Four Treasures of Happiness
A few years ago, I found a Greek cross necklace at a thrift store. When I bought it, I was vaguely aware that the ancient Greek cross did not originally represent the crucifixion. Instead, its various symbolic meanings include the four cardinal directions and, by extension, the travels of the disciples. As I wore my Greek cross, its four equal arms began to take on meaning from something I had learned about happiness long ago.
I learned that I used food to control my basic feelings
of wellbeing. I identified those feelings as security, relaxation, stimulation,
and pleasure. In other words, I turned to food when I felt vulnerable and
insecure. Or, I would start munching to calm down and relax. If I felt bored, I
searched the cupboards for a stimulating taste treat. And of course, I enjoyed
food for the pure pleasure of it.
I had heard that people often substitute food for love. I didn't doubt that, but I felt there was more to the story. Gradually I made some connections. Love could match with security in my original list of basic feelings. What could match with the other three? See what you think:
Security..............Love
Relaxation...........Peace
Stimulation..........Hope
Pleasure.............Joy
Fascinated and encouraged, I matched the ancient words of deeper spiritual emotion to the modern psychological words. Perhaps they could be rolled up into one word: Happiness.
These four treasures of happiness—Love, Peace, Hope, and Joy—gave me an entry portal to explore the spiritual aspects of my book Transcending the Everyday Temptations of Overeating.
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