I am tired of posters everywhere I go every doctor’s office professors desk
every doctor’s office professors desk
every doctor’s office professors desk waiting room classroom every place that
waiting room classroom every place that
waiting room classroom every place that I go they follow me shoot for the moon
I go they follow me shoot for the moon
I go they follow me shoot for the moon and even if you miss you’ll land among
and even if you miss you’ll land among
and even if you miss you’ll land among the stars don’t be afraid to be
the stars don’t be afraid to be
the stars don’t be afraid to be different do what makes you happy but
different do what makes you happy but
different do what makes you happy but they don’t tell you is that if you miss
they don’t tell you is that if you miss
they don’t tell you is that if you miss the moon you’ll die within seconds in
the moon you’ll die within seconds in
the moon you’ll die within seconds in the vacuum of space if everyone just
the vacuum of space if everyone just
the vacuum of space if everyone just focused on being different then we’d all
focused on being different then we’d all
focused on being different then we’d all just be hipsters and do what makes you
just be hipsters and do what makes you
just be hipsters and do what makes you happy
happy
happy look these phrases are simple and catchy
look these phrases are simple and catchy
look these phrases are simple and catchy and yet repeated endlessly until I can
and yet repeated endlessly until I can
and yet repeated endlessly until I can no longer quite remember what they once
no longer quite remember what they once
no longer quite remember what they once meant I’m sick of these posters showed
meant I’m sick of these posters showed
meant I’m sick of these posters showed down our throats at every occasion every
down our throats at every occasion every
down our throats at every occasion every convocation and celebration a
convocation and celebration a
convocation and celebration a culmination of an entire generations
culmination of an entire generations
culmination of an entire generations worth of brainwashing these grains of
worth of brainwashing these grains of
worth of brainwashing these grains of truth turned into meaningless adages
truth turned into meaningless adages
truth turned into meaningless adages hiding behind frames
hiding behind frames
hiding behind frames stock images is this what I’ve come to
stock images is this what I’ve come to
stock images is this what I’ve come to I’ve spent so much of my life trying to
I’ve spent so much of my life trying to
I’ve spent so much of my life trying to be happy
be happy
be happy told to do what I love and to love every
told to do what I love and to love every
told to do what I love and to love every moment and yet I find myself on this
moment and yet I find myself on this
moment and yet I find myself on this treadmill of goals and wishes that just
treadmill of goals and wishes that just
treadmill of goals and wishes that just goes on and on and on and on wondering
goes on and on and on and on wondering
goes on and on and on and on wondering why I’m not able to reach that trophy
why I’m not able to reach that trophy
why I’m not able to reach that trophy that I so desperately crave not
that I so desperately crave not
that I so desperately crave not realizing that it’s literally two steps
realizing that it’s literally two steps
realizing that it’s literally two steps in front of me in front of this machine
in front of me in front of this machine
in front of me in front of this machine that I can’t seem to turn off we are
that I can’t seem to turn off we are
that I can’t seem to turn off we are taught that happiness comes from
taught that happiness comes from
taught that happiness comes from defining who you are from following your
defining who you are from following your
defining who you are from following your passions as if happiness is just some
passions as if happiness is just some
passions as if happiness is just some hedonistic reward for being unique and
hedonistic reward for being unique and
hedonistic reward for being unique and different completely ignoring the
different completely ignoring the
different completely ignoring the meaning the purpose the importance that
meaning the purpose the importance that
meaning the purpose the importance that comes behind sacrifice giving pain for
comes behind sacrifice giving pain for
comes behind sacrifice giving pain for it’s only when we’ve lost ourselves that
it’s only when we’ve lost ourselves that
it’s only when we’ve lost ourselves that we stand to gain
we stand to gain
we stand to gain everything we’ve become so obsessed with
everything we’ve become so obsessed with
everything we’ve become so obsessed with passion that we’ve forgotten about
passion that we’ve forgotten about
passion that we’ve forgotten about compassion
compassion
compassion so was self-centered that we’ve lost our
so was self-centered that we’ve lost our
so was self-centered that we’ve lost our ability to just center ourselves I’m
ability to just center ourselves I’m
ability to just center ourselves I’m done with these posters I’m over being
done with these posters I’m over being
done with these posters I’m over being told to keep running I’m ready to turn
told to keep running I’m ready to turn
told to keep running I’m ready to turn off this treadmill I’m here hello
off this treadmill I’m here hello
off this treadmill I’m here hello everyone my name is Suraj and I’m a
everyone my name is Suraj and I’m a
everyone my name is Suraj and I’m a writer a student here at Georgia Tech
writer a student here at Georgia Tech
writer a student here at Georgia Tech and perhaps most meaningful to me an
and perhaps most meaningful to me an
and perhaps most meaningful to me an instructor for a form of meditation
instructor for a form of meditation
instructor for a form of meditation called heartfulness what you just heard
called heartfulness what you just heard
called heartfulness what you just heard was a spoken word poem that I wrote a
was a spoken word poem that I wrote a
was a spoken word poem that I wrote a year ago called posters for so long I’ve
year ago called posters for so long I’ve
year ago called posters for so long I’ve felt immersed in a culture that is
felt immersed in a culture that is
felt immersed in a culture that is obsessed with happiness has a campus and
obsessed with happiness has a campus and
obsessed with happiness has a campus and the generation we are constantly being
the generation we are constantly being
the generation we are constantly being told to do what makes us happy and to
told to do what makes us happy and to
told to do what makes us happy and to follow our passions and yet despite
follow our passions and yet despite
follow our passions and yet despite being in an era that’s arguably more
being in an era that’s arguably more
being in an era that’s arguably more connected more comfortable and more
connected more comfortable and more
connected more comfortable and more affluent than ever before
affluent than ever before
affluent than ever before so many of us including myself have
so many of us including myself have
so many of us including myself have found ourselves feeling empty and
found ourselves feeling empty and
found ourselves feeling empty and unfulfilled over 300 million people in
unfulfilled over 300 million people in
unfulfilled over 300 million people in the world suffer from depression which
the world suffer from depression which
the world suffer from depression which is the leading cause of disability
is the leading cause of disability
is the leading cause of disability worldwide why is that why it despite
worldwide why is that why it despite
worldwide why is that why it despite this constant narrative to be happy am i
this constant narrative to be happy am i
this constant narrative to be happy am i not that’s the question that I asked
not that’s the question that I asked
not that’s the question that I asked myself what is it that I haven’t figured
myself what is it that I haven’t figured
myself what is it that I haven’t figured out first I had replaced happiness with
out first I had replaced happiness with
out first I had replaced happiness with pleasure if I look back at the moments
pleasure if I look back at the moments
pleasure if I look back at the moments of my life where I consider myself to be
of my life where I consider myself to be
of my life where I consider myself to be happy they really fall into two
happy they really fall into two
happy they really fall into two categories there are the exhilarating
categories there are the exhilarating
categories there are the exhilarating moments like where I got my first
moments like where I got my first
moments like where I got my first PlayStation 2 or went to the music music
PlayStation 2 or went to the music music
PlayStation 2 or went to the music music Midtown with for music festival over the
Midtown with for music festival over the
Midtown with for music festival over the weekend with my friend
weekend with my friend
weekend with my friend or I won my first high school debate
or I won my first high school debate
or I won my first high school debate competition
competition
competition these moments were these exhilarating
these moments were these exhilarating
these moments were these exhilarating Heights and then almost inevitably
Heights and then almost inevitably
Heights and then almost inevitably followed by an equally extreme low the
followed by an equally extreme low the
followed by an equally extreme low the second kind of moment are more subtle
second kind of moment are more subtle
second kind of moment are more subtle like the time where I first held my baby
like the time where I first held my baby
like the time where I first held my baby cousin and I was terrified of letting
cousin and I was terrified of letting
cousin and I was terrified of letting him go but he held on to me or the smile
him go but he held on to me or the smile
him go but he held on to me or the smile that I would get at the front desk every
that I would get at the front desk every
that I would get at the front desk every time I walked past the front doors of my
time I walked past the front doors of my
time I walked past the front doors of my internship these moments felt like they
internship these moments felt like they
internship these moments felt like they were giving me a sense of joy that could
were giving me a sense of joy that could
were giving me a sense of joy that could last forever neurologically speaking the
last forever neurologically speaking the
last forever neurologically speaking the exhilarating moments can be explained by
exhilarating moments can be explained by
exhilarating moments can be explained by dopamine a pleasure hormone that gets
dopamine a pleasure hormone that gets
dopamine a pleasure hormone that gets triggered every time that we achieve a
triggered every time that we achieve a
triggered every time that we achieve a goal or talk about our accomplishments
goal or talk about our accomplishments
goal or talk about our accomplishments they are almost like a sugar rush where
they are almost like a sugar rush where
they are almost like a sugar rush where you get that high and then inevitably
you get that high and then inevitably
you get that high and then inevitably have that crash the more subtle moments
have that crash the more subtle moments
have that crash the more subtle moments can be explained by oxytocin or
can be explained by oxytocin or
can be explained by oxytocin or serotonin which are triggered every time
serotonin which are triggered every time
serotonin which are triggered every time that we engage in in an unselfish act
that we engage in in an unselfish act
that we engage in in an unselfish act like charity or a behavior of trusts and
like charity or a behavior of trusts and
like charity or a behavior of trusts and bonding they may not give us that
bonding they may not give us that
bonding they may not give us that exhilarating high but they give us they
exhilarating high but they give us they
exhilarating high but they give us they lift our moods and they tend to last
lift our moods and they tend to last
lift our moods and they tend to last much longer for me I had almost wholly
much longer for me I had almost wholly
much longer for me I had almost wholly replaced happiness with those
replaced happiness with those
replaced happiness with those exhilarating moments I remember my first
exhilarating moments I remember my first
exhilarating moments I remember my first year in college I dreaded having to come
year in college I dreaded having to come
year in college I dreaded having to come back to my dorm room because I’d be
back to my dorm room because I’d be
back to my dorm room because I’d be having so much fun on campus exploring
having so much fun on campus exploring
having so much fun on campus exploring events around town and having fun with
events around town and having fun with
events around town and having fun with my friends but I knew that inevitable
my friends but I knew that inevitable
my friends but I knew that inevitable crash was a meet awaiting me at the
crash was a meet awaiting me at the
crash was a meet awaiting me at the moment I would go back into my dorm
second I made happiness about myself I
second I made happiness about myself I still remember when I was small and
still remember when I was small and
still remember when I was small and whenever I would have a nightmare or
whenever I would have a nightmare or
whenever I would have a nightmare or growing pains my mom would hear me cry
growing pains my mom would hear me cry
growing pains my mom would hear me cry in the middle of the night and then just
in the middle of the night and then just
in the middle of the night and then just rush over to make sure that everything
rush over to make sure that everything
rush over to make sure that everything was okay in those moments at 2:00 a.m.
was okay in those moments at 2:00 a.m.
was okay in those moments at 2:00 a.m. in the morning my mom was definitely not
in the morning my mom was definitely not
in the morning my mom was definitely not happy having to sit with me press my
happy having to sit with me press my
happy having to sit with me press my feet give me water and just lay down
feet give me water and just lay down
feet give me water and just lay down next to me until I could go to sleep I’m
next to me until I could go to sleep I’m
next to me until I could go to sleep I’m sure no parent enjoys having to be
sure no parent enjoys having to be
sure no parent enjoys having to be sleep-deprived because their child is
sleep-deprived because their child is
sleep-deprived because their child is waking up again and again in the night
waking up again and again in the night
waking up again and again in the night but in that moment no matter how cranky
but in that moment no matter how cranky
but in that moment no matter how cranky or unhappy that my mom was she came and
or unhappy that my mom was she came and
or unhappy that my mom was she came and it was out of love for years I’ve had
it was out of love for years I’ve had
it was out of love for years I’ve had these days where we have existential
these days where we have existential
these days where we have existential crisis or after existential crisis
crisis or after existential crisis
crisis or after existential crisis thinking about Who am I and am I really
thinking about Who am I and am I really
thinking about Who am I and am I really happy and last year when I found myself
happy and last year when I found myself
happy and last year when I found myself in the similar situation sinking deeper
in the similar situation sinking deeper
in the similar situation sinking deeper and deeper until a hole of self-doubt
and deeper until a hole of self-doubt
and deeper until a hole of self-doubt the most unexpected thing helped pull me
the most unexpected thing helped pull me
the most unexpected thing helped pull me out of it was gardening I started with a
out of it was gardening I started with a
out of it was gardening I started with a few seeds and some pots of soil out in
few seeds and some pots of soil out in
few seeds and some pots of soil out in my balcony and it was amazing because
my balcony and it was amazing because
my balcony and it was amazing because for the first time in my life when I
for the first time in my life when I
for the first time in my life when I woke up in the morning my first thought
woke up in the morning my first thought
woke up in the morning my first thought wasn’t oh my gosh I want to go back to
wasn’t oh my gosh I want to go back to
wasn’t oh my gosh I want to go back to sleep or how dreadful is my day gonna be
sleep or how dreadful is my day gonna be
sleep or how dreadful is my day gonna be today my first thought was how are my
today my first thought was how are my
today my first thought was how are my plans doing how can I water them have
plans doing how can I water them have
plans doing how can I water them have they grown yet that simple act of
they grown yet that simple act of
they grown yet that simple act of tending to this garden was helping to
tending to this garden was helping to
tending to this garden was helping to pull me out of the self-obsession
pull me out of the self-obsession
pull me out of the self-obsession and really add perspective to my life
and really add perspective to my life
and really add perspective to my life and my own struggles in a way happiness
and my own struggles in a way happiness
and my own struggles in a way happiness became no longer about just myself and
became no longer about just myself and
became no longer about just myself and this move from ourselves to others is
this move from ourselves to others is
this move from ourselves to others is further confirmed by a study at Harvard
further confirmed by a study at Harvard
further confirmed by a study at Harvard conducted by a dr. Michael Norton
conducted by a dr. Michael Norton
conducted by a dr. Michael Norton two groups one told to spend $20 on
two groups one told to spend $20 on
two groups one told to spend $20 on themselves and another told to spend $20
themselves and another told to spend $20
themselves and another told to spend $20 on themselves inevitably the group that
on themselves inevitably the group that
on themselves inevitably the group that spent $20 on other people reported
spent $20 on other people reported
spent $20 on other people reported consistently higher levels of happiness
consistently higher levels of happiness
consistently higher levels of happiness and thus a concept of pro-social giving
and thus a concept of pro-social giving
and thus a concept of pro-social giving been further confirmed by other studies
been further confirmed by other studies
been further confirmed by other studies to have longer lasting positive health
to have longer lasting positive health
to have longer lasting positive health benefits beyond just feelings of
benefits beyond just feelings of
benefits beyond just feelings of connection or that incremental mood
connection or that incremental mood
connection or that incremental mood boost but then the question arises why
boost but then the question arises why
boost but then the question arises why do so many of us spend a majority of our
do so many of us spend a majority of our
do so many of us spend a majority of our resources on ourselves and not others
in the past four years that I’ve been
in the past four years that I’ve been meditating and the last two years that
meditating and the last two years that
meditating and the last two years that I’ve been an instructor a question that
I’ve been an instructor a question that
I’ve been an instructor a question that I often get asked and I’ve even asked
I often get asked and I’ve even asked
I often get asked and I’ve even asked myself is if I feel content
myself is if I feel content
myself is if I feel content how will I accomplish anything what will
how will I accomplish anything what will
how will I accomplish anything what will happen to him my mission as if feeling
happen to him my mission as if feeling
happen to him my mission as if feeling fulfilled and still aspiring to improve
fulfilled and still aspiring to improve
fulfilled and still aspiring to improve are completely different and
are completely different and
are completely different and incompatible as a result I found myself
incompatible as a result I found myself
incompatible as a result I found myself falling into this trap of if only I
falling into this trap of if only I
falling into this trap of if only I if only my friend would apologize if
if only my friend would apologize if
if only my friend would apologize if only my parents would let me go to that
only my parents would let me go to that
only my parents would let me go to that party if only I can get into the right
party if only I can get into the right
party if only I can get into the right college then get the right grade on this
college then get the right grade on this
college then get the right grade on this test then get the right internship the
test then get the right internship the
test then get the right internship the right job at the right location and
right job at the right location and
right job at the right location and before you know it you get lost in the
before you know it you get lost in the
before you know it you get lost in the cycle and implicit in that statement is
cycle and implicit in that statement is
cycle and implicit in that statement is always if only I get X then I’ll be
always if only I get X then I’ll be
always if only I get X then I’ll be happy then everything will be okay in
happy then everything will be okay in
happy then everything will be okay in the words of the happiest man in the
the words of the happiest man in the
the words of the happiest man in the world a 71 year old Buddhist monk named
world a 71 year old Buddhist monk named
world a 71 year old Buddhist monk named Matthew Ricard
Matthew Ricard
Matthew Ricard happiness is not the endless pursuit of
happiness is not the endless pursuit of
happiness is not the endless pursuit of a Secession of experiences that’s more a
a Secession of experiences that’s more a
a Secession of experiences that’s more a recipe for exhaustion than happiness
recipe for exhaustion than happiness
recipe for exhaustion than happiness happiness is a way of being for me this
happiness is a way of being for me this
happiness is a way of being for me this is the role of meditation I’ve spent so
is the role of meditation I’ve spent so
is the role of meditation I’ve spent so much of my life being conditioned by
much of my life being conditioned by
much of my life being conditioned by external factors telling me that in
external factors telling me that in
external factors telling me that in order to be happy and finally get there
order to be happy and finally get there
order to be happy and finally get there I just have to keep working and working
I just have to keep working and working
I just have to keep working and working and working outside of myself not
and working outside of myself not
and working outside of myself not realizing the importance of just
realizing the importance of just
realizing the importance of just pausing letting myself unravel and
pausing letting myself unravel and
pausing letting myself unravel and expanding my understanding of the
expanding my understanding of the
expanding my understanding of the situation beyond the chaos of that
situation beyond the chaos of that
situation beyond the chaos of that moment when we want to get to know
moment when we want to get to know
moment when we want to get to know someone and the conversation is going
someone and the conversation is going
someone and the conversation is going really well
really well
really well what do we do we put away our phones and
what do we do we put away our phones and
what do we do we put away our phones and our distractions we give that person in
our distractions we give that person in
our distractions we give that person in our full attention and we just listen
meditation is an opportunity to do the
meditation is an opportunity to do the same with yourself where you put away
same with yourself where you put away
same with yourself where you put away distractions you take a pause relax
distractions you take a pause relax
distractions you take a pause relax give yourself your full attention and
give yourself your full attention and
give yourself your full attention and you just listen to what your heart has
you just listen to what your heart has
you just listen to what your heart has to say
the more that I’ve done this the more
the more that I’ve done this the more that I find myself letting that state of
that I find myself letting that state of
that I find myself letting that state of calm and of balance become a way of
calm and of balance become a way of
calm and of balance become a way of being and this just isn’t my experience
being and this just isn’t my experience
being and this just isn’t my experience studies from UCLA Harvard Yale and
studies from UCLA Harvard Yale and
studies from UCLA Harvard Yale and universities across the world are
universities across the world are
universities across the world are finding how a daily meditation practice
finding how a daily meditation practice
finding how a daily meditation practice doesn’t just help lift your mood or
doesn’t just help lift your mood or
doesn’t just help lift your mood or reduce your stress but also physically
reduce your stress but also physically
reduce your stress but also physically changes your minds in ways that make
changes your minds in ways that make
changes your minds in ways that make these changes more positive and
these changes more positive and
these changes more positive and longer-lasting the most important thing
longer-lasting the most important thing
longer-lasting the most important thing is that you don’t have to wait until you
is that you don’t have to wait until you
is that you don’t have to wait until you have a weekend to go to the mountains
have a weekend to go to the mountains
have a weekend to go to the mountains meditation is something that you can do
meditation is something that you can do
meditation is something that you can do anywhere at any time
anywhere at any time
anywhere at any time I did it before the two tests that I had
I did it before the two tests that I had
I did it before the two tests that I had today I did it before this event I’ve
today I did it before this event I’ve
today I did it before this event I’ve done it in the middle of an airport
done it in the middle of an airport
done it in the middle of an airport because I know that no matter where I am
because I know that no matter where I am
because I know that no matter where I am and no matter how chaotic or how
and no matter how chaotic or how
and no matter how chaotic or how peaceful my life is going it’s there for
peaceful my life is going it’s there for
peaceful my life is going it’s there for me today with online courses mobile apps
me today with online courses mobile apps
me today with online courses mobile apps and volunteer instructors across the
and volunteer instructors across the
and volunteer instructors across the world meditation is more accessible than
world meditation is more accessible than
world meditation is more accessible than ever all you have to do is give it a try
ever all you have to do is give it a try
ever all you have to do is give it a try so going back to that question that I
so going back to that question that I
so going back to that question that I asked myself why despite this constant
asked myself why despite this constant
asked myself why despite this constant narrative of being happy
narrative of being happy
narrative of being happy am I not for me I realized it was
am I not for me I realized it was
am I not for me I realized it was because one I was making happiness all
because one I was making happiness all
because one I was making happiness all about pleasure I had made happiness all
about pleasure I had made happiness all
about pleasure I had made happiness all about myself and I was caught on this
about myself and I was caught on this
about myself and I was caught on this treadmill my personal discovery was that
treadmill my personal discovery was that
treadmill my personal discovery was that getting off the treadmill means shifting
getting off the treadmill means shifting
getting off the treadmill means shifting away from those seeing happiness as
away from those seeing happiness as
away from those seeing happiness as those exhilarating moments shifting the
those exhilarating moments shifting the
those exhilarating moments shifting the focus away from just yourself to
focus away from just yourself to
focus away from just yourself to including others whether it’s people in
including others whether it’s people in
including others whether it’s people in your community or a few plants in your
your community or a few plants in your
your community or a few plants in your balcony and ultimately using meditation
balcony and ultimately using meditation
balcony and ultimately using meditation as a tool to help achieve that state of
as a tool to help achieve that state of
as a tool to help achieve that state of balance
balance
balance become that way of being ultimately my
become that way of being ultimately my
become that way of being ultimately my hope is that we can screw being told to
hope is that we can screw being told to
hope is that we can screw being told to find happiness to pursue that endless
find happiness to pursue that endless
find happiness to pursue that endless secession of experiences that each one
secession of experiences that each one
secession of experiences that each one of us can say we’re done running on our
of us can say we’re done running on our
of us can say we’re done running on our treadmills and that we’re ready to just
treadmills and that we’re ready to just
treadmills and that we’re ready to just be here thank you
be here thank you
be here thank you [Applause]
”
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