ahanu

While reading an article on NPR titled "Measuring Bhutan's Gross National Happiness ... With Balloons," I began thinking about a question Abdu'l-Baha would go around asking people:

"Are you happy?"

Bhutan is well-known for its political philosophy: Gross National Happiness. This article asks how we can go about measuring something so abstract. How? Jonathan Harris attempts to answer this.

For his latest project, a Web interactive called Balloons of Bhutan, Harris spent two weeks asking 117 locals five questions: What makes you happy? What is your happiest memory? What is your favorite joke? If you could make one wish, what would it be? And what is your level of happiness between 1 and 10? There's a photograph for each question — and for the last one, he handed out the corresponding number of balloons.

Measuring Bhutan's Gross National Happiness ... With Balloons : The Picture Show : NPR

Some wishes made me laugh, because one lady said she wished "to marry someone with a car." In the pictures, you will discover people are holding balloons. The balloons represent their level of happiness from 1 to 10.

How many balloons would you be holding?

Also, I think Abdu'l-Baha would hold leaders like Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in high regard. At least judging from the little I have read and heard about him.

cire perdue

Happiness is an individual choice and responsibility that comes from inside regardless of what is going on. One has to know him/herself. One is happy as one decides to be, but humor is so, so important. Laugh frequently. I think the best mate would be someone we can laugh lots with, not frivolity, but laughter from the heart for fun. Humor requires nothing except the world as it goes by me in my daily life. If you aren't laughing several times daily, then shoot yourself, not really, silly. However it is time to set a new daily goal: find 3 things everyday that cause belly laughs!!!!! Practice humor until this becomes a daily occurrence!

aidan

CP could you expand your statement that happiness is a choice please.This is something you have said b4

Fadl

Happiness is...




2 kinds of ice cream...

cire perdue

Like spirituality happiness is an emotional skill that must be worked at. For some it may come naturally, having had parents who could impart this to them. They grow up with an automatic response that is only tested by the usual turns of life. However with dysfunctional parents that were alcohholics I have been fortunate, b/c I have access to a program for anyone who has been exposed to alcoholism. I have learned that happiness is my job, that it is not dependent on others or circumstances. It has taken time to learn this because like reading and math it is not inherent. It takes as long as learning to read does and few are willig to face themselves it seems. Fortunately Al Anon is a spiritual program that is VERY compatible with the Faith.

It has taught me I am responsible for my feelings, that "you don't make me angry", I choose to be angry even if it happens so fast I am not aware of it. I learn I can choose how I respond to anyone and anything, but it takes time, talking to others about success or failure, and hearing how they have worked on similar issues. This is very important, because it is hard to grow emotionally if one is alone. You can't practice people skills IF you aren't in relationships. We have day books that give daily readings with examples. It is a "virtues program" for those who started out behind or more traumatized than others.

I learn to keep my mouth shut. In fact many problems are nipped in the bud when I don't unload how I feel about what someone else is doing. That is a form of getting them to take my feelings or take care of me. It won't help, it will exacerbate things, because it won't change the other person no matter how clear I am. One cannot tell someone else how to manage their life, they have to figure it out on their own. I turn them over to God and let go and let God. Because I can't change others to fit me, I change how I view the world. It is not giving in to others, it can even be learning to negotiate or set boundaries which are semi-permeable, not solid walls.

I learn not to worry, to live one day at a time, a "day-tight compartment" as Dale Carnegie puts it. I go to meetings to talk about my progress. I learn not to complain, criticize, or condemn another Dale Carnegie idea.

I learn that my mistrustful view of others hurts me, that people are better than I think they are. I have to rid my heart of the hurtful things from the past that continue to color my perceptions, i.e. God is better than the parents I had, infinitely better though I reacted for a very long time as if I had to do things that in actuality only God could control. I had to take care of things to be sure they were done. And done the right way. It is to have faith day by day one day at a time, that God will be there with me. I may not get what I want, but it seems assured that I will get what I need. It may be less than I think. I may have to accept consequences. I have yet to lose everything, though right now it seems possible. However I have to believe that things will be okay and a way will be found. I do think I have to do what I can and am capable of to take care of myself. If I have failed or been dishonest with myself then when I get there I pray I will face it as a Baha'i.

That is the best I can do off the top of my head. That is how one works on happiness by knowing who I am to me. It is looking at one's good, accepting weakness, and going from strength to strength. It requres review of one's actions in order to see mistakes, admit them, and see other ways things could have been done. One apologizes when one makes mistakes, not so much for the other person, but for me, so that I can do better.

tonybahaiforums

Praise be to God that thou didst attain freedom and made your way from prison to the palace. Rest thou assured that confirmations of the Holy Spirit will reach thee and the fragrances of the Abhá Kingdom will waft over thee. A true Bahá’í is always free, and is always soaring in the zenith of the kingdom of God. Do not let sorrow and sadness afflict thee rather pass thy days in happiness and joy that thou mayest attain a new birth in the world of the love of God and that thou mayest be completely freed from all fear and all danger. Eternal life is ordained for thee; wherefore art thou frightened? The portals of the kingdom are flung quite open before thy face; wherefore dost thou grieve? The true spiritual life of man is attained after ascension from this material world just as man’s bodily life is attained after he is born from the world of the matrix. Even thou one did have a life in the mother’s womb but that life was without radiant joy, but when one is born from the mother one's human material life becomes affected. Similarly in this world even thou one should attain some spiritual life its resemblance is that of the embryo. But when one leaves this world and hastens to the world of God, the world of the kingdom then one will attain a complete spiritual life. I beseech God that thou mayest remain steadfast in this heavenly matter and thereby attain all your wishes and aspirations. ^v^