Do you want to know the secret to a happy life? Of course you do! We all do!
One week ago, my husband and I walked into a room and the outpourings of love that were showered on every single individual were absolutely awe inspiring. That room was Happiness on steroids! Have you been to a high school reunion? I haven’t, but I always have this Hollywood idea that the cattiness and cliques remain beyond time and that all anyone is really interested in is how fat you have become and how much money you make now. So the happy-festival I witnessed when I attended my husband’s 30 year reunion for his summer job as a camp counselor for senior leaders was a total surprise for me.
I don’t know how a random Universe could gather 50 people and have all of them been so egoless and so concerned for the wellbeing of others (then again I don’t believe in a random universe 🙂 ). Many of them went on to a career of service to others, from teachers to psychologists, peace keepers and environmentalists. During the reunion they went back to being fast friends as if time had never elapsed, skin had never wrinkled and hair had never grayed. They even sat in a circle and sang along to some guitar playing the way they had 30 years ago. I felt like I had opened a time capsule, one I would have gladly climbed in and gone back in time to be with people I had never met before that day.
That feeling was essentially the topic covered by Gregg Braden during his talk at I Can Do It! Toronto. He has traveled the world delving into many ancient cultures and has written several fabulous books with his findings. Gregg is a brilliant man.
If I attempt to condense a two hour talk into a paragraph… he said the secret to a happy life is love and compassion. He saw it confirmed across history in all cultures and religions, and I am pretty sure he’s right. He then went on to demonstrate how we can feel this by having us touch our own heart center with our hand and watch a video that is sure to move most people to tears it is so uplifting and full of love and compassion. We all literally felt the emotion in our chest. Gregg’s advice was to go to that place as often as we can.
I knew of the concept of heart coherence and blogged about it as a guest blogger over at Life in Pleasantville right after the Boston Marathon bombing, but witnessing it first hand to such a degree as with my husband’s reunion was a gift that I shall not soon forget.
My answer to a happy life? As far as I can tell, it is in losing your ego-self to love and compassion for others, as often as you can.
What do you think is the answer to the secret of a happy life? What makes you happy?
