Day 35 Yogic Calm

So it would seem the infallible Gretchen Rubin (Day 27) has done a hop skip and a salutation pose across the pond. In Grazia magazine this week, Gretch has two pages dedicated to What Really Makes Us Happy.

I'm intrigued, firstly, by the photos. Polaroid 'snapshots' of Gretchen's wedding, house in the Hamptons, at home with the kids, and someone doing a yoga position. I say someone because I'm not entirely convinced it's Gretchen herself. Despite all the other pics depicting the Queen of Happiness, this one is p'haps incongruously featuring a slightly younger, more tanned being in white underwear by an infinity pool. But hey! Taking liberties with body doubles would no doubt bring me joy so who am I to comment.

ANYWAY. The article is pretty much along the same lines as her book. Gretchen has A Perfect Life and was Happy BUT in a moment of blinding enlightenment on a bus decided to become More Happy. Happiness just wasn't enough!! Oh no.

The article provides a bit more of an insight into Gretchen's campaign for happiness. For example, I have now discovered that to 'Expand her mind' Gretchen went to drawing class. Furthermore, due to the rather ambiguous statistic that people who have fun are 20 times as likely to feel happy, Gretchen started a children's book club. Because of course that's fun (my idea of a bloody nightmare). OH and prepare yourself for earth-shattering profundity - because 'a contented, positive attitude is so much better for happiness than a negative one’; Gretchen learned to 'admire' her friend's love of Barry Manilow.

Rest assured, Gretchen's Positivity Mission is still as deep as a puddle. However, in a vain attempt to cast aside my cynicism, I'm going to mull over one of her 'commandments' today:

To be happier, you have to think about feeling good, feeling bad and feeling right in an atmosphere of growth

I'm also going to muse on the ideological implications of applying terminology such as 'commandment'. All hail the Church of Happiness.

RIGHT

Inspired by yogic thoughts, I’m also going to delve into the relationship between yoga and a contented life. Ayurevda and the yogic approach to mind/body relationship particularly intrigue me. Surely NOTHING can be as criminally insane as Louise Hay's preaching on all things mind over matter. So, that's a start, plus a few yoga poses, plus MAYBE... just maybe a small detox. Ergh. It doesn’t take much to predict a tremendous fail with all-things-detox. Easter weekend and a toxin-free hiatus do not a blissful union make.