Dear Friend,

A dear friend gave me a gift this Christmas—a gift that has activated a bubbling excitement within me and given me hope about what is possible in our world. It was the gift of a DVD called “Bhutan: Taking the Middle Path to Happiness”.

“Bhutan” is a video about a country and a man who dared to establish governmental policies from the center of who they are and what is most important to them. I would like to share just enough about this country and it’s vision to entice you to get a hold of the DVD for yourself--to get inspired by how this country’s example could motivate us individually and collectively to lay the foundation for peace and happiness in a world that sometimes seems to have forgotten the meaning of these words.

Warmest wishes,

Mollie

Jan, 2009
Vol 2, Issue 1

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Feature Article:

Setting the Bar for Happiness

The setting of this story is the small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It has a population of 650,000 and is snugly, if not somewhat vulnerably, situated between the borders of Tibet and India. Bhutan is currently one of the least urbanized countries in the world, dependent primarily upon agriculture for its subsistence. Pictures of Bhutan and its people evoke the thought that this might be one of those rare places where one could experience the feeling of “heaven on earth”.

Government policy in Bhutan is guided by the visionary philosophy of Gross National Happiness. For instance, a little more than ten years ago Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth king of Bhutan decided that for the future good of the kingdom, it was time for Bhutan to emerge from its isolation and join the global marketplace and that it was to unfold in a way that honored and preserved the essential values and the wellbeing of the Bhutanese people. Rather than gross national product, Gross National Happiness is Bhutan’s bottom line.

The 4 pillars of Gross National Happiness are:

1. Good governance

   that is responsive to the needs and values of the people
   that fosters justice and equity
   that is preparing the country for a shift into democracy

2. Balanced Economic Development which leads to an improvement in the way people live

   Good education
   Good housing
   A standard of living aligned with the value of “taking the middle path”.

3. Environmental Preservation

   The teachings of Buddhism, the main religion of the area, refer to the sacredness of all of nature and the belief that all people and all of nature are interconnected.

4. Preservation and Promotion of Cultural Identity

   Bhutan does not have the capacity to be a military force. It is believed, that its key to survival, is to have a distinct identity, and that being deeply in touch with that cultural identity also promotes internal satisfaction.

As I watched the video, “Bhutan”, the heart and the commitment of this small kingdom that is daring to hold such a remarkable vision touched me. Will they be able to maintain the fine balance between the demands of a plummeting world economy and the calling of their most important cultural values? I believe it is possible. They already have the contentment and happiness that is so sought after by much of the rest of the world. A wonderful fantasy came to me, of Bhutan as a hub from which peace and happiness emanate out into the world, attracting more and more peace and happiness until there is so much Bhutanese Gross National Happiness that it spills over the borders and into the ethers, generating an irresistible calling toward genuine, value-based happiness throughout the world.

I invite you to get a copy of this video and steep yourself in the beauty, the heart and the vision of what one small country has dared to dream.

Which core values of yours, if they were held sacred, and were also fully expressed, might add to the possibility of global peace and happiness?

_____________________________________________

LET YOUR VALUES DESIGN YOUR LIFE FOR 2009-an exercise

1. Take a moment and let your intuitive, creative self remind you of the four or five values that are non negotiable in your life. What do you value so much that it is an intrinsic part of who you are?

2. Now, create a vision for your life that honors and manifests these values.

   Let the vision of a tiny kingdom called Bhutan, be your inspiration of how large your vision might be.

   Allow yourself to connect with a strong internal desire to reach for this vision.

3. Create a dream board or collage of this vision of your life.

   Allow yourself to connect with a strong internal desire to reach for this vision.

   Hang it up in a location where you will see it on a regular basis.

4. Make a decision right now, to do whatever it takes to live your value-based vision,

   Allow yourself to connect with a strong internal desire to reach for this vision.

   You don’t have to know how you will do it; you just have to honestly make the commitment.

   Take a minimum of one small step each day toward your vision.

5. Align your every-day actions with the core values from which you created the vision.

What I know for sure is that if you take these few simple steps and focus on numbers three to five consistently during this year, you will arrive at the year 2010 with an enriched sense of contentment and well-being. You might even call yourself happy.

Mollie Recommends:

Bhutan: Taking The Middle Path To Happiness ~ Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, Lyonpo Jigme Yoezar Thinley, and Jigme Drukpa (DVD - Dec 25, 2007)

Imagine a country where happiness is the guiding principle of government. Imagine a people who see all life as sacred and the source of their happiness, a place with an abundance of clean and renewable energy, a nation committed to preserving its culture and whose progress is measured by obtaining Gross National Happiness for its people. Where is this Shangri-La? Bhutan. But can a place like Bhutan really exist? Can such ideals be realized? Can this small, geographically isolated country tucked away in the Himalayans truly protect its environment and culture as they open their doors to the West? The answer is rooted in the Bhutanese view of the world, anchored in Buddhism, with the simple message that happiness can only be found by taking the middle path the path that balances the needs of man with the powerful spirits of nature.

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About Mollie:

Mollie Malone is a life coach and transpersonal counselor. She received her Bachelor of Science in experimental psychology and a Master of Arts in counseling psychology.   Over the years she has augmented her education with in-depth trainings within the human potential arena and the study of metaphysics. She has extensive training in the Hoffman Quadrinity Process methodology and is trained in the Hakomi method of psychotherapy. Mollie is a licensed Now What? facilitator and is a certified professional co-active coach trained by the Coaches Training Institute. She is a member of the International Coach Federation, the San Diego Professional Coaches Association, Coachville, and the American Counselors Association.

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8070 La Jolla Shores Drive #450
La Jolla, CA 92037