Yoga & Happiness: The Peaceful Path to Inner Light
Elana Kaufman
Lesley University
INTRODUCTION
The branches of yoga’s ever-growing popularity tree have stretched to all corners of the world. To say that yoga is a global and vastly diverse practice is understatement. As a physical and spiritual practice, yoga has been re-shaped, picked apart, expanded upon and adapted in so many ways. Applications of yoga range from traditional practicing according to the ancient texts of Pantañjali, to a physical fitness outlet, to a healing modality for those fighting cancer or struggling with physical health issues, to those effected by natural disasters or mental illness and trauma.
It is beautiful and amazing that one practice can be so powerful, while being universal and theoretically accessible to a huge population. With that notion in mind, what makes yoga so alluring, and maybe even magical, that it attracts such wildly different groupings of people, teachers, and curious souls? Is there a difference between Eastern and Western connotations of happiness? What connects yoga to all of these different populations, ideas and applications? When I examine these questions, as well as my own personal attraction to yoga, I found that yoga brings a certain amount of satisfaction, specifically feelings of happiness to many of those who cross its path; those feelings can range from a sense of fulfillment in a physical practice that strives towards enhancing physical health, to finding a sense of calm within the body, mind and spirit. Yoga, in many of its forms, helps one to feel happiness that may not be found in other aspects of a busy life.
Though there haven’t been studies specifically around yoga’s effects on the emotion “happiness,” which I personally would enjoy seeing more of, there have been many studies centered around yoga’s power, when used in certain ways, to help decrease stress, support healing, and help to strengthen ideals of self-worth and self-love, which I think are directly connected to levels of happiness. Acceptance of obstacles, letting go of tension, simplifying, and maintaing focus and intent (without judgement), directly connect to ideals that help one achieve a higher state of existence- a sense of enlightenment, peace or complete content, which is one of the traditional purposes and focal points of yoga as a spiritual practice.
CAN YOGA AND HAPPINESS BE PAIRED TOGETHER?
The first authority I consulted for insight about classic yogic philosophy’s take on happiness is The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, as translated by Chip Hartranft (2003). Patañjali shows us through using yoga as an introspective and meditative practice, you can gain control over your thoughts, or as he puts it, “still[ing] the patterns of consciousness.” (Patañjali & Hartranft, 2003). Reading through many of these statements about yoga, Patañjali provides statements of wisdom of how we can begin to become more aware and subjective with our consciousness, which he says leads to pure awareness of thoughts and interactions. He is not advising the individual how to practice yoga, what poses to do- he is simply advising on personal purification and personal devotion as a means to find a more self-actualized state. Through this purification, “clarity, happiness, concentration, mastery of the senses and capacity for self-awareness,” (Patañjali & Hartranft, 2003) become attainable. He goes on to say that, “contentment brings unsurpassed joy.” (Patañjali & Hartranft, 2003.) Who wouldn’t want unsurpassed joy? By elevating yoga from a practice simply of the physical body to one of personal purification, we are given the opportunity to seek out happiness on a new and eye-opening level!
Deepak Chopra compliments these statements in his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga saying, “when you struggle against the present moment, you struggle against the entire cosmos.” (Chopra, 2004) This idea makes perfect sense; If you can’t maintain a presence in the present moment, than how can you allow yourself to feel anything- let alone happiness? Chopra talks later in his book about using physical asana yoga practice, yogic breathing, and meditation as a tools through which one can form a better relationship with one’s self; that relationship is based off of pure honesty and then one is able to maintain a present connection with the parts of the individual that hold happiness. (Chopra, 2003.) Simply by being self-devotional, one is creating more happiness in their life.
The way that this happiness is described by both Patañtjali and Chopra implies to me that with this type of devotion and practice, the individual is transcending what might be superficial happiness and finding joy that is nigh comparable to what is known or experienced previously as happiness. Our modern day society lacks a certain level of self love, self-care, and a sense of self importance due to our extremely busy schedules and lack of; could this be part of why we are constantly searching for happiness? Is it because we can’t devote love to ourselves? Maybe if we were taught earlier on that the pursuit of happiness isn’t a physical quest, and that it can be attained, but through the right processes and proper focus on individual development and self care, we would have a society that higher values and supports self worth. It seems that yoga and happiness can easily be paired together, and with elements of yoga and the correct intentions, happiness is an attainable goal.
WHERE WE THINK HAPPINESS HIDES & HOW TO FIND IT
Our beautiful American ideal of the “pursuit of happiness” seems to really be an ideal of a sometimes impossible quest to me; happiness is something that is strived for, worked for, and after grinding your teeth, working two jobs and finally paying off the mortgage, you are able to retire into a place of relaxation- then, when you are old and tired are you finally allowed and granted the time necessary to explore happiness and self love. Shouldn’t happiness be a state of constant being?
Individuals are constantly struggling in every part of the world with the concept of striving in order to attain, in order to eventually find happiness. In Swami Prembhava Saraswati’s article on developing contentment, he discusses this paradox. He comments that, “we are striving for everything that we can get. The more we get, the more we need, and the more hours we have to work to attain it all.” (Saraswati, 2000.) His belief, which is in conjunction with the yogic perspective is that by living simply and naturally, you can better attain a sense of peace and feel happy about the life you’re living. (Saraswati, 2000).
He articulates a perfect display of progression and the solution to this problem so effortlessly:
“through yogic practices and awareness of our spiritual needs, our material needs will slowly lessen, helping to change our current path of… destruction, bringing us closer to nature and making us more content and happy – simply.” (Saraswati, 2000.)
If the points of attention can change from that of material to that of the soul and the spirit than we could see a change in what really brings happiness to the masses and to ourselves as individuals.
Simply because one has the yogic know-how to allow happiness into his life and approach it through a multi-faceted quest for self awareness, does not mean that we should be constantly in a state of bliss or that yoga is the only way to attain even a slight glimpse of happiness. Yoga merely provides the vehicle for soul searching; Swami Satyananda is quoted as saying, “Happiness has nothing to do with wealth and poverty. Always remember that there is no one in this world who is completely happy.” (Satyananda, 2009) If the ideals that are ever present and constantly re-inforced in our society weren’t centered around wealth and the achievement of being perfectly happy, then maybe happiness could become more of a progression and a state of flux that enables people to be present, as opposed to living in the future.
Society’s emphasis on the materialistic and the tangible are yet another means of controlling us and where we place our values. What if we were able to maintain a more internal locus of control? By using yoga and meditation could we maintain control, connection and communication with the parts of our conscious that aren’t always brought directly to the forefront of our minds as part of our decision making? Dr. L.I. Bhushan (Sannyasi Yogasindhu) discusses yoga as an instrument of psychological transformation. He explains that, “Yogic techniques enable the practitioner to become master of his mind, rather than a victim of his emotions and desires.” (Bhushan, 1998) The concept of being “the master” of one’s own consciousness would be extremely freeing for individuals who feel disconnected from themselves or disillusioned with the world in general. Bhushan also explains what the result of some of our constant questing can lead to:
“A mad rush for wealth and external stimulants ultimately results in frustration, agony, discontentment and personal, social tension. Real happiness lies within and can be achieved by caring for the spiritual aspect of self and living a life with transcendence.” (Bhushan, 1998.)
Allowing yoga to be a safe space and time for spiritual endeavors seems to be a great way to keep that time spent in happiness; after time, and continual practice, maybe it could be something that is carried from the mat to every other part of life. (Bhushan, 1998.) Likewise, J. Krishnamurti says “happiness is not a thing to be pursued; it comes. But if you seek it, it will evade you.” (Krishnamurti, 2012.) Following yogic principles- acceptance of what is, noting where you are at and simply maintaining a present state of mind all seem to be the best ways to allow happiness to come into life.
OBSTACLES & CHALLENGES
Obviously all the uphill clawing that occurs for individuals to find happiness, it is not the easiest to simply manifest. And, as was stated above, happiness is not something that can really be sought after with rigor or even great desire, because both of those ideals are connected back to greed, lust, and tangible pursuits. (Satyananda, 2009; Saraswati, 2000.) Being conscious of what some of the challenges and obstacles that an individual faces while wanting to be happy and live in happiness makes all the difference in how you approach the situation. Also knowing how yoga can benefit and support this endeavor is also very beneficial, and will probably yield better success and feelings of self-satisfaction and contentment.
Stress is a huge issue and a definite prison guard of the mind when it comes to happiness. Its prevalence in daily life is saddening and debilitating. Life for the college student generation and generations to come has many more stressors, simply based on the amount of knowledge we have access to on a daily basis- it is overwhelming and will definitely make for much more de-stressing work in the future. If yoga could be used as a tool for managaing stress, as it has been in many studies, maybe the amount of stress felt in individuals would decrease along with amount of stressed individuals.
A study was done concerning GABA, or aminobutyric acid, levels in individuals with various types of mental illness and how yoga impacted their overall health. Low GABA levels are associated with many different disorders, such as depression, anxiety and other mood disorders.(Cabral, Ciraulo, Jensen, Perlmutter , Renshaw, Streeter, Terhune & Tian, 2007). Individuals who are suffering with a huge lack of light, happiness, and a sense of self were found to benefit greatly from the yoga asana practice. In the research conclusion they state:
“This study demonstrates that brain GABA levels increase by 27% after a 1-hour yoga asana practice in experienced partitioners and suggests that the practice of yoga should be explored and compared to other exercise modalities as a treatment or adjunctive treatment for disorders associated with low GABA states.” (Cabral, Ciraulo, Jensen, Perlmutter , Renshaw, Streeter, Terhune & Tian, 2007)
It is wonderful that those who are battling constant chemical imbalances and mood difficulties are able to benefit so much from a yoga asana practice- hopefully with credibility and gaining of publicity about studies like this one will increase the interest in yoga as a healing modality and one that can help achieve a greater sense of happiness and self contentment. (Cabral, Ciraulo, Jensen, Perlmutter , Renshaw, Streeter, Terhune & Tian, 2007)
Other research with different laughter yoga has been done with patients waiting for organ transplants. The exercises lasted for 20-minutes and involved stretching, guided breath, and stimulated laughter. What was found in the study was that participants found immediate improvement of mood and consistency in a huge risk factor called Heart Rate Variability- HRV. The study showed that HRV was improved and that the topic definitely needs to be further delved into for patients expecting surgery as a way to decrease anxiety and improve levels of happiness and physical heart function. (Dolgoff-Kaspar, Baldwin, Johnson, Edling, & Sethi 2012.) Using laughter yoga as a way to bring happiness into various populations, but especially those who have specific medical conditions, is a great way to see the benefits of yoga on happiness.
CONCLUSIONS AND REFLECTIONS
When looking at what information is available for yoga and happiness, there are two polar opposite sides; philosophical-spiritual writings, like those of the Swamis, explaining the moral and practical benefits of yoga on happiness; these writings express how through focus in a yoga practice, one is able to find a furthered state of existence and possibly self-actualization. While reading and examining these texts, I found they provided great framework for how to experience and work towards a bettered whole person- mind, body, and spirit.
On the other side of the literature available on yoga and happiness, there are clinical trials, pilot studies, and compilations of observation on the effects that yoga has in aiding to heal those with various different ailments, disorders, and illnesses- whether physical, mental or emotional. What many of these accounts do well is show there ability to show the credible and accountable results of studies which are normally quantitative and statistically proven. What I would love to see more in the world of research in yoga, especially with yoga and positive thinking and happiness, would be more qualitative data, accounts of experiences from participants and observations in changes that occur over time. Looking forward, we want to know how this benefits the person as an individual and not merely another unknown and silent person in a study.
If individuals are making room for yoga in their lives, for any of the many varying reasons that could be prevalent to them, I think it is moving in a good direction. Even most hatha yoga practices with a pure focus on asana development have a breathing component as well as a small component of meditation. Hopefully, with the growth of yoga, the spiritual side will be seen as a way to better individual health and happiness and can be used complementary to exisiting individual practices. For me, yoga has become an outlet that does help to cultivate space, stillness and a sense of, “I am going to be ok,” through breathing and rhythm. For me, that comes with a sense of feeling whole and cared for, and who better to care for you than you? So, can yoga and happiness be paired together? I think that at their core, they are essentially connected and that happiness is tired right into the most basic fundamental principles of yoga. Allowing room for a bit of stretching and length in a yoga practice might just create a bit more room for the happiness that makes the difference between a good day, a good week, and a good, content, and fulfilled lifetime.
References
Bhushan , D. L. (1998, September). Yoga: An instrument of psychological transformation. Yogamag.net, Retrieved from http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1998/esep98/ tranform.shtml
Cabral, H., Ciraulo, D., Jensen, E., Perlmutter , R., Renshaw, P., Streeter, C., Terhune, B., & Tian, H. (2007). Yoga asana sessions increase brain GABA levels: A pilot study. The journal of alternative and complementary medicine, 13(4), 419-426. doi: 10.1089/acm.
2007.6338
Chopra, D. (2003). The seven spiritual laws of yoga. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc., Retrieved from http://www.eso-garden.com/specials/ the_seven_spiritual_laws_of_yoga.pdf
Dolgoff-Kaspar, R., Baldwin, A., Johnson, M., Edling, N., & Sethi, G. K. (2012). Effect of Laughter Yoga on Mood and Heart Rate Variability in Patients Awaiting Organ Transplantation: A Pilot Study.Alternative Therapies In Health & Medicine, 18(4), 53-58.
Krishnamurti, J. (2012). Happiness cannot be pursued. Retrieved from http:// www.jkrishnamurti.org/krishnamurti-teachings/view-daily-quote/20110703.php? t=Happiness
Patañjali. , & Hartranft, C. (2003). The yoga-sūtra of patañjali, a new translation with commentary. Shambhala Publications.
Saraswati, S. P. (2000, May). Developing contentment. Yogamag.net, Retrieved from
http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2000/cmay00/content.shtml
Satyananda S. (2009, November/December). Basis of happiness. Yogamag.net, Retrieved from
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