JustBreathe

a magazine by HEALING HOTELS OF THE WORLD

  • Body
    • Health
    • Ayurveda
    • Detox
    • Anti-Stress
    • Beauty
    • Healing Water
    • Graceful Aging
    • Weight Loss
    • Fitness
    • Sleep
  • Mind
    • New Consciousness
    • Mindfulness
    • Meditation
    • Yoga
  • Soul
    • Spirituality
    • Food for Your Soul
    • Me-Time
  • Life
    • Holistic Lifestyle
    • Inspirational Podcasts
    • Inspiring People
    • Green Living
    • Charity
    • Design
  • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
  • Healing Hotels
Close
JustBreathe
Close
  • Body
    • Health
    • Ayurveda
    • Detox
    • Anti-Stress
    • Beauty
    • Healing Water
    • Graceful Aging
    • Weight Loss
    • Fitness
    • Sleep
  • Mind
    • New Consciousness
    • Mindfulness
    • Meditation
    • Yoga
  • Soul
    • Spirituality
    • Food for Your Soul
    • Me-Time
  • Life
    • Holistic Lifestyle
    • Inspirational Podcasts
    • Inspiring People
    • Green Living
    • Charity
    • Design
  • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
  • Healing Hotels

The Pursuit of Happiness

Holistic Lifestyle, Life March 18, 2016 Maria Pili
The Pursuit of Happiness

© Hotel Freund, Germany

On March 20th we are celebrating the international “Day of Happiness”. Already in the Greco-Roman antiquity, philosophers, scientists and psychologists were wondering about the subject of happiness and what it means – why we are striving after it and how we can finally obtain it? Not much changed, as the same questions apply to our modern world.

 

The story

Even the United Nations recognized the huge significance of happiness. It was due to the initiative of Bhutan that a summit meeting of the UN was convened in 2012 dealing with the issue “happiness and well-being”. Already in the 1970s, Bhutan declared the “pursuit of happiness and well-being” as top national objective. Furthermore, the ”National Gross Happiness” indicator was generated to measure the level of happiness of Bhutan’s population. In Bhutan, the “National Gross Happiness” has far more significance than any gross national product!

It was at the mentioned summit meeting, which Ban Ki-moon himself had convened, that the UN passed a resolution declaring well-being, happiness and satisfaction as effort and aim of all people and calling the governments and institutions worldwide to put this in the centre of any public or political action. To illustrate this concern, the 20th of March was declared as official and global “Day of Happiness”, commemorated annually since 2013.

 

The reason

But why are we striving for happiness and well-being? Deeply rooted within us lays both the instinct for survival and the urge to produce descendants. To nourish and protect them secures the survival of our own genes. This creates the urge to develop ways and means to achieve this goal – and in this respect our evolutionary development. Without this urge, there would be neither fire nor medical, social or economic progress today. Stagnation is not part of this concept – we have no choice but to constantly strive forward. The pursuit of happiness and well-being seems to be a primary instinct. 

The struggle to survive was replaced by the desire for a better life during the last several decades. In a setting where hardly anybody has to worry about food and shelter, the focus is on the next target, surpassing the mere livelihood by material luxury. The quest for happiness follows this desire for material luxury. We want this with the help of culinary wonder weapons which promise healing, like the so-called “superfoods”, or by new wellness treatments, imported from all over the world. However, this doesn’t lead to a permanent solution, but to the search for even more expensive wonder weapons, like a perpetual search for the next short-term thrill.

 

So what can we do now?

Maybe we are looking at the wrong place. Perhaps we can only find happiness at our home. Maybe we are genetically programmed to only feel healthy and well in the surrounding where we and our ancestors were born and raised – so to speak, in our own natural habitat. Any creature is only well at the place where it comes from, with the climate and food of their own nature. It seems as if the human body cannot cope with atypical living conditions. Some animals or plants can’t be located in a different region. The animal won’t reproduce and gets ill, the plant will atrophy. For example, a majority of Asians don’t tolerate dairy, people from the Mediterranean region often don’t tolerate legumes etc.

We invest a great deal of time working on our body, forming, bending, stretching, walking, massaging, oiling and perfuming it. But by doing so, we forget what we are putting on ourselves from the inside! We can experience happiness internally – in a literal, not symbolic sense – through what we eat and drink. Our organism is adjusted to digest fruits of our homeland. Our ancestors didn’t know food allergies. They didn’t travel around and were only able to eat what their environment offered them. So why should we forcefully quarry for legendary exotic seeds and berries when the good is close by?

 

The conclusion

Considering all this, the conclusion is quite clear: Happiness is for free! At home, we are doing well, feeling happy and conscious of ourselves and our own sphere. Spending time with the people we love, enjoying our native cuisine, getting out of the city into the freedom of nature. Breathing alpine air, enjoying a sea breeze, listening to nature, to the sounds of the animals or the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

Following the course of a creek; sensing the moisture of the grass or the warmth of the sand under your feet. Looking at the mountain range and trying to understand how this massif arose, rising from the depth of the earth and breaking through layers of soil and stone, formed by the powers of millions of years.

Watching the fierceness of the ocean, feeling the energy, inhaling the salty sea breeze, and noticing the spray on your skin. Imagine from which depth of the earth this movement of the waves arose; what a long way the water had to travel around the globe, before it could rest as tiny drops on your skin!

Lie down on your back in the grass, look at the sky and be aware of how lucky you are! Maybe you are already happy – but didn’t notice it yet.

With this in mind, I wish you all the happiness and well-being, but above all the awareness to realize it!

 

Some interesting links for follow-up reading:

„Institute for European Happiness Research“ (IFEG): http://ifeg.at/

 

Tags: happiness lifestyle

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Food for Your Soul – A Column

Let’s Talk About Death: Being on a Journey of Love and Loss

Claudia shares her thoughts on the sacredness of death and the importance of discussing death to overcome the fear and taboo surrounding it. Read more →

Making Resistance Your Friend

Inner resistance can be a powerful tool for inner growth and self exploration. Because we can only learn from deep self reflection. Read more →

Don’t Play Small

To give oneself permission to be ones true self is harder than it sounds. But if you manage to do so, the award in simply beautiful. Read more →

Newsletter Signup

* indicates required

justbreathemag

justbreathemag
Where do you find beauty? Ocean, mountains. forest Where do you find beauty? Ocean, mountains. forest, or something else? 🌊🌲⛰️Let us know in the comments below.#MindBodySoul #JustBreatheMag #HealingNature #Meditation #ConsciousLiving #BurnoutPrevention #MeditationDaily #Selfcare #SoulfulLiving #BePresent #SelfCareMatters #JustBreathe #PositiveVibes #QuoteOfTheDay #InspirationalQuotes #Mindfulness #BodyMind #YogaPractitioner #YogaPracticeDaily #MeditationTime #MeditationPractise #SpiritualHealing #AncientHealing
How to Disconnect From Work During Your Vacation⁠
⁠
Do you find it hard to switch off, even when you are on vacation?⁠
⁠
Many people are over achievers and find it very hard to relax and slow down, even though they understand theoretically that it would be good to do so.⁠
⁠
In today’s article, Erica Saltarelli shares why this is and how to overcome it. (Hint: It’s about embracing the beauty of being rather than doing.)⁠
⁠
Click the link in our bio to read the article.⁠
⁠
⁠
#OverAchievers #BurnoutPrevention #JustBreatheMagazine  #BurnoutRecovery #ConsciousLiving #Meditation #MeditationDaily #JustBreatheMag #Selfcare #Gratitude #SoulfulLiving #JustBreatheMagazine #BePresent #SelfCareMatters #SelfDevelopment #BodyMindSoul #HolisticHealth #JustBreathe #PositiveVibes #GratitudeAttitude
Sleeping With Gratitude 🙏Do you find it hard Sleeping With Gratitude 🙏Do you find it hard to go to sleep sometimes because you’re over thinking and find it hard to let go of thoughts? 🤯What if you could go to sleep with a sense of gratitude and positivity instead?In today’s article, (link in bio), Vicki Morrison is sharing what she does to unwind before going to sleep, including what what she writes in her gratitude journal to end the day on a good note.What is something you are grateful for today? Share in the comments below (and remember to give it a thought before going to sleep tonight)!#JustBreatheMagazine #ConsciousLiving #JustBreathe #BodyMindSoul #Lifestyle #SelfCareMatters #Selfcare #MeditationDaily #Meditation #SelfDevelopment #JustBreatheMag #HealthyLiving #BePresent #SoulfulLiving #HolisticHealth #Gratitude #Grateful #Gratefulness #GratitudeAttitude #PositiveVibes #PositiveEnergy
Sesame Kale CrispsLooking for a yummy yet nutrit Sesame Kale CrispsLooking for a yummy yet nutrition rich snack? Then you should try these Sesame Kale Crisps!We all know kale is one of the most loved superfoods - It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals and gives plenty of health benefits. (You can read more about it in today’s article - link in bio.)To make these kale crisps you will need:
🌱 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
🌱 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
🌱 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
🌱 1/4 cup sesame seeds
🌱 Sea salt / Himalaya salt
Directions:
🌱 Heat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
🌱 In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until the kale is evenly coated.
🌱 Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
🌱 Remove from oven and, using a spatula, flip leaves over.
🌱 Return to oven and continue cooking until it is dry and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes more.
🌱 Let cool completely.
🌱 Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Have you ever made your own kale crisps?#KaleCrisps #KaleChips #HealthySnack #HealthyLiving #HealthyEating #RawFood #CleanEating #JustBreatheMagazine #JustBreathe #JustBreatheMag #Health #HolisticHealth #Recipes #RecipeTips #ConsciousLiving #BePresent #SoulfulLiving #BodyMindSoul #SelfCareMatters #Lifestyle #Wellbeing #HealingFood #TreatYourself
Learn How to Meditate - 7 Simple Tips for Everyone Learn How to Meditate - 7 Simple Tips for EveryoneLearning how to meditate can be intimidating. But as with everything: practice makes perfect. In today’s article (link in bio), Lahra Tatriele shares 7 tips that will ease your journey:1. Before you start, put in your mind, “Meditation is attainable for me.” It is not difficult.2. Sit in a relaxed position for your body – on the floor or on a chair.3. Choose an object of focus that makes you feel good, e.g.: breathing, a mandala painting or a photo/image, etc.
Use this as a tool to bring harmony and love to your mind.
Use it as a way to bring about concentration and mindfulness4. Turn your vision inward and observe your breathing.
By observing your breathing, you will calm your mind naturally.
Observe the fickle-mindedness of your mind coming in and fading away, bringing about a steady concentration. Allow your concentration to turn into contemplation and slowly, you will forget about both yourself and any form, effortlessly blossoming into meditation.5. Become a source of love and light.
Once your calm mind is steady, let love permeate within you and around you like a radiant light.6. For healing, gently direct your thoughts to make your body healthy, alleviate your mind of stress, send your love to someone in suffering, etc.
Bring inner wisdom to your mind so that it becomes increasingly harmonious, and use this for healing the body, trauma or others in your life.7. Let go and let spirit in.
If you know how to meditate it will train your mind to become good, full of love – enough to heal yourself and others. Ultimately, there will be no Form, only Atma or soul in union with the Divine.Do you meditate regularly? Please share your experiences and tips in the comments below!#JustBreatheMagazine #HolisticHealth #JustBreathe #SoulfulLiving #BodyMind #ConsciousLiving #YogaPracticeDaily #YogaPractitioner #HealingJourney #Mindfulness #SelfDevelopment #Meditate #Meditation #MeditationPractise #MeditationTime #MeditationDaily #SpiritualHealing
Load More... Follow on Instagram

About JustBreatheMag

Just Breathe is an online magazine that was created to change minds, habits and hearts on the most important and current topics: health and wellbeing.

Powered by

Healing Hotels of the World Logo

Popular Tags

ageing anxiety Ayurveda balance beauty breath charity consciousness coronavirus detox diet DIY fear Fitness gratitude happiness healing Healing Hotels HEALING SUMMIT health healthy nutrition inspiration intention Life lifestyle love me-time Meditation mental health mindfulness new year nutrition podcast recipe self-love self care sleep spirituality stress sustainability transformation Travel weight loss wellbeing yoga

Behind the Scenes

  • Article Submission
  • About Us
  • Contact

Newsletter Signup

* indicates required
Legal Info | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Cookie Settings