By Sejal Shah
Tired of the elusive pursuit of happiness? Read on why ancient traditions, as well as modern research, back meditation as the master key to happiness! Do grab our free gift for you as the world celebrates the International Day of Happiness on March 20.
We humans, have tried everything possible under the sky to find happiness, haven’t we?
Achieving a dream job. Marrying a soul-mate. Being single. Having kids. Exercise. Attaining ideal weight. Healthy eating. Vitamin D. Financial security. Self-help books. Affirmations. Self-improvement. Antidepressants. CBD. Finding our true identity. Personality development. Yoga. Mindfulness. Faith and/or spirituality. Traveling to dream destinations. Learning new skills. Surfing. Parasailing. Oh...the list could be never-ending!
It may feel like finding lasting and true happiness is so elusive and exhausting! You may feel “Ah I made it, I’m the happiest person in the world”, and the next day your happiness is gone!
What makes happiness so elusive?
I was listening to a recorded interview of a very young, popular, and inspiring Bollywood (Indian version of Hollywood) actor, Sushant Singh Rajput, who recently passed away under mysterious conditions. In the interview, he shared that since the time he was a kid, he dreamt of having a big Range Rover car. He lived with that dream for almost 15 years. The day he bought the car he was so excited and so happy. But just within 1 day, he got immune and so used to having it. He lived with the dream for so many years, but the excitement of realizing that dream didn’t even stay for a day! The excitement associated with achieving the goal was so short-lived, but the journey of cherishing that dream and realizing it was still close to his heart. The process was more important than the goal.
So true! Isn’t this your experience too?
As long as we keep linking our happiness with having a dream car or X or Y or Z, anything external, be it be an object, or a person, or a situation, that happiness is going to be transient. This is the nature of our desires. As soon as a desire gets fulfilled, it is replaced by a new desire, and so on. So when we attach our happiness with fulfilling our desires, it remains for a while, and then we are back to square one! Instead of making happiness a goal, let us make it our journey. Let us happily work towards fulfilling our dreams rather than postponing being happy until we achieve our goals.
That is why most ancient wisdom, traditions, and philosophers say that happiness is an inside job! Real happiness lies within! Even though the trigger for happiness could be external but ultimately you experience happiness within. So, wise people say to unlink your happiness from anything external, and your happiness will be self-sustained! And that seems to be the real key to happiness—lasting and unlimited happiness!
Does science also say that real happiness comes from within? Let us explore
New happiness research
In the effort to better understand happiness, researchers have begun to turn to a variety of sciences for answers. A new field of social science called positive psychology draws upon research on emotions, moral psychology, humanism, cognitive behavioral therapy, biology, medicine, philosophy, and many more disciplines in order to come to a better understanding of the process of finding happiness.
The brain-body nexus
How your gut health is connected to your happiness
Just as your brain affects your body, your body, in turn, affects your brain. When you eat nourishing, healthy, seasonal food that is specifically designed for your unique body type and imbalances, you bring your body into balance and naturally become happier. The ancient Indian science of life, Ayurveda, is the perfect dietary solution for a healthy body and happy brain!
How your vagus nerve is connected to your happiness
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body, running from your brain through your neck, chest, and abdomen, connecting almost all of your major organs. It’s responsible for regulating your nervous system, heart rate, muscle function, vocal cords, and even your digestion!
In short, the vagus nerve connects our brains to our bodies. Good vagus nerve tone is linked not only to good bodily health but to your psychological and emotional health, too. By tapping into this nerve and nourishing it, we can literally hack into our body’s major functions and heal ourselves from the inside out.
How your breath is connected to your happiness
One of the most powerful ways to heal your vagus nerve is through your breath. Practicing intentional breathing patterns, like in SKY Breath Meditation (aka Sudarshan Kriya), reduces stress, synergizes your brain and body, and gives you a solid foundation for a calm, happy day.
How your brain-chemistry is connected to your happiness: why meditation is the key
The mind is associated with the brain. The two terms are often used interchangeably.
Happiness results from having a mind that is stress-free, a mind that is free of any negative thoughts, a mind that is in the present moment.
According to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, happiness depends only on your mind. When the mind is free of past impressions and future cravings, happiness blooms.
He cautions “Unless you realize who you are and what the nature of consciousness is through your own introspection, happiness remains a far-fetched reality. The spirit of self-inquiry in the true sense, which leads to meditation, is absolutely essential in this quest for happiness.”
Lord Buddha said, “If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.”
That is why even science backs the role of meditation in finding happiness. Simply put, meditation makes you happier. It’s a simple matter of brain chemistry: happier people show more activity in their frontal lobes, and when you meditate regularly, your brain literally becomes stronger and healthier in that same exact area!
While you work out your brain with meditation, there are other amazing things happening, too: your immune system becomes stronger, your response to external stressors changes, and your authentic personality blooms. Meditation helps you become exactly who you were meant to be and live a meaningful life of peace, compassion, gratitude, unconditional love, success, kindness, and harmony.
Plunge into unshakable happiness with SKY Breath Meditation
While you’re ready to experience real happiness, we invite you to join the millions of people around the world who have found lasting happiness, peace, and strength through The Art of Living’s powerful signature SKY Breath Meditation course. Joining this program will empower you with life-changing, proven tools and wisdom to shift challenging emotions and mind states such as stress and anxiety to experience a lasting sense of ease and calm—anytime, anywhere. The Art of Living offers free online introductory sessions with live instructors to answer all your questions about SKY. Join Beyond Breath today!
You deserve to live a happy life! Now is the time to be happy! Now is the time to experience that YOU are the source of happiness! Meditation is the way!
While the world celebrates, International Day of Happiness on 20 March, we would like to gift you a free e-book Happiness 101: Your Practical Guide to Unlock True, Genuine Happiness. Download your happiness now!
Sejal Shah, E-RYT 500 Sri Sri Yoga Teacher, YACEP, C-IAYT, Meditation Teacher, SKY Instructor, NYU Post Graduate Medical School approved Yoga-CME retreat facilitator, Mind-Body Wellness Writer, Homeopath. She can be followed on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
