Happiness Rising – Why I am Happy (Part 2)

0
476

Joy is our natural state of being. It’s true. You can observe young children and see the truth of what I say. Unfortunately, many of us find life a struggle and somehow joy is a distant memory. This is not the way it was meant to be. Last month we explored four keys to helping us experience more happiness in our day. They are:

· Make the choice for happiness

· Don’t take things personally

· Get some exercise

· Be mindful

As I mentioned, there are many avenues to happiness. These are what I have found most helpful to not only myself but to those that Pat and I coach. Here are even more power levers to enhance your happiness.

1. Be Grateful. Sadness is usually associated with some form of lack. If only I could get that promotion, or if she would only do this, then I would be happy. If we could turn our focus to what we do have, there is much joy to be had. Using the shower example from last month’s discussion, mindfulness helped place us in the present moment so we could enjoy the shower. A natural extension of that is gratitude. Gratitude is the highest of vibrations, instantly uplifting you as it displaces all forms of lower energies. You cannot be angry, depressed, or unhappy when your heart is filled with gratitude. There is an unlimited supply of things to be grateful for. The chair you are sitting in as you read this article, the light you are reading by, the people who distributed this magazine, those who printed it, the advertisers who pay for it, the writers, and Howard and Penny, the publishers of Body Mind Spirit Guide. Focus on it. Feel all it took to bring this magazine to you. Give thanks and see how your heart opens to love of all things. From this state of being, try and be unhappy. You can’t! The vibration of gratitude won’t permit it.

2. Meditation. One key reason that most people are unhappy is they allow their mind to focus on limiting, negative, worrisome thoughts. Most thoughts are of lack and what we don’t want. I wish I didn’t have to work so hard. I wish I had more money. Why does my back always hurt? If only she would ______ (fill in the blank), then I would be happy. A mind is a powerful tool but you have to get out of your mind if you want to be happy. Meditation gets you out of your mind. It calms the mind and body, increases Alpha and Theta brainwave activity promoting deep relaxation and stress reduction. As you get more proficient, the silence and stillness of deep meditation bring a sense of peace and inner joy that soon become your natural state of being.

3. Breathwork. Many people have tried meditating but gave it up because the mind seemed to become more cluttered with thoughts. Breathwork is a marvelous way to clear the mind of clutter, allowing for more effective and deeper meditation. Pat and I frequently do breathwork prior to meditating even if for only a few minutes. Breathwork also has the added benefit of transforming lower, negative energies into higher, more positive energies. The result can be so profound that tears of joy spontaneously erupt. Both Pat and I have experienced this in our own work and when facilitating others.

There is one other aspect of happiness that is the greatest, most effective of all. I have already given you hints within these last two articles so stay tuned to next month to find out what it is. In the meantime, make the choice for happiness. Try some of the suggestions and let me know how they worked by posting a comment on our blog at www.ascensionbreathing.com. Plan to join us for our upcoming workshop on Happiness Rising in early 2019. Happy Autumn, Dave (& Pat) Krajovic

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here