Every Day Happiness

happiness

There are two approaches to happiness. I am not talking about spiritual joy or responses to important events, but about plain every day happiness and unhappiness.

One approach promotes a positive attitude in the face of setbacks, disappointment or discomfort. Positive attitude people are cheerleaders.

Another approach depends on things going well. We who need little things to go well are worriers and wet blankets.

Most everyone agrees to the saying: “If you can’t change the situation, change your attitude.”

However cheer leaders are quick to change their attitude whereas wet blankets are quicker to change to the situation.

Imagine yourself in a lousy hotel room. Are you cheerleader who makes the best of it and enjoys dinner anyway? Or are you a wet blanket who complains and finds another room or another hotel as soon as possible?

 

 

 

Is the World Getting Better or Worse?

world

 

Through the ages many of us have believed our world is becoming more humanized because of our technical achievements. We believed that our efforts to make the world a better place paid off.

Yet horrors march onward showing us that millennia of progress have not made us any kinder. The world is no better and suffering has not diminished.

In short, nothing has changed.

Still, life is not a zero sum game. If we make anything better even in the short run or for a single individual, we brighten the world and uplift ourselves.

 

Religion, Belief and Skepticism

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Asserting our religion, belief or skepticism to ourselves and to others will ground us.

We should not understate ourselves or remain quiet when our tradition, belief or skepticism is disparaged, or ignored or misrepresented. Open mindedness is not passivity. We should voice our convictions.

At the same time, appreciating the belief of others will enhance our own faith in our own view of truth. Open mindedness is the opposite of arrogance.

Soul and Spirit

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Some believers in the existence of the soul merge the idea of soul and spirit. Others maintain that soul and spirit are distinct, or that the soul is subsumed in spirit. Then the question arises as to whether the soul or spirit is separate from God, if in fact God exists.

The view that soul, spirit and God are one is monistic whereas as the view that they are distinct is dualistic. I think that whatever we think or believe, if we do, it is more important to consider these questions than to answer them.

Karma and Reincarnation

Reincarnation2

Karma and Reincarnation are not really theories in Eastern religions. Rather they are premises that have evolved over time and continue evolving. These notions do not depend upon one another, but rather complement one another to provide answers to questions pertaining to the human condition. To understand this better, see Chapter Six of On Hinduism by Irina Gajjar.

Dharma

DHARMA

Dharma may be described as a religious path. It encompasses the idea of a universal and a personal principle which is is a lodestar for Hindus, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. According to Vedic scripture, dharma means truth:

 

Dharma is truth.
It is said that one who speaks truth speaks dharma
and one who speaks dharma speaks truth.

Bhridaranyaka Upanishad I.4.14

see On Hinduism, Chapter Eight, Darma

on hinduism front page

Ties of Love

LordKrishna

Lord Krishna was a naughty child. His mother tied Him up to keep him from getting into trouble. But being God, he always untied Himself. One day, His mother got so upset at His mischief that she started to cry. When Krishna saw her, He decided to remain tied and rather than make her sad. Thus, He showed that the strongest ties are ties of love.

Modi Hugs Obama

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Modi hugging Obama has great and happy import on several levels.

 

First, it means the two world leaders feel mutual affection based on mutual values.

Second, it represents highly strengthened ties between India and the United States. This matters a great deal to both nations for many reasons.

Third, the fact that Modi received Obama at the airport in person with a hug rather than limiting himself to the gesture known as “Namaste” symbolizes Modi’s readiness to accept freedom in public expression of affection. Showing affection in public has been taboo in India for a long time. Recently protests arose demanding relaxation of rules that could imprison people who kissed on the streets.

Do you remember that not too long ago Modi was unwelcome in the United States and could not obtain an entry visa?