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Warrior Work
Week 37
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The Tao of Happiness
By Peter Hill
I just finished reading “The Geography of Bliss” by Eric Weiner on the plane to our China Excursion. It is a great book of insights into
people’s happiness and unhappiness, into the impact of geography, materialism (or lack of), and the attitudes and relationships with
which people paint on the canvas of their days with their actions, words and being.
As I reflected on the stories and people, I pondered the tao of happiness and I decided that happiness is………… a verb, a noun and a
conjunction!
Happiness is a verb! It is in what we do, what we teach, how we serve. As Joseph Campbell, the famous Master of Myth said, “Follow
your Bliss!” Do what you love, love what you do and everything else will fall into place. Some of the most unhappy people I know aren’t
doing what they love or don’t love what they are doing. If you are one of those people then explore new worlds, new activities to awaken
your inner fire and enthusiasm, and I would highly recommend finding something that serves your body. As Kobi Yamada put it succinctly
on a magnet resting on my fridge, “Be good to yourself. If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?” Happiness is a verb – it
is in what you do from the time you wake up to the time you wake up again. It is in the doing or not doing of every moment.
Happiness is a noun! It is in what you enjoy! It isn’t just in what you have because if you look at everything in your life and hold those
things individually in your heart, you will feel the lightness or heaviness that you associate with it. Happiness exists in using those things,
enjoying those things, sharing those things. They serve us best when we use them to connect us to others and for empowerment and they
do us a disservice when they separate or disconnect us from others. In the late 80’s I had an opportunity to buy a Ferrari that was cherry
red, in great shape for a great price but I couldn’t buy it because I saw and felt it as something that would separate me from those people
I served. It was easy to say no to. I bought a Black Jeep Cherokee Limited Edition instead and I enjoyed that vehicle for many years both
as a utility vehicle and something fun to drive in and out of the city and it was more family friendly.
Happiness is a conjunction! It is the connections we make between people, places and things! As the holidays approach, it is ironic
that they become the happiest and unhappiest times of the year. Most often, the happiness or unhappiness is directly related to the
quality of our relationships. Now is a great time to reassess what we value, who we value and where our wealth is. I tell my wife and my
children, “You make me richer than a king”, and “I am so happy you came to live with me/us”, “Thank you for travelling through the world
with me”, Thank you for letting me travel with you”, “Thank you for being here today”, “I am woven into the fabric of your being”, “You are
woven into the fabric of my being”, plus many others. I tell my students and coworkers many of the same things. When asked how I am I
may respond with, “Much better now that you are here”, or when someone comes in I might say, “Thank you for being here today.” Some
of these may sound corny but they paint good bright warm soft and welcome feelings.
Eric Weiner makes the point that if you want to know where your home is, what your core conjunction is, ask yourself, “Where do you
want to die?”. My answer is that I am weaving myself into the fabric of those I love and into all parts of the world! The whole world is home
to a taichi master because their heart is wide open and takes in everyone and everything. To explore these questions more in depth, take
a taichi or yoga class, get in touch with your body or continue to foster your relationship with your body through bodywork or other
modalities. Consider taking part in a twilight brigade weekend workshop retreat to explore your heart and happiness in depths that can’t
be explained in a newsletter: www.thetwilightbrigade.com Travel to new places where different cultures and different ideas can touch you
in ways yet to be discovered.
Come with us to China or Tibet or even a TaiChi workshop to “kick some tires” and touch new elements of your being. Do what
speaks to your soul – maybe start with Eric’s book to see as he puts it, “One grumps search for the happiest places on earth” and
perhaps you will find your intent leading your feet and your heart to the place of your happiness!
Walking down a moonlit road
I know not where I go
wanderly intently
through the night
searching for something
I know not what
I follow my feet
and my feet follow my heart
walking down a moonlit road
Kira Hill 1/7/1998
By Peter Hill, Copyright 2009
www.getittogether.net
www.worldtaichi.com
Warrior Week Home >>
Week 37
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Tao of Happiness
By Peter Hill
I just finished reading “The Geography of Bliss” by Eric Weiner on the plane to our China Excursion. It is a great book of insights into
people’s happiness and unhappiness, into the impact of geography, materialism (or lack of), and the attitudes and relationships with
which people paint on the canvas of their days with their actions, words and being.
As I reflected on the stories and people, I pondered the tao of happiness and I decided that happiness is………… a verb, a noun and a
conjunction!
Happiness is a verb! It is in what we do, what we teach, how we serve. As Joseph Campbell, the famous Master of Myth said, “Follow
your Bliss!” Do what you love, love what you do and everything else will fall into place. Some of the most unhappy people I know aren’t
doing what they love or don’t love what they are doing. If you are one of those people then explore new worlds, new activities to awaken
your inner fire and enthusiasm, and I would highly recommend finding something that serves your body. As Kobi Yamada put it succinctly
on a magnet resting on my fridge, “Be good to yourself. If you don’t take care of your body, where will you live?” Happiness is a verb – it
is in what you do from the time you wake up to the time you wake up again. It is in the doing or not doing of every moment.
Happiness is a noun! It is in what you enjoy! It isn’t just in what you have because if you look at everything in your life and hold those
things individually in your heart, you will feel the lightness or heaviness that you associate with it. Happiness exists in using those things,
enjoying those things, sharing those things. They serve us best when we use them to connect us to others and for empowerment and they
do us a disservice when they separate or disconnect us from others. In the late 80’s I had an opportunity to buy a Ferrari that was cherry
red, in great shape for a great price but I couldn’t buy it because I saw and felt it as something that would separate me from those people
I served. It was easy to say no to. I bought a Black Jeep Cherokee Limited Edition instead and I enjoyed that vehicle for many years both
as a utility vehicle and something fun to drive in and out of the city and it was more family friendly.
Happiness is a conjunction! It is the connections we make between people, places and things! As the holidays approach, it is ironic
that they become the happiest and unhappiest times of the year. Most often, the happiness or unhappiness is directly related to the
quality of our relationships. Now is a great time to reassess what we value, who we value and where our wealth is. I tell my wife and my
children, “You make me richer than a king”, and “I am so happy you came to live with me/us”, “Thank you for travelling through the world
with me”, Thank you for letting me travel with you”, “Thank you for being here today”, “I am woven into the fabric of your being”, “You are
woven into the fabric of my being”, plus many others. I tell my students and coworkers many of the same things. When asked how I am I
may respond with, “Much better now that you are here”, or when someone comes in I might say, “Thank you for being here today.” Some
of these may sound corny but they paint good bright warm soft and welcome feelings.
Eric Weiner makes the point that if you want to know where your home is, what your core conjunction is, ask yourself, “Where do you
want to die?”. My answer is that I am weaving myself into the fabric of those I love and into all parts of the world! The whole world is home
to a taichi master because their heart is wide open and takes in everyone and everything. To explore these questions more in depth, take
a taichi or yoga class, get in touch with your body or continue to foster your relationship with your body through bodywork or other
modalities. Consider taking part in a twilight brigade weekend workshop retreat to explore your heart and happiness in depths that can’t
be explained in a newsletter: www.thetwilightbrigade.com Travel to new places where different cultures and different ideas can touch you
in ways yet to be discovered.
Come with us to China or Tibet or even a TaiChi workshop to “kick some tires” and touch new elements of your being. Do what
speaks to your soul – maybe start with Eric’s book to see as he puts it, “One grumps search for the happiest places on earth” and
perhaps you will find your intent leading your feet and your heart to the place of your happiness!
Walking down a moonlit road
I know not where I go
wanderly intently
through the night
searching for something
I know not what
I follow my feet
and my feet follow my heart
walking down a moonlit road
Kira Hill 1/7/1998
By Peter Hill, Copyright 2009
www.getittogether.net
www.worldtaichi.com
Warrior Week Home >>