Night Lotus
Quick Links

http://www.spiritual-happiness.com/nightlotus.html

ABOUT
NIGHT LOTUS

ABOUT
SHARON JANIS


 

Audio Links

Listen to: The Spirituality For Dummies CD of Inspiring Music

Listen to: The Glorious Bhagavad Gita Sung in English

Listen to: Diamond Sutra Sung in English

Listen to: Sacred Music Concerts

Listen to: Kashmir Shaivism Texts in Sanskrit and English

Listen to: Sanskrit Spiritual Scriptures

Listen to: Kirtan Chanting

Listen to: Chanting and Devotional Singing


Listen to: Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

 

Video Links

Watch: The Documentary "Peace Pilgrim: An American Sage Who Walked Her Talk"

Watch: Purnadas: King of the Ecstatic Baul Singers

Watch: The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Music Video

Watch: Many More Inspiring Videos

 

 

Writing Links

Read: Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

Read: Excerpts from Spirituality For Dummies

Read: Breakthrough Consciousness

A Modern Quest For Eternal Truth

Read: The Spiritual Social Commentary Blog

 

General Links

Sharon Janis Speaking and Workshops

Photographs of God's Glory in Action

Favorite Spiritual Links

Fantastic Monastic Chai

Things That Make You Go Oooommmmm

Site Map

About Night Lotus

Purchasing Our Works

Contact



 

If we are forced, at every hour, to watch or listen to horrible events, this constant stream of ghastly impressions will deprive even the most delicate among us of all respect for humanity.

- Cicero

It is nearly impossible to escape this media blitz of destruction, sorrow, grief, loss, devastation, frustration, and sadness - with only occasional stories about the many who are doing something good.   Avoiding negative stories and images in today's world would be nearly as miraculous as parting the Red Sea. It's as though everybody now lives a traumatic childhood, witnessing an ongoing series of horrors, cruelties, and heart-wrenching scenes from an early age.   You can't really exist in today's world without knowing all the pain, sorrow, and trauma that exists all over the world.

As with everything else in life, much of the benefit or harm from the media comes from how we choose to use it.   For example, becoming aware of troubles and pains across the globe can be a blessing if that inspires us to heal those problems.  

Personally, I consider it a blessing to have life lessons ready to view on television any time I might want some material to enjoy or consider.   With television, I can enjoy my peaceful and somewhat hermit lifestyle while still being able to keep up with the world, the news, and current trends.   It also gives me an abundance of material for contemplation or writing, with the flick of a channel.   As the humorist, Swami Beyondananda, likes to say, the purpose of this material world is to give us good material!

Remember, this media explosion is still a fairly new development on the human evolution scene.   Television wasn't even close to being around at the turn of the twentieth century.   Why, I'm not all that old, and TV's were rare and only black and white when I was very young.   The last few generations are the only ones that grew up having scripted friends and extended families on television.  

Only in recent decades have the network and cable stations turned to so much negative fare, although recent years have also shown some promising possibilities for using television and film to actually uplift people and our society - what a concept, using the media for good!  

The proliferation of media can also bring other benefits, including entertainment, emotional release, humor, education about many cultures, and - especially with the move toward reality TV - countless lessons about the human experience, from the honorable to the pathetic.   Quiz shows, talent and survival competitions, personal exposés, court battles, dating shows, and other kinds of reality television not only catch our voyeuristic attention, but also offer living models we can watch and study to learn more about how human beings act and react in different situations.   With these observations, we can learn more about human nature, and can also begin to look more closely at understanding and improving our own personal natures.  

Nevertheless, if you find yourself feeling unhappy while watching too much of certain kinds of shows, then by all means, do make use of that remote to change the station, or to turn the television off and do something more constructive with your time.   Meditate!   Contemplate!   Write the book you've always wanted to write!   Learn to cook a new dish.   Help your children with their homework.   Sing a song.   Have a friendly conversation.   Take a class.   Go for a walk.   Go to the gym.   You know your life and your preferences -- find some good inner or outer company that will uplift and inspire you with greater happiness.

Do your best to be around people who are good company - who want to be happy, and who want to see you be happy.   And, most importantly, be good company for yourself, because that is the company you have for life.

 

Next Chapter

 

 

Purchase the
Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

Book, e-book, and audio book

 

 


 

The Audio Book:

 


Or

 

 

 

Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

Table of Contents

by Sharon Janis

 

Introduction  

Preliminary notes to the reader

Section One: Exploring Happiness

Defining Happiness

The Science of Happiness

Why is Happiness So Elusive?

Happiness Comes From Within

Are You Already Happy?

Different Folks, Different Strokes (Quotes about Happiness)

 

Section Two: Introducing Spiritual Happiness

Coining the Term, Spiritual Happiness

The Difference Between Relative and Spiritual Happiness

Spiritual Happiness and the Happiness Hierarchy

What Spiritual Happiness Isn't

The Theories Behind Spiritual Happiness

Upgrading Your Spiritual Happiness Software

Spiritual Happiness in Action

Section Three: 39 Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

1. Relax!  

2. Inspire Your Atmosphere

3. Know Thyself   

4. Enjoy Being You

5. Remember Who You Really Are

6. Know Your Weakest and Strongest Links

7. Cultivate Dual Awareness

8. Happiness is a State of Mind

9. Learning to Smile

10. Play the Game of Life with Empowerment

11. Great Faith Brings Great Freedom

12. Count Your Blessings

13. There's Always Good News

14. Choose Happiness

15. If You're Going to Do Something, Do it Cheerfully

16. Be Aware of the Words You Use

17. Positive Communications Bring Greater Happiness

18. There's Always a Way to Create Happiness 

19. Arrange Your Priorities  

20. A Personal Sharing About Shifting Priorities

21. Don't let Others Tell You What Will Make you Happy       

22. Be Careful About the Company You Keep

23. Don't Let Others Bring You Down  

24. Don't Bring Others Down!  

25. Think Well of Everyone

26. Too Many Expectations Lead to Disappointment  

27. Be a Joyful Giver  

28. Be a Blessing  

29. Finding Grace in Challenges and Blessings From Tragedy  

30. Always Deal With God

31. Let Go of "Punishment Mentality"

32. Things Don't Have to be So Hard

33. Open Yourself to Inner Guidance

34. Do what Your Heart Knows is Right  

35. Uplift Your Motives

36. Trust the Perfection in Imperfection

37. See the Bigger Picture of Your Soul's Journey

38. Enjoy the Trip! 

39. Be Optimistic

 

 

Part of the Night Lotus Productions Offering
of Free Multimedia Spiritual Resources

 

 

Additional Works by Sharon Janis

Click on a book or CD cover to read excerpts or the full books online

 

 

 

 

View our videos on:

 

 

 

Watch a short video about Sharon and Spirituality For Dummies:

 

 


 

 



 

Home Page | Contact | Site Map | Books | Secrets of Spiritual Happiness | Links | Chanting and Devotional Singing | Inspiring Videos | Sanskrit Spiritual Scriptures | Nityananda | Workshops | Photographs | Kirtan Chanting | Chai | Sacred Music Concerts | About the Artist | Disclaimer | About Night Lotus | Purchasing Our Works

 


blessings on your path