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How to Be HappyDuring RecessionDEEPAK CHOPRA, M.D

 When a box turtle is crossing the road, and it hears a car

coming, it reacts by drawing in its head and feet, contracting

for protection. Evolution has kept turtles alive for hundreds

of millions of years that way. What works as a natural defense

isn’t much use, though, when a Yukon or Explorer is barreling

towards you.

There are times when contracting inwards is the very worst

thing you can do.

That is true now in the recession, that the economists see

barreling toward us — the road noise has gotten alarmingly loud already. But as the economy contracts, we must resist

our natural reflex to contract with it. Instead, we need to do

the opposite. Expansion is the best way to survive any crisis.

The lesson should have sunk in after 9/11, when the whole

country learned what it means to contract with fear, anxiety,

suspicion and distrust. We felt threatened by a vast, unseen

enemy, which was magnified as large as fear itself.

Fear deprives people of choice. Fear shrinks the world into

isolated, defensive enclaves. Fear spirals out of control. Fear

makes everyday life seem clouded over with danger.

 A lot of people are approaching the economy that way, and

not enough leaders are warning them that it’s the worst

possible reaction.

To be happy in a recession means, first and foremost, resisting

all the threats that fear possesses. Don’t obsess anxiously over

 what you could lose. Don’t reduce your world to a bank 

account or a 401(k). Isn’t there an upside to losing some

So(ul) to Spe k 

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“consumer buying power?” To be honest, we went too far

 with consumerist mania. By any measure this is an

inordinately rich country, and instead of mourning sagging

profit margins, can’t we use the current slowdown to ask what

makes for true personal happiness?

Relationship. Gratitude. Appreciation. Compassion. Mutual

regard. Strong social connections. Love you can trust.

I don’t know why it takes a crisis to bring out these

fundamental human qualities. But it often does. We all realize

that the next video game, the next new car, the next flat-

screen TV means nothing compared to the rewards of relating

to other people. Yet we live as if the opposite is true. The

pursuit of happiness is blocked just as much by indulgent

over-consumption as by an economic downturn. More, in

fact. An impoverished country like Nigeria recently scored

‘number one’ in a survey of the happiest countries on Earth,

 while the U.S. has never broken the top ten in any such

survey.

Some may protest that expanding and becoming more human

is all well and good if you have a job, but totally unrealistic if 

your livelihood is threatened. I don’t think so. Whatever

happens, the worst-off will be the ones who need more

compassion, kindness and relating to. They will need real

coping skills, not a show of group pity.

There is a lot more to say about how to be happy in a

recession, but the main thing is, to remind yourself, that it is 

 possible . Refuse to contract just because the economy does.

 You have the tools to be happy in the worst of times. Themost important of these are the inner tools of the mind and

body, including meditation, yoga and mindful awareness.

 The Healing Benefits of Meditation

 What most of us are really seeking is an inner state of 

awareness that helps us feel peaceful and centered – no matter

 what is unfolding in the exterior world. As the ancient sages

of India discovered thousands of years ago, meditation is the

most direct way to experience the stillness and calm within.

Deepak Chopra, M.D. is a best-selling author, physician, Chairman and Co-Founder of The Chopra

Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California. Acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest leaders in the field 

of mind-body medicine, he continues to transform our understanding of the meaning of health and healing.

The author of more than 45 books in 25 languages, Deepak is changing the way the world views physical,

mental, emotional, spiritual and social wellness. Through his creation of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing in

California in 1996, Deepak established a formal vehicle for the expansion of his healing approach using the 

integration of the best of western medicine with natural healing traditions. www.chopra.com

Meditation is a powerful tool that allows us to access a state

deep restful awareness. In this state, the bodily reactions are

exactly the opposite of those created by stress: our breathing

slows down, blood pressure decreases and stress hormone

levels fall. Even as the body is resting deeply in meditation,

the mind is awake, though quiet. The term restful awareness  

captures the unique combination of physical relaxation and

an alert yet quiet mind.

 When you meditate, you go beyond the mind’s noisy chatter

into an entirely different place: the silence of a mind that is

not imprisoned by the past or the future. Why is this

important? Because silence is the birthplace of happiness.

Silence is where we get our bursts of inspiration, our tender

feelings of compassion and empathy, our sense of love. Thes

are all delicate emotions, and the chaotic roar of the internal

dialogue easily drowns them out. But when you discover the

silence in your mind, you no longer have to pay attention to

all those random images that trigger worry, anger and pain.

 As numerous scientific studies have shown, a regular

meditation practice produces tangible benefits for mental an

physical health, including:

Lowered blood pressure and hypertension•

Slower heart rate•

Decreased cholesterol levels•

Reduced production of “stress hormones,” including•

cortisol and adrenaline

More efficient oxygen use by the body •

Increased production of the anti-aging hormone DHEA •

Improved immune function•

Beyond these significant physical benefits, the greatest gift o

meditation is how it affects your daily life. When you emerg

from your meditation session, you retain some of the stillnes

and peace with you throughout your day. All of your

thoughts, actions and reactions are infused with a little more

love and mindful attention. Ultimately, no matter what kind

of chaos is swirling around you, you will be able to remain i

a space of calm, centered awareness. 

Tathaas