Books on Happiness / the happiness revolution - 2 students
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this source, this perennial wisdom, as the ultimate reality and the origin of divine ecstasy.
Spiritual clarity is obtained as self-centered actions and decisions diminish. Some call this process “surrendering to God” or “surrendering to a higher power.” This is a major switch from how our life begins. In the beginning, life is all about you. I call it the “me, me, me” phase. That’s how everyone starts life. As you grow up through your infant years, you soon realized that there are other people in the world, and that they are your competition. Spiritually, this is the “It’s me or you” phase. In this phase you try to out-best others in any manner. Later, you discover that working in cooperation with others could double or triple your success. This phase is called the “Me and you” phase. Commonly I see people who live in one of these first three phases and find great comfort there. While it may seem rare, everyone eventually goes beyond these first three stages to a fourth level of “I and I.” This is the stage where one sees more similarities than di erences between individuals, peoples and nations. Eventually the “I and I” phase concludes with a feeling that we are all interconnected. It is the classic experience of a universal oneness.
At this highest point of self-realization, you have recognized the equalities of all people, and that the entire field of life, in all its forms, constitutes a single living entity. This is an amazing and transforming insight – it is the basis of a global mind that wants to help all inhabitants of the planet. However, this realization alone is not enough to shake o your personal prejudices that arise from the historical training of your own mind, family, profession, culture and theology. As you become a global citizen, your actions and values start to reflect a more global viewpoint. Nature celebrates every moment in which one individual recognizes that their identity is inextricably enjoined with the whole of humanity. Likewise, when the river flows into the ocean, both benefit from that union. To have such an oceanic mind
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is to develop a universal view that evolves into the unconditional compassion of the highest love.
The evolution to this final phase is slow but constant. As you meet people of di erent ages, religions and cultures you realize that you have di erences. Thus, your level of understanding must expand. Over time, you will no longer identify yourself by various titles that encase a limited set of options and ideas, consequently freeing you from your apparent di erences with others. This transition may happen like this…
First your name and title become unimportant. When this happens, you no longer need to be known by your college credentials or professional titles. Later, your need to be ruled by your gender will become unimportant and unnecessary. This creates a domino-like e ect. Once your gender no longer matters, very quickly your profes-
sion, your marital status and your age will no longer be icons defining your social identity. Freedom from these labels allows your mind to access a broader range of insight and understanding. It creates a drastic shift for the better in your ability to listen and counsel.
Gradually over the years, the city, state and national identities will also fall away. You become a global citizen with no prejudice against lands that did not birth you. Finally, your understanding outgrows the farthest reaches of your own philosophy and theology. Your mind beckons to enter that great void that is ever-rich with joy and wisdom.
Your conscience over time will no longer be confined to the inherent self-centeredness of ordinary life. You will continually feel a gradual joining and unification with everyone and everything. The
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ancient texts declare that this will become a natural, voluntary state and is the permanent residence of the wise.
Every valid spiritual text proclaims that profound meditation upon the purest form of purity will give you access to a spiritual state that some call universal oneness, enlightenment, or nirvana. These terms may blur the merit of this experience. The importance lies in broadening your life views until no one is excluded from your understanding. Selfishness has gone through a metamorphosis and
births the true spirit of fellowship and communion. This experiential transformation answers every query that the ego and intellect face when sincerely considering the possibility and the nature of the divine.
While I have never met a supreme being, I feel it is good to imitate his or her traits of compassion, love, truth, and knowledge. This inspired me to free myself of any personal history and cultural dogma that made me feel that others were in some way di erent from myself. This di erence, whether it was elevating or degrading, was still separating. To love all, and exclude none is the goal.
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CHAPTER SUMMARY:
•At this highest point of self-realization, you have recognized the equalities of all people, and that the entire fi eld of life, in all of its forms, constitutes a single being.
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ACTION ITEMS:
•In order to evolve beyond personal prejudices, practice observing the similarities between you and people whom you previously thought of as different from you.
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Chapter4
The Happiness Diet
People are fascinated with food. From diet books to cookbooks, everyone wants to know how to eat more, eat less or dine like royalty. Most food-oriented literature emphasizes
health benefits and social celebrations, but misses the connection between happiness and food, where food can become a conduit for good mental health and the betterment of relationships.
My goal is not to replace all that has been written on food, but simply to helpyouunderstandhowfooda ectsyour
mood and your experiences throughout your day. A few basic principles on how and what to eat will guide you toward the quality of life you are seeking.
• Foods can determine your moods. If you keep eating the same way, you will keep feeling the same way. In the next few pages, I will show you how food can a ect your emotions.
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•Foods can kill you. Most diseases and deaths can be attributed either directly or indirectly to the patient’s diet. Likewise, longevity and happiness can similarly be attributed to the diet. Thus, the long-term e ect of food will determine your health status and the appearance of your body.
•Foods can feed you or feed many. Today we live in a global community and our harvest belongs to everyone. Your diet can help support the feeding of millions or merely the feeding of the fortunate few. You can learn to eat simply so that others can simply eat.
Your garden and your shopping cart can replace your psychologist and your internist and help to solve global starvation. It begins by knowing the di erence between nutrient-dense foods and calorie-
The Associated Press May 3, 2006
NEW YORK -- The nation’s largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all sales of sodas to public schools - a step that will remove the sugary, caloric drinks from vending machines and cafeterias around the country.
The agreement was announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation and will also likely apply to many private and parochial schools.
“This is a bold step forward in the struggle to help 35 million young people lead healthier lives,” former President Clinton said at a news conference. “This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very large number of young people.” Under the agreement, the companies also have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools. Diet sodas would be sold only to high
schools.
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dense foods. You can either eat for nutrients that keep you alive at optimal levels of health or you can eat for sweetness and soothing satisfaction. When good nutrition is easy and delicious, then you will no longer dwell on the dessert menu or in the snack aisle.
Nutrients are the vital substances that create and sustain the health of your mind and body. The micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) should be densely concentrated in every meal. The opposite of nutri- ent-dense foods are the foods that are rich in calories and artificial flavors. These foods are commonly fast foods, fake foods and desserts. We bundle these items together as calorie-dense foods.
America has become a great proving ground for nutritional protocols. Childhood obesity, behavioral problems and diabetes are skyrocketing since the installation of soda machines and fast foods into the public schools. Our classrooms are filling with overweight children. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) the proportion of children ages 6–11 who were overweight basically quadrupled from 4 percent in 1971–1974 to 15.8 percent in 1999– 2002.4 Adult-onset (Type II) diabetes was historically a problem of the over 40 age group that developed blood sugar problems due to a
Former President Clinton and other politicians are spearheading a nation-wide change in the eating habits of our school children. Their program, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, is a joint venture between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. This alliance is working with representatives of Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association to establish new guidelines to limit portion sizes and reduce the number of calories available to children during the school day. Under these guidelines, only lower calorie and nutritious beverages will be sold to schools. (www.healthiergeneration.org)
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chronically poor diet. Today children under 8 years of age are being diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes due to their fast food diets and a lack of exercise. Furthermore, the CDC reports that the proportion of adults who are obese has doubled from 15 percent in 19761980 to 30 percent in 1999-2002. Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of adults were either overweight or obese in 1999-2002.5 This trend of obesity continues to rise.
Most children eat what their parents eat and both tend to eat what
GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI)
The glycemic index is a way of expressing how quickly a carbohydrate (sugar) is absorbed into your bloodstream. By eating foods with lower GI scores, your food will be absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly, resulting in numerous health benefits stemming from steady blood sugar levels. Eating foods lower on the glycemic index has been suggested to help lower cholesterol, prevent weight gain, lower the risk of heart disease, help manage and prevent diabetes and much more. Complex carbohydrates such as those found in whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables are typically lower on the glycemic index. Simple carbohydrates such as those found in refined grains (white bread, donuts, etc.), processed foods, sweetened drinks or anything with added sugar tend to be higher on the glycemic index. It is best to choose foods that are near or lower than a rating of 55 on the glycemic index. Below are a few examples of data from the glycemic index. A more complete chart can be found online at: www.aliveandhealthy.com/weightlossfoods.html.
Ice cream 61 Doughnut 76 Cornflakes 81 Instant rice 90
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they see on television. Our concepts of good nutrition have been either created or altered by marketing schemes of the food and restaurant industries. In this chapter, you are about to read ideas not displayed on your TV. They are simple, ac-
curate insights about nourishment for you and your family.
Adding nutrient-dense foods to your diet is as easy as walking into the produce section of your grocery store. If the food does not come in a box,
needs refrigeration and has a short shelf life, then you are probably in the right neighborhood. Fresh fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains and vegetables are nutrient dense. They are great foods for the entire family.
“Fiber not Fat” is the mantra of the Happiness Diet. The fiber triad includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You can stay slim or become slim with huge meals of fiber rich foods, densely filled with micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). They will fill you up at every meal without unwanted weight gain. You will never feel starved when dieting on nutrient-dense foods.
300 Calories in Fats and |
300 Calories in Refined |
300 Calories in Fresh |
Oils (french fries, etc.) |
Carbohydrates |
Fruits and Vegetables |
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(donuts, candy, etc.) |
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Fiber-rich foods receive the healthiest ratings on the glycemic index – certifying that they do not create huge upheavals in your blood sugar levels and emotions. Fiber also has the added benefit of cleansing the entire length of your intestinal tract ensuring optimal removal of waste and promoting regular bowel movements.