Alchemy Of Suffering

Do you know what happiness is? It’s an odd thing to think about because happiness comes so easy for most people. Happiness can be anything from a loved one smiling, a puppy stretching, or the full feeling after a yummy meal. Although, when we are down in the dumps how can we still find that happiness? We can revolutionize our own happiness along with others by using, what I like to call, the happy methods. One teaches how to stop, look, and go to become more appreciative of all the small things we have, while the other teaches how to overcome suffering. In David Steindl-Rast’s Ted Talk Want to be Happy? Be Grateful and Matthieu Ricard’s writing The Alchemy of Suffering both look at ways to be happy in different ways. Steindl-Rast has the idea that we gain happiness from being grateful. On top of where we
It’s gratefulness that makes you happy,” explains Steindl-Rast (1:08). Throughout his talk Steindl-Rast explains that it is gratefulness that makes people happy not the other way around. He also introduces a method to use to find all the small and big things to be grateful for called the Stop, Look, and Go method. The first step is the biggest because we have to stop. We rush through life constantly trying to keep up with the fast moving world, but how do we stop? “…we have to build stop signs into our lives,” Steindl-Rast exapins (8:09). We have to make the effort to notice all the big things to small things to stop us. Next, we have to look at the opportunities but not with just our eyes. “You open all your senses for this wonderful richness that is given to us,” urges Steindl-Rast (9:02). To experience the opportunity, we have to experience every little detail that it gives. Finally, we have to go with the opportunity and be creative to make ourselves as well as others around us happy. This little stop, look, and go method can revolutionize ourselves to be grateful and in turn happier