AN EXPERIMENT ON HAPPINESS
Several years ago I did an experiment to see if meditation could make me any happier. On average, I guesstimated that my days were about a seven out of 10. Would meditation nudge it up to a nine or zen-like 10? I wanted to find out.
So the experiment was as follows: every day for 30 days straight I meditated in the morning for an hour. In the evening I gave the day a score out of 10 (10 being a super fantastic day) and a reason for the number.
At the end of the 30 day experiment, I looked at the results. Almost every day was rated a seven, same as before the experiment and before regular meditation. A few days were an eight. There were no nines or 10s.
However, there were two days that stood out. Both were a miserable two out of 10 and both were because of arguments I had with family members (the first time was with my Dad, the second with my daughter).
What I learned from the experiment was surprising and valuable. First, meditation didn’t make me happier. Calmer? Definitely, and that makes meditation worth continuing. But I wouldn't say meditation makes me happy.
My second takeaway is I realized how important good family relations are to me, and how profoundly they affect my mood and outlook on life. Being harmonious with family and friends does make me happier.
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