Happiness until Old Age

Happiness is the most sought after path in this era. Since happiness is so much interesting, even the United Nations (UN) is measuring the performance of nations with an index of happiness. On a more micro scale it also looks similar. Friends who comes to the meditation sessions whom are unwell and sick shared their stories that they have not much beautiful memory since childhood. Some of them even have very weak happiness genes. This become one of the cause why their bodies are prone to be visited by chronic diseases. Their families are prone to anger and a chance of separation. Not a few who began to hear suicidal whispers.

As a soul reflection, try asking these 15 questions to your innerself:

1. From the early childhood did you often see your parents quarreling?
2. Did your childhood environment contains too few of happy people?
3. In school, were you rarely felt happy?
4. When you were in kindergarten and elementary school, you didn’t like to sing?
5. In your personal opinion, when you were young, did you feel that you owned too few toys to play?
6. When you’re a teenager, were you hate to hang out with friends who like to laugh?
7. You don’t have any favorite song you like to sing?
8. You are not interested in funny stories?
9. If someone laughs, you like to stay away?
10. Did you felt uncomfortable with an environment that contains too many people laughing?
11. Funny and comedy films don’t interest you
12. There is not one comedian that you admire
13. In your opinion, laughter is just a waste of time
14. There isn’t a single memory from the past that easily makes you laugh
15. If there are funny movies on TV and cinemas, you are usually not interested to watch it.

If you answered “Yes” as many as 1 to 5, that is a sign that the happiness gene inside you is relatively healthy. If the number of “Yes” are 6 to 10, be careful, the happiness gene inside you is weak. If the number of “Yes” are 11 to 15, quickly learn to be happy, quickly find an environment that can help you grow happier. Your happiness gene is very small. A study led by Karen Seltz found that 50% of happiness was determined by heredity (genetics), 10% came from the environment. And the remaining 40% can be learned. Combined into one, these numbers can be used as a reference to map the journey ahead. Especially so that you can be happy until your old age.

The unluckiest people are those who happiness genes are very small and grow in an environment that have poor happiness energies such as hospitals, and are not interested in learning so that life can grows happily. A doctor’s friend who has chronic illness has been interviewed in depth at a meditation session. Apparently he barely had a beautiful memory since childhood. Work in a hospital where the environment contains a lot of sadness. And just realize that happiness can be learned. This are the group of people who needs the most lessons about living happily.

Some fortunate people are those group of people whose happiness genes are strong. In whatever environment they are in, they can easily be happy. Some characteristics of this type of human are easily recognizable. From always singing while they are alone, easily to laugh when remembering funny things, loving good jokes and comedy films, comfortable in an environment that contains lots of laughter and jokes, until loving reading funny stories. The immunity of this type of human group is usually relatively good. And also applies to their health. Relatively stable and maintained. A housewife who enjoys her calling as a housewife tells stories, that she rarely gets sick. Despite having been slammed by many problems in life. This woman is healthy and has a long life.

The luckiest type of people are those group of people who have the strongest happiness gene, grows in an easy environment that makes their heart easily happy, and are interested in training themselves to be happy. Especially by seeing everything from the happiness point of view. The principle of this group is very simple: “Jokes are the cheapest medicine, love is the most beautiful medicine.” A man who works in an entertainment center told me that he never got sick. When he saw the children playing in waterpark where he worked, he was easily become happy. So often he forget that it’s a workplace. Especially because the place is showered with laughter and jokes everyday.

As an ingredient for friends to train themselves to always be happy, there are three center of happiness inside. Those are the mind, heart, and daily motion. For friends who are smart and like to learn, it is possible that the center of their happiness is in their mind. If that happens, train your mind to always see things from the beautiful point of view. Remind yourself again and again, happiness is not the fruit of events. Happiness is the fruit of our own perspective. In summary, always try to summarize the events in life from a happy perspective. The beauty of not yet being rich, getting up early is very uplifting. The beauty of not having a vehicle, every day is a sports day. The beautiful thing from not having a handsome face is that no one is interested to invite you to be unfaithful.

For friends who are easily cry from their early childhood, are easily touched by suffering in this world, often feeling sorry for those in needs, maybe the center of your happiness is in the heart. For friends in this group, it is highly recommended to enrich the soul in the path of service. Especially serving other people to be happy. From teaching meditation to kindergarten children, serving the elderly and caring for other God’s creations. In short, learning to be happy by making other people happy. A way of happiness that is very deep, while making the soul rich in light.

Not a few people have the center of happiness in the daily motion. This type of human is full of activities. Their body will be healthy if their daily life contain many activities. If they were asked to take a break, do nothing at all, they easily falls ill. People of this type are advised to unite with daily vocation. No need to think about a future that is too far away. Simply blends perfectly with the present moment. In a concise but solid language : “Do the best at this time and be sincere about the results. Fill in the present with acceptance and smile “. That’s the happy recipe for this third group.

As practical advice for yourself and guiding your children, if your happiness genes are weak, from the very beginning choose schools, university majors and jobs that can make your seeds of happiness grow beautifully. Hotels, cruises, entertainment centers, vacation spots are some of the options available. For friends who already work in places that contain a lot of sadness such as hospitals and cremation sites, balance yourself during the weekends. Every night try to watch funny things. Listen to the music that easily makes your heart happy. Towards bedtime, talk only about beautiful things.

For those of you whose happiness genes are strong, spread the aura of happiness wherever you grow. It’s good if you learn to be a carrier of Light. Especially because this age really needs the help of your happiness. Work in a place that contains a lot of interaction between humans. So that your aura of happiness easily spreads. The part of customer service, public relations, television broadcasters (radio) is part of the profession that may be chosen. Through this approach, not only can you be happy, but your life is also showered with Light.

Author: Guruji Gede Prama.
Photo: Guruji with his grandson Putu Cahaya Prajna.
Translated by: Family Compassion.