By Elizabeth Herman┃Posted: April 28, 2019
Note: We sat down for a conversation with Dan Joy (appropriately named) about his sources of happiness and how the Happiness Program has affected his life. As a former cook for the Art of Living Retreat Center and a continually budding, multi-talented musician, Dan shares about his passions for music, food, and how the Happiness techniques set the tone for the day.
Before and after
Before I started this, my work routine would look like this:
- wake up 30 minutes before the shift starts,
- frantically get dressed,
- brush my teeth,
- run out the door,
- be five minutes late to work and…
From the onset, from the minute I woke up to an alarm I’d be stressed out. Then I’d get to work that way. Stress translated into my work whether I was working with food or as a server.
It always comes across to others if I arrive at work feeling frantic or frazzled. So now, I give myself plenty of time in the morning to get myself ready and then I take time to meditate.
The breathing practices have actually changed me a lot. Ever since I took the Happiness Course, and learned the Sudarshan Kriya, I practice on a daily basis. I usually wake up a little before the sun rises or with the sun rise, start off with a little bit of yoga and then go into the Sudarshan Kriya and meditate for a while before I come to breakfast.
That’s how I start every day; it sets the tone for every single day.
I’ve found that when I come to work having already centered myself, it’s way easier to plan out menus, to delegate tasks to other people, or work with them. So I’ve found that it’s a great way to just get myself ready for the day. It’s become an essential part of my readiness, when I’m preparing for work and everything else.
The Sudarshan Kriya
An automatic reflex to relax happens right in that final moment in the last round of the breathing, right before you lay down. Then I lay down or kinda just sit there and be in that state and ride it out for as long as I can or try to keep track of time.
I think that’s definitely my favorite part, just when the final breath is taken care of; and then relaxation just washes over me. When I exit out of that I am just ready for anything.
A period of transformation
The people that I’ve met here at the retreat center and the things that I’ve learned from them have absolutely changed my way of thinking and living completely. The way that I process emotions, thoughts and feelings is all so different from before. I really feel like it has helped me mature and become a man.
At the same time, working very hard with Chef Raju taught me a lot of discipline. Having a very busy work week has shown me how to be resilient and the value of hard work.
I’ve come more into myself; I’ve grown as a person musically and professionally, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, in every possible way. I’ve just blossomed as a human being.
Sources of happiness
So many activities bring me happiness:
- Playing with others.
- Walking in the woods, taking hikes.
- Seeing beautiful things.
- Sharing with other people and their dogs.
- Making food that makes people happy.
Music
To me, music is pure expression. Whenever I pick up any instrument, I immediately go into expressing myself. Whatever emotion is dwelling inside, expressing that musically tends to make me feel better, even if I’m sad.
But if I’m happy already and go into it, it just compounds itself, like a positive feedback loop where I keep getting happier. Playing with others and having a group participate is especially uplifting; you’re borrowing energy and everybody’s on the same wavelength.
Food: what it’s like
Food is definitely interesting. In my family, it is central. At any gathering, there’s always a big spread. Everybody brings a dish. So to me, food has always represented happiness and companionship, family ties and stuff like that, especially working here, where the people I work with are my family.
It brings me a lot of joy whenever I make a dish and my family members come back to me and say that made them feel good. In turn, that makes me happy.
Cooking processes
I get into an energetic state of mind when I’m cooking. It’s a fast paced environment sometimes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that tensions are high or people are upset.
Here, I find that everybody’s usually in a good mood when we are in the kitchen. Even though we’re moving fast, everybody’s still friendly and happy with each other. I love that. I love that fast paced effort; working myself up to meet the deadline to get everybody fed.
State of mind
It’s very fun and we put a lot of energy into it. You’re still working during the meal but it’s almost like a roller coaster, with up and down emotions.
Then it’s over; you just breathe a sigh of relief. Everybody gets fed, everything goes off without a hitch, and it just feels good.
I’m very grateful to everyone, this mountain, and the experiences I’ve had here.
Editor’s Note: A big thank you to Dan for sharing what brings him happiness. Discover more about the Happiness Program with our online series of guided meditations, breathing practices and insights. The online series is free and a great introduction to the Art of Living.
This article was previously published on the Art of Living Retreat Center blog.
By Elizabeth Herman - PhD in English, with concentrations in Rhetoric and Composition, and Literature, she offers writing support to clients, teaches locally, lives in Boone, NC, and volunteers for a better world.
