In our consciousness, there always exists a state of perfect peace and pure happiness. – Vedanta
What is happiness?
For some it is ice cream, or losing 5 kilos, maybe a hug, getting a new job, or going for a vacation. Happiness can be described as a feeling of satisfaction, pleasure, joy, peace or contentment and many (if not all) of our actions are motivated by a desire to achieve these mental states. We are, in a way, in a constant pursuit of happiness.
Here is the problem with this approach: our pursuit is based on the assumption that happiness exists outside of us. And the moment you attach your mental frame of mind to something that is outside of you and therefore not within your control, happiness will come and go like a rollercoaster ride.
What a Happy Cell Looks Like
I recently read this interesting article on a study done about the link between happiness and the effect on our immune cells: “What a Happy Cell Looks Like”.
In this study it was found that happiness alters the state of our immune cells. The researchers make a distinction between two different kinds of happiness: hedonic (which is based on external events) and eudaimonic. The latter is the kind of happiness that originates from within, a deep sense of well-being, peace and vitality that is constant and related to our purpose and direction in life. As the writer of the article says: it is related to “our involvement to something bigger than ourselves.”
It is the eudaimonic happiness that has been found to create a stronger and more positive response in our bodies, specifically on our immune system leading to better genetic expression, high anti-viral activity and a lower inflammatory response. Sounds like a perfect part of a recipe for good health…
Cultivating Happy Cells
Now here is the problem: it is so darn difficult to cultivate this state. Just when you feel you’ve got it something pops up that throws your equilibrium out of whack and you’re back to square one. Like that leakage that came through my bedroom ceiling last week and dripped all over my computer. Well-being and peace flew out of the bedroom window while the water was flying in… Gone were the happy cells.
While I am obviously far removed from having achieved a consistent state of perfect happiness, I am trying to work on it. And with the help of a regular yoga, breathing and meditation practice I must say I am able to shift back to balance fairly quickly these days.
This is something research studies are able to back up: meditation has been proven to be good for many things including stress reduction, which increases your chances for achieving that perfect state of inner balance.
In our endless pursuit of happiness, it makes sense to go for the real deal rather than the roller coaster ride. The way I look at it is that it is definitely worth the trouble to try a bit of meditation and learn to build it into your day if that’s what it takes to achieve lasting and immune-system altering benefits.
If you’re one of those people who tried meditating and had serious trouble taming your monkey mind, try again: check out the website Headspace which introduces meditation in a really fun, visually attractive and easy to learn manner.
I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for the day when nothing fazes me. When my happiness pursuit has finally ended, my mind is calm and my entire being is joyful and at peace, no matter what the circumstances. Let’s hope we all get there during this lifetime!
