing boredom: - When you are bored, you are not your natural personality. You may behave differently, may look unhappy or gloomy. Some of the people around may be in the similar state of mind. Somebody may be blaming the people seemingly responsible for the cause of boredom. Sometimes, the whole environment may be restless or a near miserable condition with negative or discomforting vibrations. The question is how to escape boredom in the above situations. As you see, you were pushed unto the grip of boredom as the external conditions fail to fully engage your attention. Your mind falls into a passive and negative state. Thus, it is a question of managing your attention. The best antidote is to engage your mind in some creative thinking. If you observe the other people around, you will find some of them happy or busy without any boredom. Nevertheless, if you are likely to face such situations of boredom, why not plan and do some of the following things to keep yourself happy and joyful.
(a) Think and Plan ahead: - If you know, you may have to face such situations such as undertaking a long journey or waiting at the doctor’s or at the railway station or the airport, think about it in advance, plan and reorganize your schedule so as to make things mentally acceptable, relaxing and joyful.
(b) Accept the situations as normal: - The world is not your module. It would not dance to your tunes. You may face situations thinkable or unthinkable, some you may think right and others wrong. You cannot change it. Things will go on, may be as it is. But you have to look after your own self. Thus in situations that bore you, it is best to accept it as a part of life. Resistance to such situations, blaming it on others makes things only worse. Observe it as a part of the varied drama of life. Enjoy it. Just realize that you are also a part of this varied drama of life. You have a role, which you have to play, and take you through the processes of life along with the bigger roles, which you think, you should play elsewhere.
© Learn to carry a book: - Book is one of the best friends of man. Always have a set of good books of your interest and, without forgetting, carry one with you. When you find yourself waiting and boring, make use of your best friend- the book. Or else, just pick up a newspaper or magazine and scan it. You may find some thing interesting.
(d) Listen to Music: - The easiest thing to do, while in a queue or during the journey is to listen to and enjoy music on your pocket transistor, mobile phone or the ipod. Music should not only remove your boredom but would soothe and relax you and make you more energetic.
(e) Start talking to your neighbor: - There would be other persons around equally bored and are in look out for a refuge. If you are a journalistic type of person, why not initiate a small conversation on any current topic of interest. But you should be careful that the other man is willing and not feeling offended.
(f) Don’t take life seriously always: - Don’t take life seriously 24 hours a day. You should relax at times. To put it more precisely, in the present context, do not hesitate or resist or complain if you find yourself doing little things of life. They are part of life’s learning and reforming your self. If you have read the life of the great Mahatma Gandhi or seen the film on him (By Richard Attenborough) you would be knowing that, all an a sudden, in the midst of a high level discussions with other top leaders, he would leave and engage himself in unimportant things like putting soil plaster on the sprained leg of a goat! Learn to enjoy everything in life.
(g) Be a Conqueror: - You think that the external conditions are not qualitative enough or worth your attention and it pushes you to boredom. You wish to leave and utilize your time in something worth your level. You can do that here and now. Just leave the outer world and move unto the inner. Switch on the laptop of the super computer in your head. Start browsing. You will, with learning gradually, find an endless list of works and issues to dwell upon. It will take you into another world, may be, if you find a topic that is passionate to your head or heart. Then you may find going short of time while you continue to be in the same environment. Analyzing a problem for possible solutions, review your talking points for the speech or presentation, selecting a gift for the next anniversary or planning anything are some examples.
(h) Learn to be Creative: - Boredom strikes when the environment is dull and the mind is empty. Why not then learn to utilize the time to think creatively. Creative thinking is unique to human beings and is hidden within everyone. I don’t mean to say that you will invent something while waiting at dentist’s with pain in your teeth. If you think the environment is boring because it lacks the quality and that your time is wasted, I am opining that creative thinking should be the remedy for you. You may have something distinctive about you. It may be related to your profession, hobby, writing, or cooking. Even you may think and find out doing day to day little things (like arranging dishes on the dining table) in an extraordinary way. This will bring joy to you and others as well.
(i) People also meditate! I would not have included meditation in the present article but for a recent event. During the last week of October, I was to go to Hyderabad from Delhi by the 7.20 PM flight of the Indian Airlines. But due to disruption of schedules of other flights, this Hyderabad flight was also delayed. It took off finally about 11 PM. I already had the boarding pass and after wandering here and there, I reclined to a seat inside the security area. Another person was in the adjoining seat. I heard him murmuring. Initially, I felt he want to talk to me. On observation, I found him chanting some mantra silently but occasionally it is little louder and audible. I left the seat after 15-20 minutes when the person was still chanting. When, later, I landed in Hyderabad airport, I found the same person. I just initiated a conversation with him to find out what was he doing. He was glad and straightforward. He said, he never finds boredom when waiting. He would mentally recite whole strotas (Sanskrit prayers from Hindu scriptures) or chant a particular mantra. You know, he said, it is one type of meditation. As I said, initially, I wanted to opine that the man, who can learn to think creatively, is the man from Boredom to Wisdom. But now, I say, it is one who can do Queue meditation!
C h e e r s ! M e r r y C h r i s t m a s !
2. Boredom while waiting: - In the present article, I am dealing with the situation where you are in a queue or on a long journey. The basic purpose is how to be happy and joyful in such situations. In these situations of boredom, your mind gets vacant as the outside environment fails to keep you fully occupied or aroused. You are in a situation when, it seems, you are forced to engage in some unwanted activity or activity not worthy of your engagement and that the time seems to move slowly. You feel injustice is being done to you by making you to do something and may be that too for a period more than it deserves.
3. Managing boredom: - When you are bored, you are not your natural personality. You may behave differently, may look unhappy or gloomy. Some of the people around may be in the similar state of mind. Somebody may be blaming the people seemingly responsible for the cause of boredom. Sometimes, the whole environment may be restless or a near miserable condition with negative or discomforting vibrations. The question is how to escape boredom in the above situations. As you see, you were pushed unto the grip of boredom as the external conditions fail to fully engage your attention. Your mind falls into a passive and negative state. Thus, it is a question of managing your attention. The best antidote is to engage your mind in some creative thinking. If you observe the other people around, you will find some of them happy or busy without any boredom. Nevertheless, if you are likely to face such situations of boredom, why not plan and do some of the following things to keep yourself happy and joyful.
(a) Think and Plan ahead: - If you know, you may have to face such situations such as undertaking a long journey or waiting at the doctor’s or at the railway station or the airport, think about it in advance, plan and reorganize your schedule so as to make things mentally acceptable, relaxing and joyful.
(b) Accept the situations as normal: - The world is not your module. It would not dance to your tunes. You may face situations thinkable or unthinkable, some you may think right and others wrong. You cannot change it. Things will go on, may be as it is. But you have to look after your own self. Thus in situations that bore you, it is best to accept it as a part of life. Resistance to such situations, blaming it on others makes things only worse. Observe it as a part of the varied drama of life. Enjoy it. Just realize that you are also a part of this varied drama of life. You have a role, which you have to play, and take you through the processes of life along with the bigger roles, which you think, you should play elsewhere.
© Learn to carry a book: - Book is one of the best friends of man. Always have a set of good books of your interest and, without forgetting, carry one with you. When you find yourself waiting and boring, make use of your best friend- the book. Or else, just pick up a newspaper or magazine and scan it. You may find some thing interesting.
(d) Listen to Music: - The easiest thing to do, while in a queue or during the journey is to listen to and enjoy music on your pocket transistor, mobile phone or the ipod. Music should not only remove your boredom but would soothe and relax you and make you more energetic.
(e) Start talking to your neighbor: - There would be other persons around equally bored and are in look out for a refuge. If you are a journalistic type of person, why not initiate a small conversation on any current topic of interest. But you should be careful that the other man is willing and not feeling offended.
(f) Don’t take life seriously always: - Don’t take life seriously 24 hours a day. You should relax at times. To put it more precisely, in the present context, do not hesitate or resist or complain if you find yourself doing little things of life. They are part of life’s learning and reforming your self. If you have read the life of the great Mahatma Gandhi or seen the film on him (By Richard Attenborough) you would be knowing that, all an a sudden, in the midst of a high level discussions with other top leaders, he would leave and engage himself in unimportant things like putting soil plaster on the sprained leg of a goat! Learn to enjoy everything in life.
(g) Be a Conqueror: - You think that the external conditions are not qualitative enough or worth your attention and it pushes you to boredom. You wish to leave and utilize your time in something worth your level. You can do that here and now. Just leave the outer world and move unto the inner. Switch on the laptop of the super computer in your head. Start browsing. You will, with learning gradually, find an endless list of works and issues to dwell upon. It will take you into another world, may be, if you find a topic that is passionate to your head or heart. Then you may find going short of time while you continue to be in the same environment. Analyzing a problem for possible solutions, review your talking points for the speech or presentation, selecting a gift for the next anniversary or planning anything are some examples.
(h) Learn to be Creative: - Boredom strikes when the environment is dull and the mind is empty. Why not then learn to utilize the time to think creatively. Creative thinking is unique to human beings and is hidden within everyone. I don’t mean to say that you will invent something while waiting at dentist’s with pain in your teeth. If you think the environment is boring because it lacks the quality and that your time is wasted, I am opining that creative thinking should be the remedy for you. You may have something distinctive about you. It may be related to your profession, hobby, writing, or cooking. Even you may think and find out doing day to day little things (like arranging dishes on the dining table) in an extraordinary way. This will bring joy to you and others as well.
(i) People also meditate! I would not have included meditation in the present article but for a recent event. During the last week of October, I was to go to Hyderabad from Delhi by the 7.20 PM flight of the Indian Airlines. But due to disruption of schedules of other flights, this Hyderabad flight was also delayed. It took off finally about 11 PM. I already had the boarding pass and after wandering here and there, I reclined to a seat inside the security area. Another person was in the adjoining seat. I heard him murmuring. Initially, I felt he want to talk to me. On observation, I found him chanting some mantra silently but occasionally it is little louder and audible. I left the seat after 15-20 minutes when the person was still chanting. When, later, I landed in Hyderabad airport, I found the same person. I just initiated a conversation with him to find out what was he doing. He was glad and straightforward. He said, he never finds boredom when waiting. He would mentally recite whole strotas (Sanskrit prayers from Hindu scriptures) or chant a particular mantra. You know, he said, it is one type of meditation. As I said, initially, I wanted to opine that the man, who can learn to think creatively, is the man from Boredom to Wisdom. But now, I say, it is one who can do Queue meditation!
C h e e r s ! M e r r y C h r i s t m a s !
Monday, December 17, 2007
Workplace is Happy Hours!
Your Workplace: - You spend most of your active time in your workplace. Your workplace may be your shop, factory, business centre, a government or a private office, construction or operation site, laboratory, clinic, college or university. You may be working there as an employee, operator, supervisor, manager, executive, teacher, research scholar or the like. But in the context of your happiness in your workplace, the situation remains the same, more or less. Your workplace consists of office space with furniture, the documents and files, the books, the machines, and the equipments you use or handle.
2. What is Happiness: - If you are not enjoying your workplace, you carry your anger, frustration and irritations to home and it makes your life miserable. Happiness is a state of mind. It is an emotion or feeling. You may feel good now and bad the next moment depending upon any internal or external situations. But happiness in workplace should mean the totality of your happiness over the months and years. Considering happiness is largely comes from within, the question comes if one should complain about a irritating boss, leg pulling colleagues, non-cooperative employees and a poor environment or outdated machines and the day-to-day conflicts. As a person, you have some intrinsic values and level of intrinsic happiness which is inborn or acquired and which remains the same at home or at the workplace, and which may also influence your overall happiness in your work place.
3. Factors of unhappiness: - Let us now consider the major factors that cause unhappiness in the workplace.
(a) The Salary: - The primary reason for your joining the job may be for earning a livelihood. The pay packs depends upon your qualification, experience and the present position occupied by you. But the question is if your happiness gradient is the size of your pay pack? Studies say it is not. In fact, according to studies, people are becoming increasingly unhappy these days in spite of good salary. It is found money counts towards happiness to the extent of a getting a liveable salary. Beyond that, it may not. This means, if you are not able to meet your day-to-day basic needs from your salary, you are likely to be unhappy. But if you have a salary above or much above the liveable salary in your society, happiness is not related to the amount of your pay pack.
(b) The Boss: - I consider the second most factor responsible for your happiness or unhappiness is your boss. A bad boss, who is rude, over-demanding, disoriented, unfair or lacking in humane values, is likely to be the primary cause of unhappiness. Even personality conflict with your immediate boss leads you to recurring unhappiness. I could not find if any studies have been made in this regard. In many organisations, largely in government and big corporate houses, there is a system of evaluation of the employees. A senior is required to evaluate his juniors. But the evaluation relates to performance. I feel the evaluation process, should assess happiness or particularly in terms of behaviour of the seniors to his juniors. This is important, because, the productivity is also linked to the happiness of the employees. The corporate houses, worldwide, are becoming increasingly aware of it. This is why, in addition to training their officers in management, they are inviting reputed spiritual gurus (teachers) to teach techniques of meditation, stress management, relaxation and on the art of living courses in the office.
© Leisure and work schedule: - Traditionally, most offices work 9 to 5 during the day. But operational or other requirements have led to shift system of working when work continues day and night. 9-5 office is generally having one lunch break for ½ an hour. Further there is a system of casual leave and annual leave, which allows the employees to attend to his personal works, pursuits or go on recreational leave travel. Friendly schedule and flexibility, that allows the employee to attend to his family and personal matters are likely to increase happiness quotient.
(d) Future progression: - It is human nature to grow and progress in life and so do in one’s job or career. Hence, not only there should be long term laid down system of for progression, which of course, is accompanied by increase in salary, powers, responsibility etc, but also the evaluation method should be fair. If evaluation is unfair or bias, the employees are likely to be unhappy.
(e) Other causes: -The other causes that are not major but still cause unhappiness in workplace include uncomfortable environment, office conflicts, delays in handling personnel matters and unresponsive management.
4. Keeping happiness in the workplace should not only mean happiness for the workfolk, but also satisfaction and happiness for the managers, the suppliers and the customers. A happy workplace keeps the individual happy and healthy, increase the productivity, commitment to work, reduces the stress and tension of the management, contributes to happy family and ultimately to a happy, healthy and richer society at large. Happiness in the work place reduces absenteeism and sickness leave. A happy workplace makes the individual happy both at office and at home. The point, I am going to make is that keeping the workplace happy, all the beneficiaries, the individual, the employers and also the government should work. But it is not an easy job. Research is showing that in western countries, in spite of better pay packs, modern amenities in the workplace, free tea and lunch and bonuses, happiness level does not go much up.
5. You are to run the show! You are affected. You will have to do it all. You should realise that work is worship and the workplace is the temple of worship. It is responsible for providing you bread and butter. You are therefore also responsible for contributing to building a happy workplace. Following tips are likely to help in this direction.
(a) Learn to love your workplace: - To be happy and joyful, first and foremost, learn to love your workplace. At least find and take interest in some areas of your work and learn to derive satisfaction from that.
(b) Learn to perform your best: - Try to excel in your field of working. Keep abreast of things and do your part efficiently. This will give you satisfaction and may attract recognition and appreciation from your employers.
© Learn to understand your boss: - If you think your boss does not understand, learn to see things in his line of thinking, his situation, his constraints and discuss the issues as often as possible.
(d) Learn to live now: - Certain things in the workplace may not be favourable at the moment. But there is no guarantee that the conditions will change for the better. Or, may be, conditions are favourable at present. But, there is no guarantee that it will continue for long. Hence learn to see the positive side of things happening and be happy at the moment.
(e) Learn to be kind: - Secondly, think of others who are working with you. Be kind and fair to your colleagues and other visitors in the same way you wish others to behave with you.
(f) Strike a balance of things: - If you find the job too much against your life’s values and ethics, but you are not in a position to quit, learn to strike a balance. There may be something, which is good like the salary or the location of the workplace. Concentrate on that for your sticking to the job and still be happy for the overall requirement.
(g) Keep your family life happy: -You may belong to those executives who, in the pursuit of happiness, join the rat race for status, power or position and find at the end that it was all at the cost of the joys of your family life and peace of mind. If you are striving for happiness, you will have to bring about a balance. Money, status or comforts, the so-called life styles or position will not bring you happiness. But a happy family will do. Learn to give more time to family and do all to keep family happy.
(h) Look also for greener pasture: - Another tip to keep you happy is to learn to forget about the bad side of the workplace by making good use of your leisure time by using it in pursuing hobbies or social activities of your interest.
(i) Look for happy folk: - Mix with those who are of positive disposition and share each other’s problem. Avoid gossip. Take conflicts as a normal part of life and appreciate the constructive role it plays.
2. What is Happiness: - If you are not enjoying your workplace, you carry your anger, frustration and irritations to home and it makes your life miserable. Happiness is a state of mind. It is an emotion or feeling. You may feel good now and bad the next moment depending upon any internal or external situations. But happiness in workplace should mean the totality of your happiness over the months and years. Considering happiness is largely comes from within, the question comes if one should complain about a irritating boss, leg pulling colleagues, non-cooperative employees and a poor environment or outdated machines and the day-to-day conflicts. As a person, you have some intrinsic values and level of intrinsic happiness which is inborn or acquired and which remains the same at home or at the workplace, and which may also influence your overall happiness in your work place.
3. Factors of unhappiness: - Let us now consider the major factors that cause unhappiness in the workplace.
(a) The Salary: - The primary reason for your joining the job may be for earning a livelihood. The pay packs depends upon your qualification, experience and the present position occupied by you. But the question is if your happiness gradient is the size of your pay pack? Studies say it is not. In fact, according to studies, people are becoming increasingly unhappy these days in spite of good salary. It is found money counts towards happiness to the extent of a getting a liveable salary. Beyond that, it may not. This means, if you are not able to meet your day-to-day basic needs from your salary, you are likely to be unhappy. But if you have a salary above or much above the liveable salary in your society, happiness is not related to the amount of your pay pack.
(b) The Boss: - I consider the second most factor responsible for your happiness or unhappiness is your boss. A bad boss, who is rude, over-demanding, disoriented, unfair or lacking in humane values, is likely to be the primary cause of unhappiness. Even personality conflict with your immediate boss leads you to recurring unhappiness. I could not find if any studies have been made in this regard. In many organisations, largely in government and big corporate houses, there is a system of evaluation of the employees. A senior is required to evaluate his juniors. But the evaluation relates to performance. I feel the evaluation process, should assess happiness or particularly in terms of behaviour of the seniors to his juniors. This is important, because, the productivity is also linked to the happiness of the employees. The corporate houses, worldwide, are becoming increasingly aware of it. This is why, in addition to training their officers in management, they are inviting reputed spiritual gurus (teachers) to teach techniques of meditation, stress management, relaxation and on the art of living courses in the office.
© Leisure and work schedule: - Traditionally, most offices work 9 to 5 during the day. But operational or other requirements have led to shift system of working when work continues day and night. 9-5 office is generally having one lunch break for ½ an hour. Further there is a system of casual leave and annual leave, which allows the employees to attend to his personal works, pursuits or go on recreational leave travel. Friendly schedule and flexibility, that allows the employee to attend to his family and personal matters are likely to increase happiness quotient.
(d) Future progression: - It is human nature to grow and progress in life and so do in one’s job or career. Hence, not only there should be long term laid down system of for progression, which of course, is accompanied by increase in salary, powers, responsibility etc, but also the evaluation method should be fair. If evaluation is unfair or bias, the employees are likely to be unhappy.
(e) Other causes: -The other causes that are not major but still cause unhappiness in workplace include uncomfortable environment, office conflicts, delays in handling personnel matters and unresponsive management.
4. Keeping happiness in the workplace should not only mean happiness for the workfolk, but also satisfaction and happiness for the managers, the suppliers and the customers. A happy workplace keeps the individual happy and healthy, increase the productivity, commitment to work, reduces the stress and tension of the management, contributes to happy family and ultimately to a happy, healthy and richer society at large. Happiness in the work place reduces absenteeism and sickness leave. A happy workplace makes the individual happy both at office and at home. The point, I am going to make is that keeping the workplace happy, all the beneficiaries, the individual, the employers and also the government should work. But it is not an easy job. Research is showing that in western countries, in spite of better pay packs, modern amenities in the workplace, free tea and lunch and bonuses, happiness level does not go much up.
5. You are to run the show! You are affected. You will have to do it all. You should realise that work is worship and the workplace is the temple of worship. It is responsible for providing you bread and butter. You are therefore also responsible for contributing to building a happy workplace. Following tips are likely to help in this direction.
(a) Learn to love your workplace: - To be happy and joyful, first and foremost, learn to love your workplace. At least find and take interest in some areas of your work and learn to derive satisfaction from that.
(b) Learn to perform your best: - Try to excel in your field of working. Keep abreast of things and do your part efficiently. This will give you satisfaction and may attract recognition and appreciation from your employers.
© Learn to understand your boss: - If you think your boss does not understand, learn to see things in his line of thinking, his situation, his constraints and discuss the issues as often as possible.
(d) Learn to live now: - Certain things in the workplace may not be favourable at the moment. But there is no guarantee that the conditions will change for the better. Or, may be, conditions are favourable at present. But, there is no guarantee that it will continue for long. Hence learn to see the positive side of things happening and be happy at the moment.
(e) Learn to be kind: - Secondly, think of others who are working with you. Be kind and fair to your colleagues and other visitors in the same way you wish others to behave with you.
(f) Strike a balance of things: - If you find the job too much against your life’s values and ethics, but you are not in a position to quit, learn to strike a balance. There may be something, which is good like the salary or the location of the workplace. Concentrate on that for your sticking to the job and still be happy for the overall requirement.
(g) Keep your family life happy: -You may belong to those executives who, in the pursuit of happiness, join the rat race for status, power or position and find at the end that it was all at the cost of the joys of your family life and peace of mind. If you are striving for happiness, you will have to bring about a balance. Money, status or comforts, the so-called life styles or position will not bring you happiness. But a happy family will do. Learn to give more time to family and do all to keep family happy.
(h) Look also for greener pasture: - Another tip to keep you happy is to learn to forget about the bad side of the workplace by making good use of your leisure time by using it in pursuing hobbies or social activities of your interest.
(i) Look for happy folk: - Mix with those who are of positive disposition and share each other’s problem. Avoid gossip. Take conflicts as a normal part of life and appreciate the constructive role it plays.
(j) Learn to celebrate: - Life is to celebrate. Celebration is inborn to human beings. Celebration makes us happy, healthy and cheerful. Celebration is as old as human culture. Every family, every culture, every community and even nations celebrate. The innate reason is to make ourselves happy and joyful. All organisations including government offices also celebrate on one occasion or the other. We have so many national holidays for the purpose. The organisations have welfare units. Such units should find more and more occasions to celebrate. Annual sports and cultural activities should also be encouraged. Even the families and the children of the employees should be called to participate in such programmes. It may not affect the work much. On the other hand, it would surely keep the folk happy and increase their efficiency.
(k) Learn to smile: -Learn to smile yourself and let others smile. Encourage people greeting one another when they arrive in the morning. If you are missing some of the people, why not make a round of the workplace to greet and share their joys and sorrows. At the end of the day, similarly, exchange cheerful good byes.
(l) Learn to enjoy within: - Above all, to keep you joyful, try not to depend upon external conditions. Do not wait for external conditions to change to make you happy. Real happiness comes from your inner mind. Learn to develop that inner serenity. When you cultivate happiness and enjoy the situations (good or bad) your brain start producing more of positive chemicals to strengthen your happiness. With consistent practice happiness will gradually replace your unhappiness. Of course, this requires constant contemplation and practice.
6. Role of Governments and organisations: - The Government of Bhutan conceived the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) (Bhutan 2020) and recognised that GNH is more important than GNP. The International Institute of Management (IIM) (http://www.iim-edu.org/) brings out white papers addressing emerging challenges and opportunities. In its Policy White Paper, the “The American Pursuit of Unhappiness Gross National Happiness (GNH)—A New Economic Metric” by Med Yones, provides an analysis of mental and emotional health liabilities produced by the current American socio-economic system. While this paper is written for the United States government, the analysis and recommendations may be applicable to most countries. It says that mental and emotional well-being of citizens improves their performance and broadens the intellectual, physical and social resources of a nation. Researches have found that happy people have better health habits, lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems and higher endurance levels. They cause less stress on the national healthcare system. Citizens with better emotional and mental health are easier to relate to and work with, tend to better decision makers, are more creative, and outperform peers in problem-solving, innovation, persistence and productivity. It says that like most world governments, the US Government’s main concern is economic growth. They have metrics to monitor your money: they use metrics such as Gross National Products (GNP) and consumer confidence to monitor and track economic health. But do they use a metric to measure people’s own well-being? No. Being happy is a product of personal development and social evolution. After all, governments are made of people, and politicians themselves suffer from the system in the same way as others. Without discounting the value of the modern political, socio-economic and educational systems, the reality is that our current socio-economic system is not designed to contribute to our happiness and in fact sometimes works against our well-being. In its recommendations in regard to work, it says that government can institute new employment laws to promote life and work balance and to guarantee a healthy (mental and physical) work environment. Further a smart corporate policy will ensure the development of its management team to transform an alpha-dominating/intimidating leadership style into a coaching leadership style with better work and relationship ethics.
7. The above finding is a clear indication that the governments and the organisations should study the subject further with a view to bringing about necessary changes in the work culture. Happiness is becoming the buzzword of our times. In 1940s and 1950s, the governments were trying to build Welfare States. Today they should look for building Happiness States.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
The joy of giving and receiving!
Self-help books for success and happiness come regularly in the market. Some of these books are best sellers in the non-fiction category. The question is if such books do real help or these give you only reading pleasure. Most of these books use the same principles but are presented in different manners. Basically they aim at tapping the power of thought power. They provide the directions. They motivate you, inspire you and aim at changing your thinking from negative to positive. But ultimate goal depends upon your talent, ability and understanding. The seeds of positive thoughts gradually change your subconscious conditioning and they in turn, change your beliefs, expectations, attitudes and behaviour. When you change your behaviour, you change your performance and get better results. You also grow, learn and become wiser by reading books. And when you become wiser, you become happier. Books are one of the best friends and hobbies of human beings.
One such book, I have read, is the best seller the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Dr. Deepak Chopra. Out of the Seven Laws professed by Dr. Deepak Chopra, the 2nd Law is the Law of Giving. This is also called the Law of Giving and Receiving. It states that the universe operates through dynamic exchange. Nothing is static. On the question of relationship, it states that every relationship is one of give and take. Receiving is the same thing as giving because giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. But the intention behind your giving and receiving is most important. The intension should always be to create happiness for the giver and receiver; because happiness is life-supporting and life-sustaining. Therefore the act of giving has to be joyful. If you want joy, give joy to others, if you want love, learn to give love, if you want attention and appreciation, learn to give attention and appreciation. Giving need not have to be in the form of material things. It could be a flower, a compliment, a prayer, caring, attention, affection, appreciation and love. These are some of the most precious gifts you can give and it will give happiness to both the giver and the taker.
One such book, I have read, is the best seller the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Dr. Deepak Chopra. Out of the Seven Laws professed by Dr. Deepak Chopra, the 2nd Law is the Law of Giving. This is also called the Law of Giving and Receiving. It states that the universe operates through dynamic exchange. Nothing is static. On the question of relationship, it states that every relationship is one of give and take. Receiving is the same thing as giving because giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. But the intention behind your giving and receiving is most important. The intension should always be to create happiness for the giver and receiver; because happiness is life-supporting and life-sustaining. Therefore the act of giving has to be joyful. If you want joy, give joy to others, if you want love, learn to give love, if you want attention and appreciation, learn to give attention and appreciation. Giving need not have to be in the form of material things. It could be a flower, a compliment, a prayer, caring, attention, affection, appreciation and love. These are some of the most precious gifts you can give and it will give happiness to both the giver and the taker.
In practice of this law, you make a commitment that whoever you encounter; you bring him or her a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, a prayer, the gift of caring, affection, appreciation, and love. Each time you meet someone, you silently wish him or her happiness, joy and laughter. Practice Dr. Deepak Chopra’s Law of Giving by circulating joy and it will keep you immensely joyful. Cheers!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Learning to change your perceptions
The way you behave, the way you decide and the way you act are largely based on your perceptions on the subject. Again your perceptions are based on your educational background, your assumptions, mental conditioning etc. These may be part of your conscious or subconscious mind and influence your decision making. To see an example, see your food habits, which are, what your country or community has given you. When you visit another country, you simply get uneasy with the food there whereas people in that country enjoy it. Is it not a matter of perceptions? If you can change your perceptions, the food there would no more appear strange and you would relish it. Similarly, in the matter of investments of one’s money, one goes for safety of the banks, the other for the stock market and yet another risk gambling. One believes in insurance but the other not. The point is, while learning to be joyful and happy, try to perceive your perceptions of situations or things and learn to change your assumptions, conditioning with happier ones.
Learn to thank for Everything
Remember the prayer, the children pray daily, in some schools:
Thank you God for the world so sweet!
Thank you God for food we eat!
Thank you God for birds that sing!
Thank you God for everything!
The prayer has tremendous potentiality of keeping anybody joyful at any time. You may try it. Say, you are depressed. Just look around. Watch the people, the trees, the flowers, the vehicles, the breeze, the sky and the like. Think of what you have had on the day- the tea, the breakfast, the newspaper, the children, the family members and all that. These are all daily little routines. Just start looking at it differently! Just see how beautiful it is to born human and have all beautiful things in life around. Thank God for everything. Thank for the good things you had. Thank more for what you think was not good. Without the latter, the former have no meaning. For everything, small or big, life has given you, be grateful to the almighty through who you get it. Just the same way, for anything you get from others, thank them. It makes others joyful and that joy comes back to you! Even, go further and thank God in advance. Early morning, just as you wake up, thank God for the ensuing day. This will act as a positive affirmation and align your inner configuration that will keep you happy the whole day. Cheers!
Thank you God for the world so sweet!
Thank you God for food we eat!
Thank you God for birds that sing!
Thank you God for everything!
The prayer has tremendous potentiality of keeping anybody joyful at any time. You may try it. Say, you are depressed. Just look around. Watch the people, the trees, the flowers, the vehicles, the breeze, the sky and the like. Think of what you have had on the day- the tea, the breakfast, the newspaper, the children, the family members and all that. These are all daily little routines. Just start looking at it differently! Just see how beautiful it is to born human and have all beautiful things in life around. Thank God for everything. Thank for the good things you had. Thank more for what you think was not good. Without the latter, the former have no meaning. For everything, small or big, life has given you, be grateful to the almighty through who you get it. Just the same way, for anything you get from others, thank them. It makes others joyful and that joy comes back to you! Even, go further and thank God in advance. Early morning, just as you wake up, thank God for the ensuing day. This will act as a positive affirmation and align your inner configuration that will keep you happy the whole day. Cheers!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Practice Silence to be Joyful
Practice of regular silence will make you joyful. Life is full of worries, tensions, diseases, and many other problems. You cannot stop them. In order to get solace in the midst of such painful forces, you visit holy places. In the same manner, sit down, sometime during the day, preferably before sleep, and observe silence and peace in the inner altar of your mind. Initially, all the negative thoughts and the happenings around you may chase you but gradually, when your silence becomes deeper, it will give your tremendous joy.
Seek Happiness in Everything
Everybody wants to be happy and joyful. Seeking joy is the inborn human nature. Man tries to acquire wealth, health, power and fame with the hope that these will give him happiness. We run after material possessions or pleasure of sensation like eating, smelling, listening beholding or touching. There are people who enjoy doing good to others and also others who get happy by antisocial activities. You get tired of what have and something else. So how do you have a joyful life? Happiness bring a state of mind, you have to cultivate happiness. Train you mind to find happiness in all things and small things of life and nature, the greenness of leave, the colour and beauty of flowers, the morning breeze, the hot sun, the night sky, eating cooking and what not. Do good to others, it will give you more happiness.
How to deal with difficult neighbours
Whether you are living in the remotest country side or in the most advanced cosmopolitan city, you will find a neighbour who is difficult to manage. You cannot simply run away from him. Whenever you go, you may find one. You have to stay with one. Then how do you manage him and the confrontations, the headaches he gives you. You might try to sort out the problems through personal efforts, through the other neighbours, the authorities and the like. But if there is no result and he continues to be malignant, you have to learn to live with him. Try to understand him, see things from his point of view and if, a solution can be found in his line of thinking without much loss or damage to you, consider going by it. Accept him as a incurable disease and live with him. Also ignore him and evade him to the extent possible.
How to deal with Fatigue
For a happy and joyful living, you should keep yourself physically fit. But sometime, physical fitness is not enough to keep you mentally fit and energetic. In spite of good health, you may feel tired and worn out. This may be due to poor mental conditions and it does not allow you to put your best output. There may be various reasons for such a state. To keep energetic, you have to take certain measures. First is that you exercise daily. But don’t overdo it. Yogic exercises including pranayam (yogic breathing exercises) are very good. But you will have to learn these from an authorised teacher. You should also ensure adequate sleep. Sleep rejuvenates both body and mind. You should also take proper balanced diet. Additionally, fruit and fruit juices are recommended. Also preserve your energy by not indulging in wasteful activities, worries, emotions and bad habits. Daily morning walk in fresh air is very helpful. Regular fasting for a day is also helpful.
How to get rid off Worries
For a joyous and happy living, you should get rid of worries. Worries are a kind of emotion that makes you anxious or concerned or uneasy about something apprehending trouble and become unhappy. You may have a major or even a minor health problem but you start grieving about it. Every time you worry, your energy drains and there is strain on your body and mind. It wastes your time. Except in sleep, wherever you go, it follows you. To get rid of worries, you should think rationally of your problem and find out first if the cause of the worry is genuine or imaginary. If latter, take help of positive affirmations to strengthen your mind and just refuse to worry. Sharing your situation with your friends may also help. If the problem is genuine, take remedial measures. Getting rid of worry will not only make your life happier but also more successful
Leading a Life of Balance
Whether in West or in the East, life has become very fast and machine like. Most people, young and old, are after material achievements. But will only material prosperity to the individual or the society at large bring in happiness. Had it been so the rich western societies should be moving towards peaceful crimeless environment? But it is not so. On the contrary, the modern materially prosperous cities are more prone to inhumane crimes. Money and prosperity alone are not enough. Hence, everybody, irrespective of his trade, should earmark some time in his busy schedule, to introspect for himself and his society. The modern science and technology has not only increased the efficiency of man for material success but has also improved his inner faculties greatly. We all realise that only material comforts will not make us happy. You may agree that while material prosperity, fame or power or position is necessary for happy comfortable life for the individual and his family, one should undermine inner discipline or spirituality. Hence there should be a balance. The question is if you do it right now, keep aside a time daily, not left alone for holidays, for the inner contemplation and spiritual progress, or wait till something terrible happens compelling you to do it.
Make yourself Likable
To make your life joyous and harmonious, make efforts to be likable. You might have observed that while people spontaneously like someone and try to be with him, avoid another. This is because, some personalities are born with a likable nature but all are not. While one cannot change one’s inborn qualities, one can study and analyse himself and the likable persons as to why one is likable and the other is not and try to improve oneself. The likable person is liked not solely because of his physical appearances or his dressing habits but for the way he conducts himself. While one should not be careless about dress code, one should give more attention to others. Whenever you are alone, it does not matter because who can afford to be absentminded or behave as you like. But whenever you are with others, you should learn to pay attention to others, take sincere interest and listen to what others say and be understanding and considerate. If you are in a gathering, and the other person wants to have your seat, give it. It is more joyful to live for others if it does not cost you dearly. Unselfish action and behaviour will make you more likable and attract true friends who may make your life more joyful.
Love gives us Joy
Nothing gives us more joy than love. It gives us intoxicating happiness and the feeling of joy. Love exists between man and wife, the parent and the children, a friend and a friend, brothers and sisters, a teacher and his student and the like. Love also exists between animals, the male and the female, the mother and the offspring. This love in animals is born out of instinct. In human beings it arouses in the brain and manifested in the heart. It is the greatest expression of human relationship. Sometimes, of course, it may be tainted if arising out of sexual or physical attractions. But the love that binds two friends together without any selfish reasons is supreme form of such love and it gives immense joy. This is the love one should try to manifest for all the brethrens and sisters as we all are the children of the same cosmic father.
Enjoy the Realties of the World
The world is destined to have all the dualities- the pleasures and the pain, health and diseases, happiness and sorrows, birth and death. Both are realities. The living creatures including the human being are subject to these dualities so that they grow and evolve. You are not going to have only the goodies or the things and situations that you cherish. You may compare the world with the world of the internet. The internet is so much useful today, be you a student, housewife, a banker or a scientist. But at the same time, you have these viruses, worms and other content that may cause irritation and hatred. But these are facts and take it as a part of life. If there are viruses, antivirus are to be used just as for disease, medicine is taken. You will also appreciate that due to the threat of such worms and viruses, the internet software also become better. This is the realty. Try to learn to accept this realty of the world. It is all meant to make you struggle and metamorphose in the great plan of life. Honour and accept the world as it is and cheer up. Life is short. Enjoy what the world has given you. Again, Cheers.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Hope is always there
At times, though such circumstances are rare, you are completely hopeless. A near and dear one is seriously sick or your financial position has ruined. You feel defeated and finished. All your sincere and best efforts have gone futile. You can understand the state of mind of such a person if you have been in such a situation. You are at the dead end and there seems to be nothing left to do. In such a situation, it is normally seen, you may adopt one of the two courses. First, you feel completely wrecked, anguished and give up. The other course is that you take a never say die attitude and build enough faith and reason that there is always hope, there exists a supreme power who listens to all, does all and it his will that is done. To invoke that power one should have unconditional faith in that almighty, completely surrender to him and pray for his presence and handover the steering to him completely.
Accept good or bad Equally
Everybody wants to have only good things in life. But that does note happen. Life is not a bed of roses. Things may come that shatter your life. Hence one should be mentally prepared to deal with such circumstances. If good things come, he should enjoy them. If a bad thing happens, he should not be dismayed. He should accept that with calmness and repose and try to overcome the situation and make further efforts to achieve his goal. Frustration for failure makes one only unhappy. One should also realise that one would not get all what he wants. To accept all circumstances, good or bad, gracefully is called a state of evenmindedness in the scriptures. The yogis and spiritual seekers preserve to achieve it. This cannot be easy for the ordinary mortal. Nevertheless, one should know that it is a string of life to be tried to be played for a harmonious life.
Joy Comes from Your Mind
There are two ways of experiencing all the happenings of life. One is happiness and the second is sorrow. The same happening may lead to happiness in one and sorrow to another. It may be a bad news for you but good news to your opponent. The point is that it is not the incident itself but the state of your mind that generate happiness or sorrow. It depends upon external and internal conditions of your mind. Every happening is linked your desires and if it goes against, it brings despair. If you start continuously telling your mind that such happenings, good and bad, are inseparable part of life and are meant to evolve one to higher state of success and personality. One should endeavour to accept both with evenmindedness. While he may enjoy what he thinks are positive, he should not be very sensitive or too much engrossed or remorseful for the other happenings.
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