SUSTAINABLE GLOBAL HAPPINESS

ABRAHAM MASLOW WAS an American psychologist of the 20th century, most widely known for creating a hierarchy of human needs. Although he died nearly fifty years ago, his ideas are as valid today as at the time they were written.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five sections, one atop the other, where the fulfillment of each lower level serves as a stepping stone to the next level above it.

To be Self-Actualized means to enthusiastically embrace every moment of our life on Earth. It means run, don’t walk; because life is large and time is short. We must read, listen, learn, love, work, and play; all to the fullest of our ability – as we have but one chance to live our best life.

________________________________

“I long to embrace, to include in my own short life, all that is

accessible to man.”

-Anton Chekhov

_______________________________

Later in life, Abraham Maslow determined that his hierarchy was not yet complete. He realized that the idea of Self-Actualization did not quite reach the highest and most holistic level of human consciousness. So, he added another level: Transcendence.

Transcendence is the need to rise through, to give of oneself to something greater than oneself. The other levels of the pyramid, culminating in Self-Actualization, provide a fertile substrate for the seeds of Transcendence.

A tree expresses the life of the Sun and soil from which it arises; offering up its fruit and flowers to the inhabitants of our planet. Transferring the energy of the Sun to other creatures and to the soil, the tree increases the potential of the planet, and thus of itself. In Autumn, its petals and leaves drift to the ground, to be incorporated by the Earth – of which it is but a living extension. In an unending cycle, the enriched Earth now endows the tree with a greater ability to grow even taller and broader; creating yet more leaves to gather sunlight, more blossoms to behold, and more fruit for the creatures of our planet.

And, so it is with the Transcendent human being. Transcendence springs forth from Self-Actualization, and then gives back unto itself. The two are one, as a tree and Earth are one.

Transcendence means knowing that optimal individual happiness is interwoven within the greater fabric of global happiness. It means to love deeply, and to love broadly. Like a mystic cistern of water whose level increases after each sip from passing travelers, love shared with others is multiplied rather than diminished.

Transcendence is an expansion of awareness, spatially and temporally – from inner self to outer other; from me today to you tomorrow. It is a place of wonder and awe; where a sunset and a moonrise become a miracle.

Transcendence regards all present and future global citizens as equals; and all species and ecosystems of our planet as wild and precious.

Happiness

Aristotle suggested that happiness is the ultimate desired endpoint of all human existence. We may wish for good health, close friends, and true love; but the reason we desire these things is that they are each a pathway to the same destination – which is happiness.

A lot of people talk about finding happiness. Sometimes happiness is easy to find. On a forest walk, we may stumble upon a meadow of grasses and wildflowers; easily absorbing a burst of textures and color.

We can certainly find happiness, in this literal sense, but happiness is also created. We can create a measure of individual happiness by building a strong body to carry us on our way. We can also create personal happiness by cultivating a joyful and robust mind: choosing to be grateful, framing life events in a positive fashion, and seeking happiness in the everyday miracles of life on Earth.

We can create even more happiness by sharing our talents and riches with all other inhabitants of our planet.

We can even create future happiness, by choosing to maintain the beauty and bounty of the Earth for all generations to come. This honors the concept of intergenerational equity – the idea that the lives of future citizens are as important as our own.

It is somewhat difficult to define happiness, as it is in part unique to each individual. The realization of complete happiness will also always be an unfinished work in progress, to be added to throughout the length of our lives.

As children, we first find happiness by seeking immediate pleasure. We eat ice cream cones, laugh or giggle about the slightest thing, and shout with joy as we slide down a snow-covered hillside. This type of happiness has its own reason for existing, and at every age we should continue to seek it – even if at times only for the pure exhilaration of the moment.

As the years pass, many of us find that our definition of happiness begins to broaden. We still of course continue to seek a degree of personal gratification, but the fleeting rewards of individual indulgences gradually lose some of their power of attraction. Desiring a more complete and lasting happiness, we often search for something larger.

It is then that we may begin to expand and reinforce our ideas of happiness; perhaps using words such as contentment, fulfillment, purpose and meaning – to augment the pleasure we obtain from satisfying our personal needs and desires.

There are many pathways to optimal happiness, but all converge through a final common route of Transcendence – the idea of giving of oneself to something beyond oneself; where person, people, and planet are one.

_____________________________________

American astronomer Carl Sagan said, “If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal.”

I believe it is really quite simple. The meaning of life is happiness, and the purpose of life is to find, create and share it. This prime directive holds that each person must endeavor to find and create happiness for themselves, and equally for all present and future inhabitants of a sustainable planet. This overarching ideal can be expressed in just three words: Sustainable Global Happiness.

This notion, Sustainable Global Happiness, can serve as humanity’s “worthy goal,” the desired ultimate destination of every person, city, state, province, and nation.

Each word is uniquely important: Happiness, because happiness is the point of life; Global Happiness because individual happiness is inextricably entwined with the happiness of all world citizens; and Sustainable Global Happiness, because a sustainable Earth is an absolute prerequisite for humanity’s present and future happiness.

The journey to Sustainable Global Happiness is illuminated by a brilliant guiding star – the transcendent idea that person, people, and planet are equal and inseparable, in time and in space.

As we travel along the paths of our lives, creating health and happiness for ourselves, our neighbors, and our Earth, we realize that the journey and the destination have become one and the same.

___________________________________

The connectedness of person, people, and planet can be represented by a triangle. The health and happiness of the individual (person), the collective (people), and the Earth (planet) each comprise a distinct side of the triangle, yet each are essential components of an integrated whole. Each entity is joined to the others. What affects one, affects all.

Sustainable Global Happiness

Person: Individual happiness is a vital element of global happiness. And if I am to be fully happy, it is imperative that I keep my body and mind healthy, strong, and resilient. I must strive to become a self-actualized and transcendent person. I must give my full effort. I must learn all that I can, knowing that imagination springs forth from verdant repositories of knowledge.I must also understand my place in this world; finding meaning and purpose in my life.

People: Homo sapiens are tribal in nature; and we look to others for love, acceptance and approval. We have learned the value of collaborative interdependence and synergy – noting that together we are greater than the sum of our parts. We have found that we are most happy and healthy when our brothers and sisters throughout the world are also happy and healthy.

Planet: The base of the triangle is the Planet entity of Sustainable Global Happiness. Without a stable base, the other entities cannot stand. There can be no sustainable happiness without a sustainable planet. The Earth is our primary source of wealth. Without fresh air, clean water, rich soils and abundant resources, our human bodies cannot survive. Our planet’s resources provide materials for the lumber, metals, and energy necessary for modern human existence; and even the overlying paper proxies of currency, stocks, and bonds that engender commerce and investments for our future.

Everything – including the full measure of happiness for humanity – depends upon the health of our Earth.

Blog posts in this website fall into one of three themes, one for each of the person/people/planet components of happiness.

With that in mind, we will evaluate pathways to optimal personal health and happiness via a strong and resilient body and mind. We will illuminate ideas that champion the health and happiness of all global populations; knowing that the wellness of the individual goes hand in hand with the wellness of the collective. We will also discuss actions that preserve the beauty and bounty of our Earth – the very wellspring of health and happiness for all present and future generations.