Ah, science has finally gotten round to studying human happiness and compassion. This is happening apparently in Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and bascially came about from the Dalai Lama.
The more I read about the article (see here ) the more I thought about how much you can learn about happiness and compassion from animals.
The article cites, "This weekend, the Dalai Lama will mark the opening of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the university's Waisman Center, where more than a dozen researchers will study the science behind positive qualities of mind. Davidson said the center will be the only one in the world with a meditation room next to a brain imaging laboratory.
Davidson's research has used brain imaging technology on Buddhist monks and other veteran practitioners of meditation to try to learn how their training affects mental health.
His team's findings suggest meditation and other "contemplative practices" can improve compassion, empathy, kindness and attention. They support the concept that even adult brains can change through experience and learning."
Well, this then led me to think that perhaps they should note that some of the best teachers of happiness and compassion are our animal friends. We all ooh and aah over the stories of orphan animals being adopted by a mother of another species (as shown by the pictures above), that is compassion and unconditional love that knows no boundaries. And animals tend to be in the moment of happiness, I would guess, better than 80% of the time. Or at least content, and when you're content, you are happy, safe, and loved.
We can learn a lot from the Dalai Lama, who is probably tops on my list of people I truly admire, he represents what it is truly like to live life with total compassion and he is a very wise man. However we can also continue to learn from the animals about loving and living in the moment, slowing down to enjoy the moment, never worrying about what's ahead, and when the moment warrants it, uncoditional love and compassion. I know the animals in my life do their best to remind me of it. And yes we do need constant reminders, and we need to have the self discipline to slow down and focus on our inner selves, and realize what is truly importants for our happiness and well being, and of those around us.
I believe there is a sentiment about this in a great history book, "And the meek shall inherit the earth". And I believe I like this definition best of Meek: patient and mild; not inclined to anger or resentment, and it used to mean, Gentle or Kind. I would think that we are definitely out-populated by our animal friends we share this wonderful world with. Isn't it time we showed a little compassion, love, and kindness for our teachers?
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