Guide to be happy

According to theologian William Hamilton, “On earth, there is nothing great but man; in man there is nothing great but mind.” It’s all in the mind, say psychologists, in an effort to help people overcome problems. Reiterating the same is Dev Om, founder of I Am Happy Foundation, who was in Amritsar recently to conduct a workshop called Language of Life. Comprising activities, discussion and questions, the workshop was interactive and enlightening for people from all walks of life.

Belonging to Noida, though now living mostly near Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, Dev is a zen guide and spiritual healer and author of many books including Meditation for New Age Man (2013), The Spiritual Alchemy of Chakras (2013), Living Sufi (2012) and Ek Omkar (2011). He founded the I Am Happy Foundation in April 2010 as a non-profit organistion registered with the government of India.

It’s a school of life and spirituality that conducts workshops and training programmes for people of all age groups and releases books, cassettes and articles to inspire everyone to be positive. I Am Happy Foundation has centres in Amritsar, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Dharamsala and Goa.

“The proverb, ‘Life is not a bed of roses’ applies to every human being on this earth. Everyone has to struggle in life. However, what matters is how we tackle different situations,” said Dev. He stressed on the gestures, values and emotions, which, if practiced can add energy to the body. These include being helpful, accepting, truthful, friendly and compassionate and spreading love, sharing and being clear and simple. On the other hand, Dev said that feelings of jealousy, anger, fear, criticism, rejection, ego, sadness, guilt, anxiety, embarrassment and loneliness could leak our vital energy. “Most of us think negatively. A negative mind can drain out all our energy and take us away from happiness,” he added.

Having meditated for almost 11 years under the guidance of many Indian mystics, Dev has conducted similar workshops in different parts of the world. Life makes us feel insecure from time to time, he says, but if we face problems with a calm approach, we can become strong. “Running away from a hurdle is not the right solution,” he suggests. When asked why cases of suicides are increasing, especially in the world of glamour, Dev answered, “When they attain a high status, they turn egoistic that takes them further away from basic virtues of peace, love and happiness. Money is not everything. A peaceful mind and a good attitude are more important.”

Dev thanked the Amritsar unit head of I Am Happy Foundation, Manita Bajaj, for inviting him to conduct the workshop and “interact with great minds in Amritsar.”

For details, log on to iamhappy.in and devom.org.