This year's Happiness and its Causes conference will be held in Sydney on the May 5 to 6, 2010.
Health & Wellbeing asked the speakers of the world's largest forum on human happiness what they believe the key to happiness is. Here's what they had to say...
"Happiness is a quiet mind and an open heart! Our ability to embrace each moment of life regardless of its challenges, with a mind free of chatter and chaos and a warm and generous heart creates a foundation for real and lasting happiness."
— Petrea King, founding director and CEO of the Quest for Life Foundation.
"Happiness for me is whatever inner bliss wells up naturally from a feeling of oneness with the universe of beings and things."
— Dr Robert Thurman, professor of Indo-Tibetan studies, Columbia University and co-founder and president of Tibet House, USA.
"Happiness is love. Full stop! Happiness is drive reduction. Joy is connection."
— Professor George Vaillant, professor of psychiatry, Harvard University.
"Unhappiness comes from wanting things to be different than they are. Finding contentment with whatever the situation is usually results in greater happiness and enjoyment."
— Dr Sara Lazar, neuroscientist and leading meditation researcher, Harvard University.
"Happiness is doing something I find emotionally, physically or intellectually, interesting, exciting, challenging or rewarding. Or do anything fun. It is also about sharing ordinary times with the people who are most important to me."
— James O'Loghlin, host, The New Inventors, ABC.
"For me, the practice of Buddhism is the key to my personal happiness because it is about 'reality and open-mindedness'."
— Kylie Kwong, chef, restaurateur, and television presenter.
"Relishing those moments when the world is suddenly perfect — a sunset, a surf, a spaghettini, a song — and allowing your senses to flood to spilling with them."
— Dr Jonica Newby, presenter, Catalyst, ABC.
"Be open. Avoid mental time travel that keeps you ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. Attend instead to the beauty, kindnesses, and all manner of gifts within this present moment."
— Dr Barbara Fredrickson, pioneering positive emotions researcher, University of North Carolina.
"I am a lover of the simple things. My niece's breath on my face when she gives me a cuddle, the way my dogs respond when I walk in the door, the beauty of a smile from a stranger or a text message from an old friend. It's these individual but perfect moments that make me feel truly happy and blessed."
— Jonty Bush, Young Australian of the Year 2009.
To learn more about the conference, visit happinessanditscauses.com.au
To make a booking email conferences@vajrayana.com.au or call (02) 8719 5118
Have your say: What do you beleive is the key to happiness?
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