by Parmjit Singh, PhD
We do everything to become happy. Sometimes we go on a shopping spree and other times we splurge on our favourite food. This works but only to some extent. The moment these activities are over, the euphoria of happiness wears off and we fall back to our same old mental condition, until we go on our next trip.
But do those kind of activities make us happy? We waste time and money chasing happiness in the external world without realizing that as long as we are dependent upon external, things, it will probably not make us happy.
Why? Because happiness comes from inside; there are no short cuts to finding happiness than giving a hard look at our own life and fixing what prevents us from becoming. Rather than seeking happiness, we should try eliminating conditions that prevent us being happy. It is a different approach than running after the concept of happiness. Because anything we do in the outside world largely has weaker relation to what we feel inside. Though a new car or a salary raise might give you an illusion and temporary satisfaction that now you will be happy yet research has shown that we fall back to our natural state very soon.
Research
New research is now validating the old wisdom that regular practice of meditation can indeed make you genuinely happy. When volunteers were trained to meditate for eight weeks, scientists at University of Wisconsin-Madison found that they started showing shift of activity from right prefrontal cortex to left prefrontal cortex (a sign of happiness). Accumulating data is suggesting that meditation makes us happy by re framing our negativity and allowing us to accept the pains of life in graceful and wholesome manner. Another research paper explored the relationship between mindfulness and purpose in life with happiness.
Beyond that, the best test of an idea is to put it into practice. Start your learning and see where it takes you. Check out our upcoming meditation coaching and learning opportunities Here.
