Mindfulness Exercise: The Who, Where and What of Your Happiness

Start by considering:

·         The three people you feel happiest around. How much time do you spend with them – by phone, personal visits or emails/letters?

·         The three places where you feel the most joy. How often do you visit these places?

·         The three activities that most delight you. How do you integrate them into your daily life?

Becoming aware of the people, places and activities that bring us the most joy—and creating time for them--requires mindfulness. Much like your body responds to a physical exercise routine, your mind responds and becomes increasingly aware, peaceful and loving as you train it through meditation. And just like physical exercise, the more you meditate, the more you use these calming circuits in your mind, making it easier to experience happiness.

Take time to be mindful about the people you surround yourself with – make time for people you love. Visit places that make you feel joyful – the local flea market, your church or temple or a nearby forest preserve. Make time for the activities that energize and delight you. Read, if that’s what you love to do. Or listen to your favorite music . . . and of course meditate!

Consider, how can you make time for these people, places and activities on a regular basis?

“Action may not always bring happiness;

but there is no happiness without action”

-Benjamin Disraeli (British Prime Minister and Novelist 1804-1881)

A surefire way to reduce your stress!

One of my favorite radio programs is "Speaking of Faith" hosted by Krista Tippet. On the show last week, Krista interviewed experts on Alzheimer's disease - the dreadful disease that slowly unravels and destroys the memory of the patient.   There was a particularly touching story of a lady who was very upset that her husband could not recognize her any more. Every time, she went to see him, she kept asking him who she was and he kept repeating he did not know her. However, one fine day, her husband said " I don't know who you are . . . but I know that I love you very much"!


That answer took my breath away. It appears that love is an emotion that is buried deep inside our subconscious- way below the physical brain. Our memories may go away but love remains for a long time. Love and other emotions are often below the 'rational' thinking part of our mind - like stress, anxiety and worry.

Love, therefore, is a very powerful stress reduction tool for us. One Buddhist meditation techniques is referred to as the "Loving Kindness" Meditation. It involves relaxing the body and focusing on sending and receiving love to the people around us and by expansion to all the life in the world and universe. I find it a very powerful meditation technique . . . and so do many of my program participants.

In your daily life, you can use love to relax and find peace in many ways -

1. Spend time with your loved ones -. This may seem like common sense but often we are so busy meeting our work and other life deadlines, we miss out on the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones. I am, sometimes, guilty of brushing off my five year old's request to play games when I am busy with work or other activities.

2. Images and Memories - Take the time to think of your loved ones - are your grand parents deceased? Do you have beautiful and loving memories of them - relax and enjoy those memories. Take the time to replay your child's first words or walk, look through your wedding videos and look through your friends' letters. I love old photo albums.

3. Call and write to your loved ones faraway - In the 1980s the phone company AT&T had a series of TV commercials - "Reach Out and Touch Someone" {See Youtube clip}- about calling your mother or grandmother. In those days of letter writing, people complained about the lack of personal touch of a phone call. But today we see the short messages in texting and emails - I wonder if quantity is as important as quality in communication.

3. Volunteer your time - work in a local soup kitchen, help with food delivery (Meals-On-Wheels Program). The very act of helping other people often brings down our levels of stress.

How do you feel love? Does it help you cope with the challenges of your life? Let me know.

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/index.shtml

April 22, 2010
Alzheimer's disease has been described as "the great unlearning," a "disease of memory," a "demise of consciousness." But what does it reveal about the nature of human identity? What remains when memory unravels? And how might such insights help Alzheimer's sufferers themselves?

Photo by Ajay Royyuru - http://tinyurl.com/WorksByAjay