A summary of "Training our minds to the Happy," in the February issue of Psychology Today:


"Living in the present may be the key to happiness, says Carlin

Flora, a staff writer at the magazine. "Our sense of well-being

is intimately tied into our perception of time," she says.

Age also makes a difference, she says, citing research by a

professor of psychology at Stanford University. The professor,

Laura Carstensen, has found that younger people focus more on

the negative, while older people release bad feelings faster and

maintain good ones longer.

"Carstensen thinks this shift toward the positive occurs because

as we age, we become aware, consciously or not, that time is

running out," Ms. Flora writes. "The awareness of life's

fragility turns our attention to the present moment, so we worry

less."

Ms. Carstensen is also investigating how Buddhist meditation,

which involves an intense focus on the present, may affect the

brain."

"The finding suggests," Ms. Flora says, "that if we train

ourselves to become more mindful and slow down our sense of

passing time, we can learn to monitor our moods and thoughts

before they spiral downward. We can, in other words, make

ourselves happier."


So, mindfulness, mindfulness, mindfulness. Another field of study that confirms ancient insights. Alas that we live is such a magnificently unmindful society! Distractions and entertainment tossed at us constantly.

The full-text of the article is at:
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20050119-000002.html