“Google has innumerable articles on happiness, but all are based on the ‘Art’ of happiness, and ‘Art’ is a subjective term. This means that what makes me happy cannot make you happy. On the other hand, science is not subjective but objective, and it is the same for everybody. This signifies that happiness should be based on principles that are the same for everyone.” This was stated by Swami Smarananada Giri, Vice President of the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.
He was delivering the keynote address at the national seminar on ‘The Science of Happiness’. Shoolini University’s Yogananda Centre for Theology (YCT) hosted the event in collaboration with the School of Ancient Indian Wisdom and Yogic Studies. The seminar aimed to explore the objective principles underlying happiness and provide attendees with practical tools to cultivate lasting joy.
The event commenced with Eika Banerjee, founder of Eikam Resonance, delivering an impactful message on leading a joyful life. Banerjee emphasised the importance of self-awareness, mindful speech, and replacing negative thoughts with positive alternatives. She commended Shoolini University for providing students with transformative learning opportunities through seminars and workshops. She appreciated the university for allowing students to learn through seminars and workshops.
Swami Ji, who holds a PhD in Electronics and Communication Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and is a post-doctoral fellow from Concordia University, Canada, said, “The happiness we talk about today is not the happiness we experience when something good happens. We should be happy even when something bad happens to us. We should be joyous not because of favourable and pleasant circumstances but despite unpleasant and adverse circumstances.”
During the seminar, Swami Ji suggested that the ancient scientific principles taught by saints, like meditation, could help individuals achieve lasting happiness. Swami Ji emphasised the importance of happiness in adverse situations and the scientific benefits of meditation. By intertwining ancient wisdom with modern understanding, Swami Ji enlightened the audience about the profound positive effects of meditation on mental well-being, emotional balance, and overall cognitive functioning. His insights served as a bridge between spirituality and science, inspiring the attendees to embrace meditation as a practical tool for personal growth and inner peace.
The event concluded with an interactive session, during which Swami Ji led the audience in meditation practice, leaving them with a profound experience.
Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla thanked Swami Swarnananda Giri for his enlightening session and encouraged students to begin practising meditation. He also announced the establishment of a Centre of Happiness at Shoolini University in August.
In a world brimming with the weight of stress, anxiety, depression, and relentless struggles, workshops and seminars such as ‘The Science of Happiness’ emerge as beacons of hope in the lives of youth.
Ciba Kanwar
May 11, 2023
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