Happiness

I was talking to a friend tonight about how often the religious,moral point of view is about living a good life, doing good in the world and not so much about feeling good or being happy.Can one actually do good if one does not feel good?Can one know another if one does not know themselves?The answer to such questions is obviously complex and requires living one's life, asking such questions that may not have obvious answers. I think His Holiness, the Dalai Lama begins to give us some answers in his suggestions of how to live a good life;
Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules for Living
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
* Respect for self
* Respect for others
* Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back,
you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation.
Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each
other exceeds your need for each other.
18.Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.