Happiness

First of all, Happy Memorial Day! I'm so thankful to have been born in America. We are so fortunate--and I am so thankful to the people who make America the country that it is (through their sacrifice and service).

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I logged onto the computer the other day and CNN's homepage had a feature story on happiness:

* What is it?
* What causes it?
* Is it lasting?

* Is it worth pursuing--or just a random event?

* How can we get it?

One of the people interviewed in the article was Deepak Chopra. And I really do love Deepak Chopra!  (His name just sounds peaceful!)

Here are the conditions he listed as leading to happiness. And I just loved it, so I thought I would share. 

(And yes, now I'm going to do yoga, read the list, and grab my tie-dyed shirt with a peace sign!)

What kinds of choices and values lead to real happiness?

-- Meditation, which opens up deeper levels of the mind.

-- Actions that benefit others.

-- Social relationships that support intimacy and bonding.

-- Inspiration through reading the world's scriptures and poetry.

-- Taking enjoyment in natural beauty.

-- Having a vision of personal fulfillment that you follow every day.

-- Aiming for inner fulfillment rather than external fulfillment.

-- Reducing stress.

-- Taking time for peaceful reflection.

-- Learning to love your own company, cultivating the self as a state of Being.

-- Eschewing violence and anger in all its forms, gross and subtle.

-- Resolving conflicts, both inner and outer, rather than letting them build up.

-- Paying one's debt to the past, which means healing old hurts and grievances.

-- Stepping away from group think and second-hand opinions.

-- Giving up a belief in enemies and us-versus-them thinking.

-- Cultivating kindness and compassion.

-- Being generous of spirit, learning to give.

-- Seeing yourself as part of a larger humanity, and humanity itself as an expression of the divine, despite our flaws.