Tracking Happiness

There's a new Harvard study using an iPhone application (you can even sign up for it), that is actually attempting to track people's happiness as they go about their lives. The implications of the study are pretty interesting so far.

Basically nothing new to meditators and Buddhists, this study finds that people are less happy no matter what they are doing, when their minds are wandering. The most happy people are the one's who are paying attention to whatever activity they are doing. Now certain activities may be more preferable, but regardless, when the subjects begin daydreaming or planning or whatever, they become less happy.

It's an interesting if not totally surprising finding. It's always good to have some of the basic principles of meditative techniques verified in an objective way. It's kind of a three-tiered process, in my opinion.

The first tier is that you hear from your teacher or read in a book that a certain attitude or technique is beneficial. You then try this technique or attitude or "approach" for yourself and try to ascertain whether there is anything to it. And lastly, it's always nice to get third party verification in the form of scientific studies.

We have a lot of scientific data that points to the benefits of meditation--not just zen, but many different styles of meditation and yoga have been proven to be beneficial for health and general well-being. I've read a lot of the studies on breathing, and I believe it's been shown that slower, deeper breathing can help to alleviate asthma, lower blood pressure and deal with pain symptoms as well.

When I think about this practice I have undertaken and Guru Steve's general instructions to undertake it on a moment to moment basis, it jibes fairly well with the stuff coming out in scientific papers as well as with my own experience. Using the breath as an anchor to the present certainly keeps me more firmly planted in the "now", as cliche as that sounds. Intentionally relaxing and taking slower, deeper breaths, is also benefiting me mentally and physically and making my daily experience more pleasant.

This is not "bonpu zen" or whatever some might call it. Having a more pleasant bodily experience makes me treat other sentient beings with more respect and compassion. The less miserable I am to be here on this planet, the less misery I will cause others. Fact.

But doing it and talking about it are two different things, and even with all the good stuff that it brings, moment to moment practice can feel very overwhelming and tedious at times. Which is why we just take it one breath at a time.