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From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: re loneliness
Message-ID: <2390@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 11:57:35 EST
Article-I.D.: randvax.2390
Posted: Mon Apr  8 11:57:35 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 12-Apr-85 07:35:25 EST
References: <260@npois.UUCP> <1560020@acf4.UUCP>
Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
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> >	Eastern philosophy suggests that we are happiest when we are
> >busy. Which leads me to my next suggestion...
> 
> Actually, "keeping busy" is not a recipe for happiness, but rather a way to
> avoid dwelling on one's lack of happiness.  If adopted as a long term
> solution, it becomes a way of avoiding the "pursuit of happiness;" one
> must be aware that improvement is possible in order to initiate it.

I can say, from personal experience, that ``keeping busy'' *does* work!
Plain, old manual labor is one of the best anti-depressives I know of.
No, not *exhausting* work.  Something fairly mindless, where your hands
and/or legs can be busy while your mind wanders a little...  Long walks,
mentioned before, are a good way to synthesize the same situation.

In Zen writings, gardening tends to figure rather heavily; enlightenment
often occured out in the monestary garden.  This simple manual labor was
engaged in by all, and the Masters realized its importance in helping
enlighten their pupils.

Now, if by ``keeping busy'' you mean ``keeping yourself destracted'',
I'd have to agree--this is just avoiding the issue.  But when things
seem to be dragging and the world is weighing heavy, a bit of extended
moving around helps get the lead out...

		-Ed Hall
		decvax!randvax!edhall