The happiest man in the world? (independUK)

[katty]

more: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2171679.ece

22 January 2007 10:03 Home > News > UK > This Britain
The happiest man in the world?
... and you can learn how he does it, says academic-turned-Buddhist monk
By Anthony Barnes
Published: 21 January 2007

To scientists, he is the world's happiest man. His level of mind control is astonishing and the upbeat impulses in his brain are off the scale.

Now Matthieu Ricard, 60, a French academic-turned-Buddhist monk, is to share his secrets to make the world a happier place. The trick, he reckons, is to put some effort into it. In essence, happiness is a "skill" to be learned.

His advice could not be more timely as tomorrow Britain will reach what, according to a scientific formula, is the most miserable day of the year. Tattered new year resolutions, the faded buzz of Christmas, debt, a lack of motivation and the winter weather conspire to create a peak of misery and gloom.

But studies have shown that the mind can rise above it all to increase almost everyone's happiness. Mr Ricard, who is the French interpreter for Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, took part in trials to show that brain training in the form of meditation can cause an overwhelming change in levels of happiness.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. another study of the brain patterns in

Buddhist monks who had been doing spiritual practices for years showed a change in brain chemistry and a greater development of certain parts of the brain where it is believed certain positive emotions reside.

From personal experience, I know that using breath can help lower blood pressure and calm one's brain in a stressful situation. And it is a matter of practice.

[katty]

4. yes, meditation has always resulted in

an upliftment in my temperment. I have never been on meds, so meditation and physical exercise have really helped. I create a 'seed thought' upon which to meditate and do some visualization exercises. I read a few scientific articles recently that stated that the mind does not 'experience' pain (note, pls don't ask me to provide links for 'proof'-this is just a mention here.)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. My doctor meditates regularly

and knows the benefits. She runs a holistic health clinic and offers all kinds of classes as well. My husband and I are using breath and sound to help people relax.

[katty]

6. that's great - I find it necessary to center myself, especially

in a 24/7 breaking news cycle world!

[hashibabba]

2. It worked for me. I suffered from a lifetime of debilitating depression and

learned techniques that really have helped me through the years. I've been even more angry than usual at Bush lately, so I've pulled out the old *positive affirmations* and have been working on them again. I now consider myself, for the most part, to be *nauseatingly* optimistic! I have to say, all the meditation I practiced didn't take hold until after I finally got on meds. But once the meds kicked in, so did all the positive thinking I'd been practicing. I tell people about it all the time (this was about 15 years ago), but most people don't want to put the work into it--to become a HAPPY person!

[Stuckinthebush]

3. A scientific question....

Was it the meditation, the meds, or a combination of the two that resulted in a change in optimism?

[hashibabba]

7. Sorry it took me so long to get back to this.

The meditation works alone, but due to my severe depression, I needed to get out of the hole I was in before the meditation would really work (for me--I was in pretty bad shape at that time). I'm not depressed any more and the meditation works fine for me. When I find myself slipping, I just try to be more conscious of my thinking patterns.