This is a proposed theory on what the true nature of happiness is, and a way of perceiving and thinking designed to develop true happiness.

My proposed theory on the true nature of happiness argues that happiness is the embodiment of compassion enabling qualities like patience, tolerance, selflessness, forgiveness¦ amongst others. All of these qualities are present within all human beings in varying degrees. Each quality can be developed through an awareness and will to practice their development.

Awareness will be stimulated through a recognition of the consequences of our behaviour and whether we desire to experience these consequences or not. A willingness to practice and develop these qualities will be stimulated through the recognition of the beneficial attributes that each quality provides to our own sense of well being and enjoyment of who we are, as well as the benefits to our experience of our reality and our harmonious interaction with others.

The thinking behind this theory is that the qualities we enjoy in others that we value and appreciate are the same qualities that when embodied will encourage us to value and appreciate who we are. The embodiment of qualities like patience and tolerance when expressed sincerely will nurture human relationships that are supportive, encouraging and harmonious with this desirable interaction being reflected back to us with a heightened appreciation of who we are, both from others and internally towards ourselves.

Frequently happiness is confused with pleasure, with the pursuit of happiness focused on acquiring pleasurable experiences. I am proposing that the true state of happiness is when we fall in love with who we are being¦ we are happy with who we are being¦ we are being happy. This proposed true state of happiness has nothing to do with experiences that stimulate a pleasurable feeling, rather a state of internal enjoyment of who we are that informs each moment and experience with a sense of enjoyment.

The practicing and development of compassion enabling qualities is enabled through altering our perception of experiences, especially in relation to ˜unwanted™ experiences that may cause us anger, hurt, frustration, boredom¦ anything that we deem as unwanted.

The foundation of an altered perception is an understanding of two core principles that I am proposing:

1. That there is no inherent judgement value in any experience.

2. That we have the power to choose our response to any experience.

The first principle states that there is no experience that is inherently good or bad nor right or wrong, and that it is our perspective that determines how we interpret and value an experience that introduces notions of an experience being good and bad / right and wrong.

We all recognise that there is a fundamental essence of subjectivity to all of our experiences, and that for one person an experience can be good (wanted) whilst for another person the same experience can be bad (unwanted). What distinguishes between an experience being considered as wanted or unwanted stems from our relation to the experience through the context and mood type that we relate the experience in and through.

An understanding of how we interpret and value experiences, with the recognition of the consequential effects of our associated behaviour, aligned with an understanding of the inherent value neutrality within each experience should enable the required awareness and will to change behavioural forms that have been conditioned or learnt through a distorted perception of the value of an experience to ourselves.

When considering how we respond to an unwanted experience it is vital that we understand two indisputable conclusions of our behaviour:

1. That we have no control over the consequences of our behaviour once interacted with others, including the quantity of the consequences.

2. That we have no control over the quality of the consequences and how ourselves, others and circumstances will be effected by our behaviour.

Although it is true that we can never know all of the consequences of our behaviour, the realisation that the consequences are literally never-ending alongside some creative imagining of the quality of those consequences, should be sufficient to instigate a willingness to appropriate our behaviour in accordance with how we would feel if we were aware of the consequences of our behaviour, and it is at the point of perception that an effective change will occur.

That we have the power to choose our response to any experience is an intuitive conclusion of a value neutral reality, with the most reasonable response being one from which our happiness is enabled.

So, if happiness is the embodiment of certain qualities like patience, tolerance, selflessness, generosity¦ and we have the power to choose how we respond to an experience, then it is clear that those experiences that challenge our patience, tolerance, selflessness etc. are also the experiences that are opportunities to practice and develop the appropriate quality that will enable our enjoyment of who we are being and contribute to our being happy.

This shift in perspective has the rather beautiful consequence of previously unwanted experiences becoming, not only wanted experiences, but experiences that are embraced and interacted with vitality and intrigue, with the potential for exponential growth and increased happiness. In other words, when the shit hits our fan¦ a smile fits our face.

"1. That there is no inherent judgement value in any experience.

2. That we have the power to choose our response to any experience."

if there is no judgement value, for what use is to choose your response,,, ?

Someone steals all your stuff, and your forced to live in a less stable manner.

You can interpret that situation as dreaful and frightning or you can interpret it as a challenging & exiting adventure.

See the value in that funkgunk?

[quote1214193479=funkgunk]
"1. That there is no inherent judgement value in any experience.

2. That we have the power to choose our response to any experience."

if there is no judgement value, for what use is to choose your response,,, ?


[/quote1214193479]

Success or failure.

His 2nd "principle" is false though... you do not have the power to choose your response to excessive childhood trauma. You may gain a little power over the automatic responses through knowledge and effort, with lots of help, and maybe even more power, with drugs... but this is no power to choose.

You may gain a little power over the automatic responses through knowledge and effort, with lots of help, and maybe even more power, with drugs... but this is no power to choose.

Well, the person can choose to deal with the problem through therapy or decide not to deal with it at all. There's still a choice there.

Heres a kick in the nuts from the book As A Man Thinketh, which roots itself in the same principles MindAt expouses. (Might I also announce my undue annoyance with his impressions)
--dark copy--

It has been usual for men to think and to say, "Many men are slaves because one is an oppressor; let us hate the oppressor." Now, however, there is among an increasing few a tendency to reverse this judgment, and to say, "One man is an oppressor because many are slaves; let us despise the slaves." The truth is that oppressor and slave are cooperators in ignorance, and, while seeming to afflict each other, are in reality afflicting themselves. A perfect Knowledge perceives the action of law in the weakness of the oppressed and the misapplied power of the oppressor. A perfect Love, seeing the suffering which both states entail, condemns neither. A perfect Compassion embraces both oppressor and oppressed.---sound bit pork---