Being Happy In Your Own Skin
It occurred to me the other day, that despite all my meditations, and mantras, and meetings, I still struggle with being happy ‘in the moment’—right here, right now.
The concept of past, future, and present Mike being three different people fascinates me. Some people thank their past selves for making the sacrifices that permit the joy that they feel in the present.
Others will work hard so that their future selves will be able to retire in luxury and have all the things that THEY want. These past and future selves are only thoughts, memories, or imagination.
Being happy in your own skin indicates that happiness and skin are permanent, yet skin cells are replaced at least every four weeks. At that rate, all I can hope for is a month long ‘Happy Holiday’!
But looking at pictures of 1-year-old Mike, or Mike when he was two years sober, or even Mike last week, I realise that he doesn’t exist and that current Mike doesn’t exist either. (Looking for Self is a fascinating Buddhist exercise)
So being happy right now is a great expression to aid us in mindfulness.
But mostly it is training. The greatest predictor of my future happiness is my ability to be happy now, more often. Gratitude is the key.
Wanting more is a universal sin.
The Epicurean ideal was that we should enjoy the best food that is available to us and share it with friends. Modern living is more like get cheap food delivered to the door as fast as possible and eat it alone in front of a screen.
By training in happiness, I can future-proof my mind, so that when I am no longer required to work I will be happy, and when I am no longer able to walk I’ll be happy.
Maybe when I am not able to breathe I’ll be happy too.
Whoa, that’s a big call.
Happy Birthday, Dear Satya
Since the time that I began writing in Substack, I have been in awe of beautiful Satya Robin. In her post this week, Satya recalls her first full year in this wonderful adless sanctuary.
Unsurprisingly, I identify with all of her pain, hopes, and dreams.
Just like weird people at a 12-Step meeting, we’re all different, but we are here for the same reason.
Please help me celebrate the effort and skill that Satya brings to us each week. Congratulations and om mani padme hum…
Can People Change?
“After training in biochemistry at the Institute Pasteur, Matthieu Ricard left science behind to move to the Himalayas and become a Buddhist monk—and to pursue happiness, both at a basic human level and as a subject of inquiry. His deep and scientifically tinged reflections on happiness and Buddhism have turned into several books, most recently Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World.”
Here’s an article, extracted from his book, Altruism.
My Balls Have Dropped Again
In the shower this morning, I think I developed the world’s first remedy for testicular droop in older men.
It goes like this: At around the age of 40, you should take a very sharp knife into a bath half-filled with warm water. Then, placing the knife firmly against the carotid artery, thrust decisively until the heart stops.
This I believe will stop any further balls-drop.*
Women have other serious problems.
I turned to the very reliable internet for further observed differences between the sexes, as I was thinking hard about my masculinity (pun intended). This article from Stanford University suggests that the differences are quite noticeable.
*please don’t do this!