Another tour around the web to find you some interesting readings and help you have a happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane
An interesting NY Times piece, Will it make you Happy?
What makes a really great vacation? The answers may surprise you.
A TED talk, Dan Gilbert asks, Why are we Happy?
32 keys to happiness, tips on being happier.
For those of you more data inclinded, the World Database of Happiness.
Happiness & Dia de los Muertos
Tonight I thought I’d share an interest of mine, I’m quite fascinated with Dia de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead (DOTD). I really love the idea of remembering loved ones who have passed on with an altar as well as gifts for the dead. It’s a way of staying connected with family and friends who are no longer with us. There is of course much more to the holiday and I hope some day to spend the holiday in Mexico where the festival is really large and well celebrated. Until then I visit a local festival each year and collect art work related to the holiday.
So tonight some photos I’ve taken, and images of some of the art I’ve collected, enjoy and have a happy Dia de los Muertos. ~ Rev Kane
My favorite DOTD painting by my favorite artist Heather Calderon
I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase this painting last year and it hangs in my home.
An altar doll made for me by my wonderful friend Lisa
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
DOTD 2012
Happiness is… usually attributed by adults to children, and by children to adults. ~Thomas Szasz
Little Rooney’s Uncle Buck
So recently there has been a lot of discussion on the radio and in the news about the impact that all of our day-to-day digital technology may be having on our children. One of the recommendations is that very young children (under 2 years old) should have no time in front of a screen. So no time on an I-Pad, a cell phone or even a television. The main point of this recommendation is that screen experiences are almost always non-interactive and when they are, they don’t provide the type of interactions that toddlers need to develop normal social and cognitive skills. Now, this probably isn’t realistic in today’s world and the researchers understood this, recommending that if you are going to let the little ones play with your technology you should do it with them so that the experience is interactive. One technology that seems to be ok is Skype or Facetime because it is interactive for the little ones and helps them develop social skills as well as keeping in touch with flat grandparents and others.
There has been a curious phenomenon that has developed due to this technology and one that I am experiencing with my littlest niece, Rooney. You see I live 3000 miles away from most of my family so the majority of my interaction with them, my nieces and nephews included is via electronic means. I did meet little Rooney in person, now about 16 months old, when she was 3 months old. However since then she’s only interacted with me via electronic interactions. Surprisingly and happily we’ve developed quite a bond; however I’m beginning to believe there is a little wrinkle in our relationship. That wrinkle is that I think my niece believes I’m flat, basically, that I live in the machines.
You see she talks to me on the phone, sees me on the computer and her mom’s I-Pad, she’s even seen me on television. She used to point to the I-Pad and say b-buck, a name she’s adopted for me that no one understands the origins of, but one I’m adapting to even if it does make me Uncle Buck.
John Candy as Uncle Buck
She talks to my pictures the same way she talks to me on the phone. The upside of course of all the technology is that those of us who live far from our families can still develop and maintain our relationships. The downside in my case is when little Rooney next sees her Uncle Buck in person, he’s going to be a lot hairier and larger than she’s used to and we all wonder what will happen. Should be a great experiment and I’m sure, a very happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane
Banish uncertainty
Affirm strength
Hold resolve
Expect death
Make your stand today. On this spot. Make your actions count; do not falter in your determination to fulfill your destiny. Don’t follow the destiny outlined in some mystical book: Create your own. Your resolve to tread the path of life is your best asset. Without it, you die. Death is unavoidable, but let it not be from loss of will but because your time is over.
As long as you can keep going, use your imagination to cope with the travails of life. Overcome your obstacles and realize what you envision. You will know unexpected happiness. You will know the sorrow of seeing what is dearest to you cut down before your eyes. Accept that. That is the nature of human existence, and you have no time to buffer the fact with fairy tales and illogical explanations.
Each day, your life grows shorter by twenty-four hours. The time to make achievements becomes more precious. You must fulfill everything you want in life and then release your will upon the moment of death. Your life is a creation that dies when you die. Release it, give up your individuality, and in so doing, finally merge completely with Tao. Until the moment, create the poetry of your life with toughness and determination. ~Deng Ming-Dao
So tonight a little tour around the web and a look at happiness and children, what we can learn from them and how children impact our happiness ~ Rev Kane
18 things children can teach us about happiness.
An NPR clip, Does having children make you happier?
Acts of kindness: key to happiness for children and teens.
From the Oprah Network, 5 keys to your child’s happiness.
Everything I know about happiness I learned from my child.
A tour around the web tonight to find some interesting resources that might help you have a happier day my friends ~ Rev Kane
The Happiness Game – really interesting post/graphic loaded with facts about life and happiness in the United States.
Why game playing makes you happy.
DIY Happiness using daily and weekly tips.
A pinterest page on happiness.
Be you live your life, a really great blog post on happiness.
Here’s another great graduation speech, this one by Tim Minchin an Australian musical comedian and actor, a really odd and brilliant guy in my opinion. Below is a list of the main points he makes, but take the time to listen to his points, there are some great insights in here to having a happy life my friends ~ Rev Kane
1. You don’t have to have a dream.
2. Don’t seek happiness.
3. Remember, it’s all luck.
4. Exercise.
5. Be hard on your opinions.
6. Be a teacher.
7. Define yourself by what you love.
8. Respect people with less power than you.
9. Don’t rush.
“I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar ~ Robert Brault
So the Reverend is on the road, doing a little southeastern tour for work but also having the opportunity to connect with a lot of people I haven’t seen in some time, it varies, anywhere from two to nearly twenty years. It has been and will continue to be a good trip. Spoke with my a long-time friend for the first time in over a year, saw a couple of my former students, dinner tomorrow night with another who I haven’t seen in nearly twenty years.
I’ll get to see some good people I’ve worked with who have become good friends, I even share a birthday with one. I’ll get to see a couple of ex girlfriends and that has its own special flavor.
Beyond just the good memories and reminiscing there is so much more to reconnecting with meaningful people from your past. These people are windows into who you were and mirrors to who you are currently. If they are truly good friends they are true mirrors that show you not just your beauty, but also your faults, and then do the most amazing thing and accept you anyway. This to me is the truest and most beautiful thing about old friends, you can be the real you warts and all with no fear of rejection. That makes for relaxing and very good times with the space for good conversation, throw in some good food and life doesn’t get much better.
So I continue my tour in the morning, on to more friends and wish for you that you will be having a similarly happy day my friends. ~ Rev Kane
Tonight some words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama, enjoy ~ Rev Kane
Satisfaction
We have a largely materialistic lifestyle characterized by a materialistic culture. However, this only provides us with temporary, sensory satisfaction, whereas long-term satisfaction is based not on the senses but on the mind. That’s where real tranquility is to be found. And peace of mind turns out to be a significant factor in our physical health too.
Living a Happy Life
We all want to live a happy life and have a right to do so, whether through work or spiritual practice. I’m subject to destructive emotions like anger and jealousy the same as you, but we all have potential for good too. However, our existing education system is oriented towards material development; neglecting inner values. Consequently we lack a clear awareness of the inner values that are the basis of a happy life
Helping others
It’s in our interest to take care of others. Self-centerdness is opposed to basic human nature. In our own interest as human beings we need to pay attention to our inner values. Sometimes people think compassion is only of help to others, while we get no benefit. This is a mistake. When you concern yourself with others, you naturally develop a sense of self-confidence. To help others takes courage and inner strength.
Compassion
If someone behaves negatively towards you, it helps to remember that he or she is a human being like you and to distinguish between an action and the person who does it. If counter measures are needed to prevent someone doing harm, it’s always better to do it with a calm rather than an agitated mind. If you act out of anger, the best part of your brain fails to function. Remember, compassion is not a sign of weakness
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”~ Ansel Adams
Sometimes the universe taps you on the shoulder and say hey, pay attention to this or that concept and it’s important to listen. That seems to be happening with me right now in relation to the how happiness relates to silence. So today I did a little surfing and came up with some interesting resources on happiness and silence to share with all of you.
A few months ago I did a 3 day silent retreat, it was really wonderful and as verbal as I am it really was quite easy to accomplish and helped me with working on being more mindful. Silence, meditation and mindfulness can go a long way to helping all of us have happier days my friends ~ Rev Kane
Silence is the birthplace of happiness ~ Deepak Chopra
Sir Ramana Maharshi’s teachings on silence
Silence is golden for healing ~ Gertrude Lawler
The Art of Silence ~ Psychology Today
The Ministry of Happiness 