Abstract (Paper presented in International Yoga Conference organized by Kaivalyadham, Lonavala in December 2009)
Today, the Yoga Therapy has been accepted universally as a way, rather a method to achieve the holistic health. This presentation, “The Art of Happy Living”, studies the body, psyche, mind, intellect and soul, as components of human life to achieve holistic health thereby derive a total happiness.
Vedic sources on the various aspects of human life, have prescribed four objectives for human life, called "Chatush-Purushartha", these four objectives of human life are based on human traits and their inborn desires. Today, human beings are filled in with numerous desires, and want to lead a luxurious life with all worldly comforts. These four objectives give the insight to us to make our life meaningful. Two of the objectives relate to worldly life, i.e., Kama (desires) & Artha (materialistic resources), and other two relate to subtler aspect of life, i.e., Dharma (righteous path) & Moksha (Liberation / Self-realisation).
All these aim at eternal Happiness of every person is. A person is happy, when he enjoys a good health (wellness), i.e., to have a holistic health. The hindrances in realizing the happiness are anger, desires, emotions, worries, etc., which in turn lead to an uncontrolled stress, resulting in countless psychosomatic disorders & diseases and ruin our happiness forever.
In this presentation – an attempt has been made to throw light on the various aspects of wellness, i.e., body, psyche, mind, intellect & soul. The tools to accomplish wellness and derive happiness are, thus to understand self, to cope with stress, neutralize anger, moralize desires, ignore worries, etc., and all these through the process of self-introspection. This process will enhance awareness of different layers of human body and soul in Blissful State and will enable to understand various energy centers that control us. These techniques together make a process, which can help us to accomplish the wellness (holistic health) and achieve the absolute Happiness. This entire process, we may call as: “The Art of Happy Living”.
1. Introduction
Since Vedic time a child is initiated to Veda at a very early age. Sanskrit word Veda is derived from its root, ‘vid’, which means the science of knowledge. The initiation process is called upanayanam, upa means near and nayanam means knowledge, i.e., to bring the child near the knowledge. Gayathri is Mother of Veda
Objectives:
v To understand the vary purpose of this life – the ultimate purpose is to be Happy All the Time – which, we may call the Blissful State of our soul
v We can derive the happiness only through our body, mind & soul – so it is necessary to understand their form and nature
v Finally, there are many obstacles, which not only destroy our happiness but also make us victim of diseases and agony. To be happy, we need to learn and practise the techniques to overcome all these obstacles.
Contents of Main Paper
2. Components of The Art of Happy Living
a. Understand the Wellness – its factors & their Dimensions
i. The sheathes enveloping the soul
ii. The energy centres that control our functioning
iii. Social being
iv. Environmental/Occupational
b. Understand the Body which enables us to experience the Wellness & Happiness – to understand through
i. Modern Medical Science
ii. Alternative Medical Perspective
iii. Complimentary Medical Perspective
c. Self Introspection
i. Understand & to cope up with the stress
ii. Analysis of thoughts
iii. Moralisation of desires
iv. Neutralization of anger
v. Eradication of worries and
vi. Realization of consciousness-self
3. Conclusions
[1] Prof. K S Iyer graduate in Science & Law and postgraduate in commerce, management, computers & application, is a certified associate of Indian Institute of Bankers and the Life Member of Computer Society of India. Voluntarily Retired as IT & Banking professional from Reserve Bank of India, Ex-in-charge of Business Simulation Lab (BSL) in a reputed Business School; developed BSL as a platform for on-line trading and designed a curriculum for PGDM FM course for Business Schools. Prof. Iyer has been teaching Accounts, Finance and IT since over 25 years and Cyber Law since 2007. Prof. Iyer authored the Principles of Computer Science for Banking Industry for Indian Institute of Bankers, when institute introduced the subject for its CAIIB course. Besides, a qualified yoga teacher, yoga therapist & naturopath, Prof. Iyer has developed the Life Style Management course for management schools in particular and for the corporate world in general.
