In a fast-moving world where mental health is increasingly a problem, people need to build skills that help them consciously remain happy.
A note on Quality of life (QOL)
Wikipedia says the following on “Quality of Life”:
Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns”.[Standard indicators of the quality of life include wealth, employment, the environment, physical and mental health, education, recreation and leisure time, social belonging, religious beliefs, safety, security and freedom.
The above definition appears needlessly convoluted to me. If I were to define QOL, I would phrase it thus:
A person’s QOL depends on two things. First is good physical health. And the second is level of personal happiness.
Take away either of the above two (health or happiness), and the quality of life falls. Importantly, after the first condition (good physical health) has been met, the second factor becomes the important one. I believe most people in this world are subconsciously chasing the second objective (happiness) and see little difference between it and QOL.
My personal experience tells me that wealth is not the deciding factor that determines happiness.[1] A person can have a lot more wealth than s/he needs and still be unhappy (something many of the rich appear surprisingly good at). Conversely, a person can have the minimum wealth s/he needs and yet be very happy. So, wealth matters only to the extent it can make a person healthy enough to be happy. While studies on happiness like this one point to a body of evidence to the contrary,[2] I would say that the true insight here lies not in where the majority is (higher self-reported passive happiness[3] correlating with higher wealth) but what a small minority appears to be doing (remaining happy in the face of adverse social and wealth positioning).
Defining Happiness Skill Index (HSI)
I would define HSI as a measure of an individual’s ability to be and remain happy. This is different from happiness level of a person. HSI would measure the resilience of happiness in the face of adverse circumstances.
As I have mentioned above, most people appear to be implicitly chasing happiness. HSI is probably the best predictor or a person’s success in remaining happy because external conditions can always turn unfavourable.
HSI levels could be delineated as something like below:
Level 0: Being unhappy in all circumstances.
Level 1: Being unhappy in most circumstances.
Level 2: Being happy or unhappy depending upon the circumstance.
Level 3: Being happy in most circumstances.
Level 4: Being happy is all circumstances.
I surmise that most people would have a HSI of 2. Level 4 is important to mention since this is what we may implicitly aspire towards.
The world should be talking about happiness skill
Admittedly, the above definition of this index levels is far from perfect. To start with what does “most circumstances” mean? And how challenging are the “circumstances” for happiness? But, my aim here is not to provide a rigorous definition. It is to float an idea that does not appear to get the attention it deserves. In an age where lives become busier (with more frequent ups and downs) and mental health is increasingly seen as a challenge, our skill at keeping ourselves happy is key. But there appears to be little discussion on this skill, let alone an effort to understand or build it.
The Key: Use Skills Built Through TAME Meditation Technique
This has been the message of many of my articles on this site. In my experiences, the most powerful way to remain happy is to build specific meditational skills (see article) and then apply these skills throughout the day to keep the mind peaceful and engaged. This technique separates the peace within the mind from things happening around us.
Ultimately, the skill to keep oneself happy is the same as the skill to remain unconditionally happy. This means that the mind is kept insulated from the chaos that can surround us. Regardless of how things are going around us, one can remain at peace within while being meaningfully engaged. This brings out the best: peace and happiness inside and an engaged and active person outside.
Closing notes
Look to the knowledge of Yoga to raise QOL and happiness
Ancient Indian texts provided us with learning to address this happiness skill problem thousands of years ago. The body of knowledge they built (Yoga) to develop happiness skills has been hiding in plain sight for quite some time. It’s time for the world to take notice.[4]
Success in life
As with QOL, so with success in life. Success in life depends upon HSI since the implicit objective of most people appears to be happiness, not wealth. By casting happiness as dependent on our economic or social position, we condemn ourselves into a rat rate that half of humanity would be doomed to lose. And those is the “top” half would probably go through life looking over their shoulders to see if others are catching up. Building happiness skills seems to be a much better alternative.
Footnotes
[1] I need to point out that this position of mine is contradictory to presently accepted beliefs on happiness including studies done on it. The QOL definition in the opening of this article talks about QOL being dependent upon the perception of one’s “position”. In another article, I have talked about studies on happiness that also fly in the face of this position. But, as I have pointed out in this earlier article, happiness can come from an ability to foster it rather than from passively being in a privileged position.
[2] These studies show that in general, self-reported levels of happiness rise with increase in wealth.
[3] I would define passive happiness as coming from the material condition a person finds himself in. Such a person may not be able to consciously keep himself happy if he faces difficulties in life. On the other hand, an actively happy person would be skilful at managing her mind well enough to remain happy even if conditions turn adversarial.
[4] As I have pointed out in another article, Yoga is not about physical exercises. It is about how to keep the mind at peace.
Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading
The Advanced Meditation Exercise (TAME): This meditation technique is an incredibly powerful way to keep the mind peaceful. It is prescribed in Bhagwad Gita, the primary book of Indian spiritual heritage. It derives its power by activating three key things in us: detachment, stillness, and transformation.
Why TAME meditation appears to work better than other techniques: TAME meditation appears to be more effective than other meditation techniques because it activates three essential elements of meditation: detachment, transformation, and stillness. Meditation needs all three.
Use Meditation to counter depression and stress: Modern approaches towards depression and stress are not working as they do not understand the mind that creates them. It’s time to rethink our approach.
TAME Meditation can block out pain: TAME meditation technique can block out pain. This works best for pain that is constant and predictable. But it needs practice. And, Modern Science needs to pay attention.
