Comments on: Sitting Quietly, Doing Something

By: Happiness

Happiness — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:47:48 +0000

“positively engaged, goal-directed, enthusiastic, and energetic.”

Maybe the four keys to happiness…?

Something to hope for…
Something to do…
And the energy to get it done…

Thanks so much for this piece!

Ian

By: Hira

Hira — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:23:58 +0000

I completely agree with you Laz that in families such people are scorned for. I know for me personally, I’m pretty easy going but when i go to my in-laws house people who are “calm” are considered not as good. Yes aggressiveness takes you a long way in career but it doesn’t take you anywhere with people especially when it has to do with emotions. Anyway, great article..I wish i was happy all the time!

By: Tran Tong

Tran Tong — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:12:30 +0000

I am always somewhat amused when I read stories about monks who are “the happiest people in the world”. I would imagine that in a world where one doesn’t have to work to support a family, pay the bills and raise children and where one gets to spend a good deal of their time “sitting” would be conducive to happiness. Perhaps everyone in the world should become a monk and then the whole world could bathe in happiness free from the stresses of everyday life.

By: -Laz

-Laz — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:32:06 +0000

It’s nice when those people who take their joy seriously are recognized for it. Often in families these people aren’t appreciated. More likely, they are scorned for not seeing the REALITY

By: Shveitta sethi

Shveitta sethi — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:32:23 +0000

Thanks for the lovely article Daniel. I had a similar experience with Matthieu Ricard- whom I thought was nicknamed the ‘happiest man’. He too had the same calm demeanour and a similar reaction to being called the ‘happiest man’. You are absolutely right, meditation definitely does something to ones brain and it is easier to find reserves of calmness that lie dormant within.

I am no monk or a regular meditator, but have attended a few meditation retreats and have observed an amazing change in my behaviour and the ability to recover from challenges. I was always an optimistic person, but somehow that optimism never translated into happiness. Now, however it is hard for me to see the glass half empty. Something in my brain pattern has changed and I always see the solutions which were probably always there, but the past thinking pattern colored the view.

I think meditation even for a short time does change the brain patterns and then it is upto us to change our thinking patterns. Just a few minutes while brushing ones teeth every morning if we can be completely there in the moment and not try and plan our day and worry about the clock is a good start . So two minutes of complete immersion into brushing your teeth will help one have a great day .

By: Anil K Rajvanshi

Anil K Rajvanshi — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:24:18 +0000

Nice article. You might also enjoy reading a similar thing. http://www.nariphaltan.org/life.htm

Cheers. Anil