-
Posts
-
We are taught that leisure time is a double edged sword – in one way it is that which allows free will to be expressed more fully and more personally and learning and thinking and creating are all enhanced for society; but in another way it allows for immersion into self gratifications, amusements, distractions, pleasures, and all manner of self indulgence. I guess it is normal that so many people believe that happiness can be found in the pursuit of pleasure and so few for so long truly understand the root of happiness. All pursue happiness but often fail to find it where and how it is sought out.
The UB prescribes happiness as a worthy pursuit but clarifies specifically how it is obtained….as a natural fruit of the vine of the Spirit in our embrace of love, truth, beauty, and goodness.
103:5.5 (1134.3) Human happiness is achieved only when the ego desire of the self and the altruistic urge of the higher self (divine spirit) are co-ordinated and reconciled by the unified will of the integrating and supervising personality. The mind of evolutionary man is ever confronted with the intricate problem of refereeing the contest between the natural expansion of emotional impulses and the moral growth of unselfish urges predicated on spiritual insight — genuine religious reflection.
103:5.6 (1134.4) The attempt to secure equal good for the self and for the greatest number of other selves presents a problem which cannot always be satisfactorily resolved in a time-space frame. Given an eternal life, such antagonisms can be worked out, but in one short human life they are incapable of solution. Jesus referred to such a paradox when he said: “Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for the sake of the kingdom, shall find it.”
103:5.7 (1134.5) The pursuit of the ideal — the striving to be Godlike — is a continuous effort before death and after. The life after death is no different in the essentials than the mortal existence. Everything we do in this life which is good contributes directly to the enhancement of the future life. Real religion does not foster moral indolence and spiritual laziness by encouraging the vain hope of having all the virtues of a noble character bestowed upon one as a result of passing through the portals of natural death. True religion does not belittle man’s efforts to progress during the mortal lease on life. Every mortal gain is a direct contribution to the enrichment of the first stages of the immortal survival experience.
Me: We are told that we each, by our free will choices, must attend our own happiness by our personal religious experiences in love and service….happiness and joy attend such progress. We may share happiness but we cannot give it to another or create it for any other – it is the fruit of the spirit. Like our Father and the angels, I too wish for all to have happiness but it cannot be imposed, only realized by the motives, intentions, and actions of love and faith.
159:3.10 (1766.6) You shall not portray your teacher as a man of sorrows. Future generations shall know also the radiance of our joy, the buoyance of our good will, and the inspiration of our good humor. We proclaim a message of good news which is infectious in its transforming power. Our religion is throbbing with new life and new meanings. Those who accept this teaching are filled with joy and in their hearts are constrained to rejoice evermore. Increasing happiness is always the experience of all who are certain about God.
Happiness article in Australian national media today
According to the article, aside from the survival requirement of financial security, happy people have sense of purpose and good personal relationships.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-17/what-makes-us-happy/6861430
‘Golden triangle’ of happiness: Study finds three simple things needed for a happy life
Updated
The latest instalment of one of Australia’s largest wellbeing surveys has found that besides genetics, there are three simple indicators of a happy life.
Financial security, a sense of purpose in life, and good personal relationships make up the “golden triangle” of happiness.
The Australian Wellbeing Index has been conducted twice a year over the last 15 years and involves more than 60,000 participants.
But beyond the “golden triangle” of happiness, the researchers made some other surprising findings.
Here are five more indicators of happiness according to the survey.
Social media: Moderation is key
While there was no difference in happiness between people who spent no time on social media, compared with those who spent over an hour a day, researchers said moderation appeared to be the key.
Those of us who used social media for just 30 minutes a day were the only group to report happiness above the normal range.
According to report author, Professor Robert Cummins of Deakin University, there has been a surprising and continuing spike in the levels of teenage contentment since 2007, the year that social media came of age.
”It may very well be the case that the social media is allowing them a sense of community, a sense of connection with one another which was much more difficult for them to achieve prior to that era,” he said.
Dads happier, mums remain the same
What makes us happy:
- Relationships: Being part of an intimate relationship is the most vital component of wellbeing. Pets are no substitute for human beings.
- Financial control: While money does not make us happy, a lack of it makes us miserable. Wellbeing rises up to about $100,000 a year, at which point its healing power drops off dramatically.
- Sense of purpose: People are happiest when they are active, and when they have a sense of purpose. Volunteers are amongst the happiest people, though conscripts are not.
The report found fathers tended to be happier than men without children, but women’s happiness stayed the same whether they had children or not.
The researchers said this could be because family was the greatest source of contentment and happiness for men throughout their lives, whereas women were able to maintain social connections beyond the family unit.
Not only that, but those parents who had regular contact with their mother and mother-in-law reported being happier overall.
Resilient in face of ill health
Another surprising finding was that good health is a far less powerful predictor than expected.
Provided that declining health is slow, rather than traumatic, our in-built genetic resilience compensates for that and our general mood level stays the same.
Golden oldies the happiest
This may go part way to explaining why Australians over the age of 55 were the most contented cohort, while the least contented were informal carers of sick or disabled family members.
Their general level of mood happiness came at the bottom of the index, along with prisoners and homeless children.
State of happiness: Tasmania
Where we live in Australia has little impact on our happiness, although there are slight variances across the country.
Tasmania came out as the happiest state in the nation, whereas Western Australia had the lowest wellbeing score, just above New South Wales.
Those of us who live in rural and regional areas tend to be the happiest Australians, suggesting that Tasmanians might be happiest because of the state’s low population.
Bradly wrote: The attempt to secure equal good for the self and for the greatest number of other selves presents a problem which cannot always be satisfactorily resolved in a time-space frame.It takes intelligent effort to invest in the well-being of others based on the wisdom that the greater good is achieved by ethical relationships with our fellows.Effort does not always produce joy, but there is no happiness without intelligent effort. [Paper48:7.10, page 556:10]There is much to learn and an eternity in which to develop patterns of sincerity that bear fruit of true happiness.Thanks for your supportive comments in your recent posts Bradly.
Login to reply to this topic.
Not registered? Sign up here.