Get on the path to happiness and cheer

Here’s how you begin the process: Ignore and refuse to acknowledge the unhappy side of life. Fix your sights firmly on happy thoughts. This is called ‘re-framing’ in psychology. It is actually ‘magical’ thinking. Some of us are born optimists. But the rest of us have to work at it by letting go of control issues, and having the ability to say, “I’m dispensable.”  We all are. And once you accept that, the hard crust of self-importance and self-absorption will crack. There may be a few moments of fear and doubt. But soon, the knot will relax and turn into exuberance.

It’s true that happiness cannot be easily attained. It is a grassy pathway that each of us has to traverse. The only way to reach it is to stay calm instead of anxious; non-judgmental and observant instead of emotional.

Cleanse the mind of toxic emotions every day. Chanting a mantra or singing a hymn has proved to be a powerful technique to achieve this. It burns up morbid thoughts and brings in silence and a sense of calm.

If you’re unable to do it for yourself, do it for a sibling, spouse, child or friend. This is  ‘re-framing’ of another kind — visualise them regaining colour in their cheeks and a spring in their step. You may not understand the meaning of the mantra, but you’re speaking the language of the heart — well-meaning, helpful and loving, creating a path for healing energy. To be sure, the positive energy  will reach out and do its job.

The beauty about chanting is that it soon becomes one’s salvation. Wounds begin to heal, and obsessive thoughts fade to be replaced by a sense of calm and confidence.
Chanting and meditation help you realise and see the world for what it is — a friendly and warm place. Through chanting, you learn to accept your flaws.

As Osho once said, “When you have seen the infinite, you will not want to go after the insignificant.” When you relinquish control, you restore content.
 
The writers are authors of ‘Fitness for Life’ and teachers of the Fitness for Life programme.