Happiness

Life is about balance.  I have recently read a book by Andrea F. Polard, PsyD titled, "A Unified Theory of Happiness - An East-Meets-West Approach to Fully Loving Your Life."  I highly recommend it to anyone that seeks to find a balance in their life and an understanding of what it takes to find Happiness.  Today's world is often filled with unhappiness, fear, materialism, and greed.  This book opens the whole of happiness that is accessible to everyone.  If you read it, it will help you find happiness...or help happiness find you.

In Part 1, two modes of consciousness are discussed with a questionnaire to help us turn inward and offers feedback which can increase awareness and point us in the right direction.  There's an automatic tallying on the author's website that can be accessed:  www.andreapolard.com

In Part 2, The Basic Mode is broke down into 5 Chapters along with Exercises:

The Fragility of Life
Ambition
Competence
Connection
Confidence

In Part 3, The Supreme Mode is broke down into 5 Chapters along with Exercises:

The Strength of Life
Receptivity
Tranquility
Reliance
Lightheartedness

In Conclusion, there is a synthesis of Western and Eastern thought which is The Theory of Elastic Consciousness.  As Albert Einstein said, "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."  We need to honor the complexities of life and reflect them in a comprehensive understanding of happiness. Life participation means rising above the experience of self and touching consciously into the stream of life that takes us along for a ride and go with the flow.

The Two Wings of Happiness are the mental modes in which we experience our participation in life.  The Basic Mode is active and based on life's fragility where we focus on and strive toward the seemingly distinct definable realms of life.  Experiences in this mode require effort.

The Supreme Mode is nonactive and is based on life's strength.  It is where we focus on the whole of Being (being in the present and/or recognizing a Higher Power) in which we all partake, a focus that has no clear distinctions but is consciousness itself.  Once learned, this focus takes little or no effort in the usual sense and gives us strength and nourishment.

Happiness cannot be explained from only one mode.  In balancing the two modes, neither Western nor Eastern thought alone can teach us to respond well to life as it really happens, and neither one alone lends itself to full life participation.  There's a wonderful story example in the book taken from Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist."  In it a wise man advises a young man who visited a wondrous palace while trying not to forget his task of not spilling some oil in a spoon. "The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and never to forget the drops of oil in the spoon."  Simply put, focus on the miracle of life in the Supreme Mode without neglecting our primary pursuits in the Basic Mode.  If we are committed to making happiness a priority, time and experience will help us access the two modes in a balanced way.

The Theory of Elastic Consciousness helps integrate the various types of engaging experiences in the Basic and the Supreme Mode.  The human condition is one in which perfection is not attainable and variety is part of our biology.  Our minds will deaden if we become inactive for too long.  If we continually interact only loosely with the external world while remaining unaware of Being, the rubber band becomes limp.  Instead of recuperating, we become sluggish and our minds too muddled to experience our participation in life.  This is the fate of too many people who resort to surfing TV channels, computer sites or other mindless acts of consumption. There comes a point when we must refocus on Being. 

The pursuit of Happiness is a good moral choice.  Happiness will always be based on choice.  Awareness of our Basic Mode and Supreme Mode helps our consciousness stay elastic.  By learning about the two modes of consciousness and by practicing them, you too will be visited frequently by the guest of happiness.  Just try not to use force and try to refrain from grasping.  Remain open to the experience of joy always.  Again, go with the flow.

After reading this book, I noticed much similarity to the yin-yang polarity rooted in Chinese philosophy.  The author is an expert on China and her style of writing has a poetic rhythm I found vibrant.  What is different about this book is that it makes the whole of happiness accessible to all.  This book shines and I hope you read it and glow with flow as I have.  Enjoy.