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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 6:54:43 PM

Smutmonger

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 7:08:19 PM

Jeffff

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A gift comes to Me, I take it and smile.

Then I think of Helen Keller playing the piano and signing.

Shrugs

Jeff

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 7:21:40 PM

Musicmystery

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Is the opposite of an "illusion" a "goodusion"?

Is antigravity comedy?

Isn't a cave just a hole on its side?

I've been happy with a hole on its side.

< Message edited by Musicmystery -- 2/25/2010 7:23:16 PM >

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 8:01:06 PM

LafayetteLady

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quote:

ORIGINAL: heartcream

I'd say emotions occur and originate in the gut, not the head.

The head often helps to guide the emotions to stay safe, to help shut them down if needed. Or not, most people are involved in shutting down emotions automatically.

The heart is another place where emotions are felt. If you have ever lost someone dear you may know the pain that can happen in the chest during these times.

If you look around this world there are many things to be unhappy about. Anyone with a heart could see all the mess that is not a happy thing.

Desiring to be happy is a natural function of being human. It is easier for some than others for many assorted reasons.

Have you ever met a happy person who had a smile plastered on their face and they claimed how happy they were but something felt false and forced about it? Not a truly happy person but a person sitting on a bunch of so-called negative stuff trying not to let it show or be known even to the individual. Sometimes others demand happiness from another and it is like a hidden agenda to keep things held down and away by any means necessary.

It is natural to want to move toward happiness and if you can really genuinely feel it fantastic.

The thing is that the mind really does control our emotions, not the gut and not the heart. I was talking from a physiological view. When we get a "gut feeling," it isn't really our gut that is telling us, it is the "gut" in our brain.

I have lost more people who are dear to me than I care to count, and have felt the pain of that loss. Again, in reality, there are physiological reasons why a pain is felt in the chest. The heart doesn't think.

It is a left brain/right brain thing when it comes to "guiding" our emotions. Kind of like a conscious or subconscious feeling. But the reality is that the brain physically controls everything, even every breath that you take.

DarlingSavage talks about people in wore torn countries. But those people aren't miserable and unhappy all the time, that is my point. When you live in poverty and in horrible situations, most learn to find happiness in the little things, like a child's laughter or the smile from a friend.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 8:09:13 PM

DarlingSavage

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My grandma played the violin and gave Jerry Lee Lewis piano lessons. She went completely deaf in her 30s, I believe. She lost all her hearing in one ear as a child due to an illness and the medicine they gave her. She began to gradually lose her hearing in her other ear over time. She still majored in music in college, though. And she still gave Jerry Lee Lewis piano lessons. She still continued playing the violin, though not very well once her hearing was completely gone, no, on second thought, it wasn't that bad, it was her singing that blew it! Grandpa, her husband, was a preacher for Assembly of God, and we whenever we stayed with them, we got hauled off to church. At every church, some guy was "called to heal Sister Rice." They'd drag her up on the stage and a bunch of people would get up there and lay hands on her and speak in tongues and all that. It never worked. I wonder what they were doing wrong? hahahaha! Grandma would just tell me that they always wanted to do that every church they went to. Anyway, she was a very kind woman, very sweet and well loved, in spite of her religious beliefs. I still liked her ok. lol She passed away at the ripe old age of 92.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 8:10:43 PM

DarlingSavage

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quote:

The thing is that the mind really does control our emotions, not the gut and not the heart. I was talking from a physiological view. When we get a "gut feeling," it isn't really our gut that is telling us, it is the "gut" in our brain.

You're not taking into consideration the ethereal body and the chakras.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 8:17:47 PM

juliaoceania

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

Some days I am happy, some days I am not. The contrast is the point. You can't tell the good days without the bad.

Erma Bombeck was happy, look what is got her... dead!

Why can't Helen Keller play the piano?.................... because she is fucking DEAD!

However, the thought of Helen Keller, playing the piano and sinigng along makes me smile. Just imagine how horrible it would be.

She would never know we were all laughing.

I hope this helps

Jeff

Maybe she was actually faking it and would know if you laughed at her

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 8:18:47 PM

Musicmystery

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Is an illusion happy?

Can it see itself for what it is?

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 9:11:37 PM

Missokyst

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Maybe sadness is the illusion people cling to for a variety of reasons. Drama, guilt, that hammer to hold over someone elses head, or the inability to relate to the world around them.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 10:29:03 PM

BrokenSaint

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

quote:

Is Happiness an Illusion?

Well if I were happy but it was only an illusion, I'd never know the difference, given the illusion, but at least I'd be happy about it.

I remember when I was talking with Buddha, and he suddenly turned and said "Make me one with everything" to the hot dog vendor.

I got one too. We were happy.

Then I asked for change, and the hotdog vendor replied "Change must come from within"

Then I was sad again, for I had given him a twenty.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 10:37:20 PM

Musicmystery

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 10:39:44 PM

Arpig

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Over many years I have come to the conclusion that the real key to happiness is lowering one's expectations of life. I have very little really materially or emotionally, but I am content. I don't expect to much from life, and therefore I am not disappointed. I have 3 great kids and a roof over my head, a weird cat & a biweekly D&D game...pretty much all a fellow needs.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 10:42:50 PM

Musicmystery

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quote:

I have 3 great kids and a roof over my head, a weird cat & a biweekly D&D game...pretty much all a fellow needs.

And affordable health care.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/25/2010 10:46:54 PM

Arpig

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LOL...yeah that too

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/26/2010 12:38:04 AM

Lorenzo19

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A thought came to Me and this is how it goes.

In the 40's they invented Meth (speed). They gave it to the soldiers on both sides in WW2 (That's how they marched across europe so quickly). In the 50's doctors started prescribing it for about 50 different conditions, most importantly depression as well as weight loss. It was the first happy pill. And wildly popular (as you can imagine). It is a little known fact that 50's housewives were on meth.

It strikes Me as ironic, that the scourge of the 21 century was the happy pill of the 50's.

After meth there were a whole slew of happy pills for depressed housewives. Valium, Quualudes, etc. To this Day, 60 years later, they are still searching for THE HAPPY PILL. None of them have worked.

Then the thought struck ME: What if they find THE HAPPY PILL? Looking at present day society: most women and half the men are on happy pills that dont work. Then If they found THE HAPPY PILL what a rush there would be to get it. The rush would make Meth look like small time.

Then an even bigger thought crosses My mind... Maybe some unhappines is good for us. Maybe it motivates us to improve our lot and the lot of others.

Then a shudder went up My spine. What if everyone was using THE HAPPY PILL and they were no longer motivated to improve thier lot and the lot of others... Would society become a sewage of misery and grief and no one would care because they are artificially happy? Would the officials provide it to the mass populations to pacify us into being good workers for the economy i.e. be happy with less pay, less heat, less food, less health care, etc?

Sounds like science fiction. But it has partially evolved. All it takes is to find THE HAPPY PILL. And they are looking for it night and day.

I'll post more controversy after you all had a chance to digest this.
(edit: No... dont read between the lines. I'm not telling or suggesting for anyone to throw out thier MEDS. I am saying something but it's not that.)

< Message edited by Lorenzo19 -- 2/26/2010 12:56:16 AM >

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/26/2010 12:41:13 AM

Musicmystery

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My husky writes poetry. Mostly doggerel, but it makes her happy.

She doesn't like pills.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/26/2010 12:44:04 AM

Blackburn

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lorenzo19

A thought came to Me and this is how it goes.

In the 40's they invented Meth (speed). They gave it to the soldiers on both sides in WW2 (That's how they marched across europe so quickly). In the 50's doctors started prescribing it for about 50 different conditions, most importantly depression as well as weight loss. It was the first happy pill. And wildly popular (as you can imagine). It is a little known fact that 50's housewives were on meth.

It strikes Me as ironic, that the scourge of the 21 century was the happy pill of the 50's.

After meth there were a whole slew of happy pills for depressed housewives. Valium, Quualudes, etc. To this Day, 60 years later, they are still searching for THE HAPPY PILL. None of them have worked.

Then the thought struck ME: What if they find THE HAPPY PILL? Looking at present day society: most women and half the men are on happy pills that dont work. Then If they found THE HAPPY PILL what a rush there would be to get it. The rush would make Meth look like small time.

Then an even bigger thought crosses My mind... Maybe some unhappines is good for us. Maybe it motivates us to improve our lot and the lot of others.

Then a shudder went up My spine. What if everyone was using THE HAPPY PILL and they were no longer motivated to improve thier lot and the lot of others... Would society become a sewage of misery and grief and no one would care because they are artificially happy? Would the officials provide it to the mass populations to pacify us into being good workers for the economy i.e. be happy with less pay, less heat, less food, less health care, etc?

Sounds like science fiction. But it has partially evolved. All it takes is to find THE HAPPY PILL. And they are looking for it night and day.

I'll post more controversy after you all had a chance to digest this.

Your post has made me depressed. Now I want a pill.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/26/2010 12:45:15 AM

Blackburn

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

My husky writes poetry. Mostly doggerel, but it makes her happy.

She doesn't like pills.

Ok, that made me happy again. Thanks.

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/26/2010 12:58:23 AM

GreedyTop

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~FR~

I have been accused of being terminally happy. Even during times when I am clinically depressed. I *CHOOSE* to be happy, even when it goes against the chemicals within my body that get me depressed. Obviously, by clinical standards, I am depressed (based upon behaviours, etc that are evident to a professionally trained eye), but 99% of the time, to the people who don't have the training (or know me REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY well) I appear happy.

Believe it, be it.

That's how I function.

even when it takes everything I have in me to force myself out of bed.

Happiness is a state of mind. Even if you have to force yourself in to it. And yes, the oh-so-evil pharm co's DO help when nothing I do is working (yay Welbutrin!)

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RE: Is Happiness an Illusion? - 2/26/2010 2:43:13 AM

JstAnotherSub

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oh yeah yay wellbutrin. back in july, for many reasons, i decided to go see s shrink. i had survived the death of my parents and my divorce and was doing well, but i just felt something was not right within me.

she explained to me, after a few sessions, that the mind has all these chemicals it uses up during times of grief and sadness. then time passes and the bucket of these chemicals refills. most folks buckets have one hole in the bottom, allowing them to refill properly.

some folks, like me, have buckets with holes all over them. thus they can never refill completely. she told me this explained my panic attacks that i was homebound by in my late 20's also.

so basically, after much talk, she talked me into trying wellbutrin. i can not even exactly tell you how it works, as i dont feel different at all. i still live and laugh the same way, but something is better.

i reckon a full bucket does make for a better life.

better living thru pharmacuticals? i am all for it!

now im gonna choose to get another cup of coffee, cause it make sme happy.