Happi

nessnowbr
avi
nganewf
ront
ier
:Thesci
ence
l
ab
Theage-
oldquestofphi
losopher
sandspi
ri
tualmast
ers,
happi
nessi
snowbr
avi
ngnewf
ront
ier
s:t
hesci
encel
ab.
Getr
eadyt
orewi
reyourbr
aint
othatmostel
usi
veof
emot
ions.

Damay
ant
iDat
ta
Januar
y4,
2018 
|UPDATED 
17:
09I
ST
A+A-

Fr
amedbyt
heWest
ernGhat
s,ov
erl
ooki
ngeucal
ypt
usf
orest
sandcof
feef
iel
dsl
i
esBy
lakuppe,
ali
tt
le-
knownout
post
ofTi
bet
anBuddhi
sm i
nKar
nat
aka'
sCoor
gdi
str
ict
.Asi
gnboar
dreads,
Ser
aJeyMonast
icUni
ver
sit
y.I
nsi
de,
scar
let
pr
ayerf
lagsf
lut
ter
,asmonkschant
,st
udyandmedi
tat
e.Butwhatgoesoni
nasmal
ll
abor
ator
yint
hecampusmakes
f
oranunusual
spect
acl
e:her
emonksar
est
rappedt
oel
ect
rodesensor
s,whi
l
esci
ent
ist
smeasur
eupwar
dspi
ral
sof
posi
ti
veemot
ioni
nthei
rbr
ainonel
ect
roencephal
ogr
am,
orEEG,
machi
nes.Cal
li
ta'
happi
nesspr
oject
',
wher
e
sci
encemeet
sspi
ri
tual
i
ty.
I
magi
ne100bi
l
li
onl
i
ttl
ewi
spsofj
ell
y(ort
ofu,
ort
oot
hpast
e)t
hati
syourbr
ain.I
tcan'
tal
k't
oit
sel
f-
viamol
ecul
es,
neur
ons,
ner
venet
wor
ks-
fast
ert
hananF1car
.Itcanf
all
inl
ove,
docompl
exar
it
hmet
ic,
cont
empl
atet
hemeani
ngof
l
i
fe,
god.I
tcangooutofwhackf
rom l
onel
i
nessanddepr
essi
on.Andi
tcanf
il
lyouwi
thupr
oar
iousj
oy.Happi
ness,
the
domai
nofphi
l
osopher
sandspi
ri
tual
mast
ersf
orcent
uri
es,
hasf
oundanewbedmat
e:sci
ence.Neur
osci
ent
ist
sar
e
st
rappi
ngmonkst
oEEGandMRImachi
nes;
genet
ici
stsar
elocat
inggenesassoci
atedwi
thhappi
ness;
psy
chol
ogi
sts
ar
emov
ingawayf
rom t
hei
rcust
omar
yfocusondi
sor
der
sanddy
sfunct
ionst
oshednewl
i
ghtonhowposi
ti
ve
emot
ionscanhel
ppeopl
efl
our
ish;
economi
stshav
ejoi
nedt
hepar
ty,
seeki
ngt
ofi
ndoutwhatpeopl
ereal
l
yval
ue.
Wi
thi
tal
l
,peer
-r
evi
ewedacademi
cjour
nal
sar
epubl
i
shi
ngpaper
sonhappi
ness,
resear
cher
sar
ewi
nni
ngt
heNobel
Pr
ize(
economi
stSi
rAngusSt
ewar
tDeat
oni
n2015)andt
he"
sci
enceofhappi
ness"hasbecomet
hehott
opi
coft
he
day
.
UNHAPPYNATI
ON
Whatcoul
ditbet
hatmakesonehappy
?It
'saquest
ionev
eryI
ndi
anneedst
oconf
rontnow.I
ndi
aisnotj
ustoneoft
he
unhappi
estcount
ri
esi
nthewor
ld,
Indi
ansar
eal
soov
erwhel
mingl
yaf
fl
ict
edwi
thper
sist
entsadness.Ov
er50mi
l
li
on
I
ndi
ansar
esuf
fer
ingf
rom depr
essi
on,
over30mi
l
li
onot
her
sfr
om anx
iet
ydi
sor
der
s,r
epor
tst
heWor
ldHeal
th
Or
gani
zat
ioni
nit
snewgl
obal
heal
thest
imat
es.I
ndi
aisoneoft
hemostdepr
essedcount
ri
esi
nthewor
ld,
wit
hthe
mosty
ear
sofl
i
fel
ostduet
odepr
essi
onandanx
iet
y,f
oll
owedbyChi
naandt
heUS.I
ndi
aranks122ndamong155
count
ri
es-
adr
opof10poi
ntsf
rom 2012-
inTheWor
ldHappi
nessRepor
t2017publ
i
shedbyt
heUni
tedNat
ionsand
measur
edbypar
amet
ersl
i
kepercapi
taGDP,
soci
alsuppor
t,heal
thyl
i
feex
pect
ancy
,fr
eedom t
omakel
i
fechoi
ces
andt
rust
.
"
Itwoul
dber
aret
ofi
ndsomeonewhowoul
dsay
,'Iam v
eryhappy
wi
thl
i
fe'
,
"say
sDrSami
rPar
ikh,
dir
ect
orofment
alheal
thand
behav
ior
alsci
encesatFor
ti
sHospi
tal
s.
"
Ther
e'sahi
ghl
evel
ofst
ress,
frust
rat
ion,
anger
,di
scont
entand
i
rr
it
abi
l
ityar
oundus,
"hesay
s.Ther
easonscoul
dbeany
thi
ng,
from
cut
-t
hroatcompet
it
iont
osoci
o-economi
cdi
spar
it
ies,
urbani
sat
iont
o
smal
l
erf
ami
l
ies,
jobpr
essur
etot
imecr
unch,
from get
ti
ngst
ucki
n
t
raf
fi
cjamst
odesi
ri
ngamor
ehi
gh-
endcart
hant
heoney
ouhav
e.At
at
imewhenr
oadr
age,
domest
icabuse,
tempert
ant
rumsand
ex
plosi
veout
bur
stsofaggr
essi
onandl
osi
ngcont
rol
hav
ebecome
ev
ery
dayphenomenaar
oundus,
discussi
onsonhappi
nesst
akeon
gr
eat
eri
mpor
tance."
MostI
ndi
ansseem t
obel
ockedi
ntoal
i
fecy
cle,
wher
ethest
ressor
sandbadmoment
sout
str
ipgoodmoment
s,"he
poi
ntsout
."Wehav
etol
ear
ntoout
numberbadmoment
sbygood
moment
s,becausegoodmoment
sar
einourcont
rol
,badmoment
s
ar
enot
.Wedov
eryl
i
ttl
etomakeour
sel
vescont
entandhappy
."
STUMBLI
NGONHAPPI
NESS
"
Thei
deat
hatposi
ti
veemot
ionspl
ayacr
it
ical
rol
einourheal
thand
wel
l
-bei
ngi
snotnew,
buthappi
nessasaphenomenonhasr
ecei
ved
v
eryl
i
ttl
eat
tent
ionf
rom sci
ent
ist
ssol
ong,
"ex
plai
nsneur
obi
ologi
st
Sumant
raChat
tar
ji
,di
rect
oroft
heCent
ref
orBr
ainDev
elopmentand
Repai
ratt
heNat
ional
Cent
ref
orBi
ologi
cal
Sci
ences,
Bengal
uru.Par
tl
ybecauseneur
osci
encehasbeenheav
il
y
r
eli
antonr
atsandmousemodel
sforunder
standi
ngbr
ainf
unct
ionanddy
sfunct
ion,
hesay
s:"
Canr
atsf
eel
joy
?It
's
har
dtot
ell
."Thepast20y
ear
shav
eal
sowi
tnessedt
her
iseofanewf
iel
d,cogni
ti
veneur
osci
ence,
thatcombi
nest
wo
t
radi
ti
onal
l
ydi
sti
nctdi
sci
pli
nes-
cogni
ti
vepsy
chol
ogyandneur
ology
-toaddr
esst
heneur
alunder
pinni
ngsoft
he
 humanmi
nd.
"
Wear
eent
eri
ngt
hegol
denageofbr
ainsci
ence,
"say
sChat
tar
ji
.
Becausecl
assi
cal
phy
sicsi
sov
erandt
henewphy
sicsofcosmol
ogy
orst
ri
ngt
heor
yisst
il
lamy
ster
y,t
hebr
eat
htaki
ngpaceofpr
ogr
essi
n
t
hepastt
wodecadeshasbr
oughtneur
osci
encet
othecent
reof
sci
ent
if
ici
magi
nat
ion.Fr
om super
comput
ingt
oneur
oimagi
ng,
ther
e
hasbeenahugel
eapi
nourunder
standi
ngoft
hebr
ain,
thankst
o
t
echnol
ogy
,ex
plai
nsChat
tar
ji
.Funct
ional
MRIhasbeenr
esponsi
ble
f
ormuchoft
her
ecentgr
owt
hofhumanneur
osci
encer
esear
ch.I
tis
nowpossi
blet
omapandmeasur
eact
ivi
ty,
bloodf
lowandchangesi
n
t
hebr
ain,
inr
eal
timeandwi
thhi
ghaccur
acy
.Wi
thbot
htheEur
opean
Uni
onandt
heUni
tedSt
atesannounci
nghef
tyf
undi
ngt
olong-
ter
m
pr
ogr
ammes,
mappi
ngt
hehumanbr
aini
sbei
ngt
out
edas"
medi
cine'
s
nex
tHumanGenomePr
oject
"."
Thesci
enceofhappi
nessi
semer
ging
asaby
-pr
oductoft
hisi
ntenseengagementwi
tht
hebr
ain,
"headds.
Whathav
ethehappi
nessr
esear
cher
sdi
scov
eredsof
ar?I
t'
sa
conceptcal
l
edneur
opl
ast
ici
ty,
thatt
hehumanbr
ainhast
remendous
capaci
tyt
oreor
gani
seandr
e-engi
neeri
tsel
f,bot
hphy
sical
l
yand
f
unct
ional
l
y,t
hroughouty
ourl
i
fe.Thebr
ainwasoncet
houghtt
obe
compl
etel
yimmut
abl
e,notcapabl
eofchange,
aft
erchi
l
dhood.Hence,
i
foneoft
hecompl
exci
rcui
tsi
nthebr
aingotdamaged,
itwasgone
f
orev
er.I
n1995,
neur
osci
ent
istV.
S.Ramachandr
an,
cur
rent
lydi
rect
or
oft
heCent
erf
orBr
ainandCogni
ti
onatt
heUni
ver
sit
yofCal
i
for
nia,
SanDi
ego,
fir
stshowed,
thr
oughaser
iesofsi
mpl
eex
per
iment
s,t
hat
ev
eni
fpar
tsofabr
ainwer
edamaged,
dest
roy
edormi
ssi
ng,
itwas
possi
blef
orr
emai
ningpar
tst
olear
nhowt
otakeov
ert
hef
unct
ionst
hatwer
elost
.
Thebr
aini
snowconsi
der
edady
nami
cor
gan.Weknownowt
hati
tispossi
blet
ofor
m newbr
aincel
l
s,cal
l
edneur
ons,
ev
eni
nadul
thood,
itcanr
ever
sedamageordy
sfunct
ion,
iti
scapabl
eofenor
mouspl
ast
ici
ty,
wit
hci
rcui
tschangi
ng
andv
ari
ousner
vecel
l
sandpar
tsoft
hebr
ain"
tal
ki
ng"t
oeachot
herconst
ant
ly,
asRamachandr
anshowed.Thi
s
concepti
satt
hehear
tofbr
ainsci
ence.
"
Sci
ent
ist
ssi
mpl
yunder
est
imat
edt
her
esi
l
ienceandr
egener
ati
vecapaci
tyi
nthehumanbr
ain,
"addsChat
tar
ji
.
Neur
opl
ast
ici
tyi
sthepr
ocessbywhi
chonel
ear
nst
opl
ayamusi
cal
inst
rument
,lear
nanewl
anguage,
recov
erf
rom
st
roke,
inj
ury
,bi
rt
hdef
ect
sandi
mpr
ovedi
sor
der
sli
keaut
ism orat
tent
ionandl
ear
ningdi
sabi
l
iti
es.I
tisal
sot
heway
t
opul
loutofdepr
essi
on,
anx
iet
y,obsessi
ve-
compul
siv
edi
sor
der
s,addi
cti
onsandr
ever
seunhappi
nesspat
ter
nst
o
happi
ness.
CAPACI
TYFORHAPPI
NESS
I
n2014,
"thewor
ld'
shappi
estman"
,aBuddhi
stmonkf
rom aTi
bet
anmonast
ery
,taughtmi
ndf
ulmedi
tat
iont
othe
mov
ersandshaker
satt
heWor
ldEconomi
cFor
um i
nDav
os.Mat
thi
euRi
car
d,70,
onceamol
ecul
argenet
ici
stand
nowacl
oseassoci
ateoft
heDal
aiLama,
hadbecomet
hepost
erboyf
ort
hehappi
nesspr
act
iceev
ersi
ncehet
ook
par
tina12-
yearbr
ainst
udyatt
heUni
ver
sit
yofWi
sconsi
n,US.Theneur
osci
ent
ist
shadst
rapped256sensor
stohi
s
skul
landf
oundt
hathi
sbr
ainpr
oducedal
evel
ofgammawav
es-
thosel
i
nkedt
oconsci
ousness,
att
ent
ion,
lear
ning
andmemor
y-"
nev
err
epor
tedbef
orei
ntheneur
osci
encel
i
ter
atur
e".Thescansal
soshowedi
ntenseact
ivi
tyont
hel
eft
pr
e-f
ront
alcor
tex
,associ
atedwi
thpl
easantemot
ions,
indi
cat
inga
v
eryl
argecapaci
tyf
orhappi
ness.
Mi
ndf
ulmedi
tat
ionhasr
ecei
vedt
heat
tent
ionofpsy
chol
ogi
stssi
nce
t
he1990s,
wit
hapar
adi
gm shi
fti
nthedi
sci
pli
ne,
whenpsy
chol
ogi
sts
st
art
edar
gui
ngf
orani
ncr
easedf
ocusoni
nvest
igat
inghowt
omake
l
i
febet
ter
-heal
thandwel
l
-bei
ng,
mot
ivat
ion,
capaci
ti
es,
pot
ent
ial
,
soci
alf
unct
ioni
ngandot
herposi
ti
veemot
ions-
rat
hert
hanonnegat
ive
ordy
sfunct
ional
for
cesi
ndai
l
yli
fe."
Inr
ecenty
ear
s,t
her
ehasbeen
i
ncr
easi
ngi
nter
esti
nmi
ndf
ulnessandmedi
tat
ionappr
oachesf
or
managi
ngst
ress,
anx
iet
yanddepr
essi
on,
"say
sDrMahendr
aP.
Shar
ma,
prof
essorandheadoft
heDepar
tmentofCl
i
nical
Psy
chol
ogy
att
heNat
ional
Inst
it
uteofMent
alHeal
thandNeur
osci
ences
(
NIMHANS)i
nBengal
uru.Mi
ndf
ulnessgoesbackt
oIndi
a'
sanci
ent
t
echni
quesofVi
passanamedi
tat
ionandmeans'
consci
ous
obser
vat
ion'
int
hePal
il
anguage."
It
'sast
atei
nwhi
chonei
srequi
red
t
oremai
npsy
chol
ogi
cal
l
y'pr
esent
'wi
thwhat
everhappenswi
thi
nand
ar
oundone,
wit
houtr
eact
ingi
nanyway
,"Shar
masay
s.
MAKEYOUMI
NDFUL
Newr
esear
chi
nneur
obi
ologyhasbr
oughtaboutcr
uci
alchangesi
n
psy
chot
her
apy
.Mi
ndf
ulness-
basedcogni
ti
vebehav
iour
alt
her
apy
met
hods(
MBCT)ar
eanappr
oachbei
ngusedi
ncr
easi
ngl
y,i
n
col
l
abor
ati
onwi
thEast
ernpsy
chol
ogi
cal
str
ategi
essuchas
mi
ndf
ulnessmedi
tat
ion,
asat
reat
mentf
ormaj
ordepr
essi
onand
anx
iet
ydi
sor
der
s,ex
plai
nsDrShar
ma.Her
eishowi
twor
ks:
MrS,
a34
-
year
-ol
dmar
ri
edmal
e,apost
graduat
e,wasr
efer
redt
oNI
MHANSf
or
t
hemanagementofhi
sanx
iet
ysy
mpt
oms.Eachmor
ning,
hewas
askedt
osi
tqui
etl
yforawhi
l
einar
oom neart
hedoct
or'
schamber
,
br
eat
hei
nandoutnat
ural
l
y,easi
l
yandt
henf
ocusont
hebr
eat
hing.
Andev
erymor
ning,
thoset
hought
swoul
dcomef
loodi
ng:
hisl
i
feei
ght
y
ear
sago.Hi
smot
her
'sf
acet
hrought
het
rai
nwi
ndow.Tear
ful
.Hi
s
f
athery
awni
ng,
looki
ngaway
.Thatbossi
ntheBengal
uruof
fi
ce.How
hi
svoi
cej
arr
ed.Whatahugenoset
hatmanhad.Howhepi
ckedon
hi
m,f
orev
eryl
i
ttl
emi
stake,
inf
rontofot
her
s.Whydi
dhet
akesuch
t
reat
ment
?Whycoul
dn'
thepr
otest
?Hewassuchaweakl
i
ng.That
's
whyev
ery
bodyt
reat
edhi
m sobadl
y."
All
owt
het
hought
stocome.
They
'l
lgoaway
,"DrShar
masai
d."
Ify
oubl
ocky
ourt
hought
s,t
hey
'l
lbe
st
oredi
nyourbr
ainandcomeback,
maybei
nyourdr
eams.Justdon'
t
j
udgey
our
sel
f,orot
her
s.For
giv
ethem,
for
giv
eyour
sel
f.
"
Cl
i
ckher
etoEnl
arge
 
Shar
masai
d:"
Not
iceev
eryl
i
ttl
ebodi
l
ysensat
ion,
ani
tchorasl
i
ghtache,
ati
ngl
i
ng.Don'
tj
udge-
good,
bad,
annoy
ing-
andl
ett
hem pass.Not
iceeachpar
tofy
ourbody
,fr
om headt
otoe.Not
iceev
ery
thi
ng:
sight
s,sounds,
smel
l
s,t
ast
es,
t
ouches.Namet
hem '
si
ght
',
'sound'
,'
smel
l
','
tast
e',
or'
touch'
.Don'
tj
udge.Accepty
our
sel
f.Acceptot
her
s.Andl
ett
he
t
hought
sgo.
"Onmostday
s,t
ear
srol
l
eddownhi
scheeks:
inmemor
y,i
nsadness,
ofwast
edy
ear
s,wast
edl
i
fe.
"
Acceptt
hepr
esenceoft
heemot
ionswi
thoutj
udgementandl
ett
hem go.Not
icehowy
ourbodyf
eel
s,asangerand
sor
rowent
er.Repl
acet
hem wi
thnewt
hought
s,ofhowmuchy
ourwi
fel
ovesy
ou,
thedi
shesy
ourmot
hercooksf
or
y
ou,
howt
hecabbi
ethankedy
ouf
ort
heRs10t
ip.Wi
shf
oral
ltheangert
ogoaway
,andnotcomebackev
er.Tel
l
y
our
sel
f,agai
nandagai
n."
Foradoct
or,
mindf
ulmedi
tat
ionwi
theachpat
ientt
akest
imeandener
gy.Buti
t'
sapl
easur
etoseepeopl
ebenef
it
ti
ng
f
rom t
het
reat
mentandget
ti
ngst
ronger
,happi
er,
daybyday
.Whent
he34-
year
-ol
dmancamet
oDrShar
ma,
hehad
suchanacut
esenseofi
nfer
ior
it
yandanx
iet
yabouthi
sfut
uret
hathesuf
fer
edf
rom pal
pit
ati
ons,
hesay
s.Hebel
i
eved
hewasdoi
ngwel
lei
ghty
ear
sago,
hadt
omov
etoBengal
uruaf
tercompl
eti
nghi
sgr
aduat
iont
opur
suehi
gherst
udi
es.
Buthi
sfat
herr
efusedt
osuppor
thi
m whi
chf
orcedhi
mtot
akeupaj
obt
osuppor
thi
seducat
ion.Hi
sbosschi
dedhi
m
f
orev
erymi
normi
stake,
inf
lami
nghi
ssenseofi
nadequacy
.Hef
ail
edi
nhi
sex
ami
nat
ion,
whi
chl
edt
oaboutof
depr
essi
onandmor
einf
eri
ori
ty.Hebeganav
oidi
nghi
sfr
iendsandst
art
edchangi
ngj
obsof
ten."
Heconsi
der
edhi
s
l
i
fet
obeacompl
etewast
eandbl
amedhi
msel
fforal
lthathadhappenedt
ohi
m,"say
sDrShar
ma.Thedoct
orwor
ked
wi
thhi
m,hel
pedhi
mident
if
yhi
s"i
rr
ati
onal
thought
sandbel
i
efs"
,emot
ionst
hatwer
enegat
ive,
biased,
sel
f-
cri
ti
cal
,
l
i
mit
ingorot
her
wisedi
stor
ted.Hi
sthought
sandbel
i
efswer
eev
aluat
edandr
epl
aced
ov
ert
imewi
thmor
eposi
ti
ve,
bal
ancedandf
unct
ional
ones."
Wit
hfi
vet
o20mi
nut
esof
mi
ndf
ulmedi
tat
ionev
eryday
,Ibel
i
eve,
hewi
l
lleadahappyl
i
feagai
n,
"say
sShar
ma.
HAPPI
NESSMOMENT
'
Happi
nessmoment
'i
sthehotnewt
erm.Thej
argonoft
hemoment
.Gov
ernment
s
acr
osst
hewor
ldar
erushi
ngt
omeasur
ethehappi
nessofci
ti
zens:
Bhut
an,
Ecuador
,
Mex
ico,
Venez
uel
aandBol
i
viameasur
epr
osper
it
yaswel
laswel
l
-bei
ng.Thecor
por
ate
wor
ldi
shi
ri
ng'
chi
efhappi
nessof
fi
cer
s'.Googl
eal
sohasar
esi
dentJol
l
yGoodFel
l
owt
o
pr
omot
eemot
ional
int
ell
i
gence.Consci
ousnessl
ect
urer
sar
edoi
ngt
her
oundsonpubl
i
c
l
ect
ureci
rcui
ts-
fr
om TEDt
oDav
os.Br
andsar
epr
omot
ing'
j
oymar
ket
ing'
campai
gns:
f
rom TMobi
l
e'sFl
ashMobDancet
oCoca-
Col
a'
s"OpenHappi
ness"
.Theex
plosi
onof
DI
Ys,
how-
tosandgener
alwi
sdom books-
182,
246t
it
lesonamaz
on.
com-
isy
etanot
her
sy
mpt
om oft
hehappi
nessphenomenon.Thewor
ldoft
echnol
ogyi
smov
ingt
owar
d
'
empat
het
ic'
gadget
s:f
rom wear
abl
esensor
stomeasur
ewor
kpl
acehappi
nessby
Japanesegi
antHi
tachi
tot
he'
hedonomet
er'
creat
edbyUSmat
hemat
ici
anst
orecor
d
gl
obal
happi
nessi
nreal
time,
basedonTwi
tt
erwor
ds.
Happi
nesshasnev
erseemedsopr
eci
ousorf
eltsopr
ecar
ious.Per
hapst
hat
'swhyt
he
gov
erni
ngcl
asshasj
oinedt
hehappi
nesscr
usadewi
thsuchv
im andv
igour
.
I
nAndhr
aPr
adesh,
Chi
efMi
nist
erChandr
ababuNai
dui
snur
tur
ingacapi
tal
dream:
of
r
etr
ofi
tt
ingt
heanci
entci
tyofAmar
avat
iforhappi
ness."
Itwi
l
lbeahappyci
ty,
"he
decl
aredi
nJul
ylasty
ear
.Hei
spl
anni
ngat
echnol
ogi
cal
nir
vana,
wher
eener
gy-
eff
ici
ent
bui
l
dingswi
l
lov
erl
ookwat
erbodi
es,
cleanener
gycar
swi
l
lhogt
hest
reet
s,whi
l
e
pol
l
uti
on,
over
headwi
resandmobi
l
etower
swi
l
lbeat
hingoft
hepast
.Her
e,happy
peopl
ewi
l
lli
vehappi
l
yev
eraf
ter
.
Hei
snotal
one:
lasty
ear
,Indi
a'
sfi
rstst
atet
osetupaDepar
tmentofHappi
ness,
Madhy
a
Pr
adesh,
hel
daweek-
longHappi
nessFest
ival
.Wor
ri
edaboutt
her
isi
ngdi
vor
cer
ates,
br
okenf
ami
l
ies,
fart
oomanysi
ngl
epeopl
eandt
hehi
ghsui
cider
atesamongf
armer
s,
Chi
efMi
nist
er 
Shi
vraj
SinghChouhan 
i
sty
ingupwi
thI
ITKhar
agpur
'sbr
andnew"
happi
ness
l
ab"t
ochal
koutaHappi
nessI
ndexf
ort
hest
ate.Ov
er32,
000"
happi
nessv
olunt
eer
s"ar
e
hol
ding"
happi
nesst
utor
ial
s,
"or
gani
sing"
happi
nesscl
ubs"andf
est
ivi
ti
esacr
osst
he
st
ate.I
nspi
redbyMP,
andf
acedwi
thanal
armi
ngr
isei
nfar
mersui
cides,
the
Mahar
asht
ragov
ernmenti
snowr
oot
ingf
ora"
happi
nessdepar
tment
"tomakesur
eit
s
ci
ti
zensar
ehappy
.
Cl
i
ckher
etoEnl
arge
 
At
oughcal
l
.TwoNobel
-wi
nni
nghappi
nessr
esear
cher
s,economi
stAngusDeat
onandpsy
chol
ogi
stDani
el
Kahneman,
anal
ysedt
her
esponsesof450,
000par
ti
cipant
sin2010t
oshowt
hatt
her
ear
etwot
ypesofhappi
ness:
t
heday
-to-
dayj
oy,
str
ess,
sadness,
angerandaf
fect
iont
hatmakel
i
fepl
easantorunpl
easant
;andt
hedeeper
sat
isf
act
ionaboutone'
sli
fewhenonet
hinksabouti
t.Whatr
oledoesmoneypl
ayi
nbot
h?Ther
esear
cher
sfoundt
hat
ev
ery
daywel
l
-bei
ngwasdi
ctat
edmor
ebyi
l
lheal
th,
lonel
i
nessandot
hermi
sfor
tunes,
whi
l
eli
feev
aluat
ionbyi
ncome
andeducat
ion.Whenpl
ott
ed,
ther
esear
cher
sfoundt
hati
ncomebel
ow$75,
000ay
eardepr
ivedpeopl
eofbot
hty
pes
ofhappi
ness,
whi
l
ethoseear
ningabov
eitboughtl
i
fesat
isf
act
ionbutnothappi
ness.
HAPPI
NESSADVANTAGE
Sci
encenowknowst
hathappi
nessst
art
siny
ourbr
ain.Justbehi
ndy
ourf
orehead,
abov
ethel
eftey
e.I
tli
ght
supt
he
pl
easur
ehot
spot
sdeepi
nsi
dey
ourbr
ain,
signal
l
ingt
hecor
ner
sofy
ourey
est
ocr
easeandy
ourmout
htot
il
tina
smi
l
e.Ti
nyf
eel
goodmol
ecul
esf
loody
ourner
voussy
stem wi
tht
henews:
yourbodyr
elax
es,
hear
trat
ecomesdown,
bl
oodpr
essur
edr
ops,
str
esshor
monest
akeabackseat
,andy
ourmoodi
mpr
oves.Unknownt
oyou,
yourbr
ainst
ores
i
tal
lasahappymemor
y.Themor
eyousmi
l
e,t
hemor
eyouact
ivat
eyourhappybr
ain.
I
sthatt
heanswert
heBuddhadi
scov
ered2,
500y
ear
sago?"
All
li
vi
ngbei
ngsdesi
rehappi
nessandr
ecoi
lfr
om
suf
fer
ing(
sabbesat
tasukha-
kamadukkha-
pat
ikkul
a),
"sai
dtheBuddha.Today
,happi
nessi
sauni
ver
sal
humanr
ight
andgoal
,mandat
edbyt
heUni
tedNat
ions.Butwhati
shappi
ness,
any
way
?Doweev
enknowwhati
sitt
hatcoul
d
makeushappy
?Woul
dfr
equencyofposi
ti
veex
per
iencesbeabet
terpr
edi
ctorofone'
shappi
nessort
hei
ntensi
tyof
one'
sposi
ti
veex
per
iences?Woul
dsomebodywi
thal
otofmi
l
dlyni
cet
hingshappeni
ngeachdaybehappi
ert
han
somebodywi
thasi
ngl
etr
ulyamaz
ingt
hing?
Assci
encemeet
sspi
ri
tual
i
ty,
ther
oadt
ohappi
nessf
ort
he21stcent
urybecomescl
ear
er:
bequi
ckt
olaughandsl
ow
t
oanger
,medi
tat
e,ex
erci
se,
getenoughsl
eep,
becompassi
onat
e,hel
pot
her
s,nur
tur
eyoursoci
alconnect
ions,
beat
peace,
comf
ort
abl
einy
ourownski
n,andt
hankf
ulf
oral
lthati
shappeni
ngt
oyou."
Iti
sonl
ywhenwehav
eami
nd
underourowncont
rol
thatwecanbet
rul
yhappy
,"sai
dtheBuddha.Wai
tforsci
encet
otel
lusmor
eonhowt
oli
vet
he
l
i
fewewantt
oli
ve.