Be curious - and become happy!
Curiosity is not a subject often written about in spiritual texts. Yet if you look at the great spiritual masters, or even just happy people in your own life, you will notice that they all share this trait. Curiosity is important because it stops us from becoming absorbed in our own little worlds. It encourages us to explore and look around a bit more. It suggests an energy for life.
Th benefits of curiosity were recently confirmed by Gallagher and Lopez in this paper. The researchers first split curiosity into “exploration (the disposition to seek out novel/challenging situations) and absorption (the disposition to become fully engaged in these interesting situations) “. They found that exploration in particular is associated with higher levels of well-being.
When we next walk down the street, we should practise looking around us, taking an interest in things, noticing the colours of the leaves and the sounds of the birds. Next time we talk to someone, we should be curious about what they have to say. We can think about their life and their viewpoints and how they differ from our own. Developing inquisitiveness is a great way to keep the mind active and hopeful, to take an interest in others, and to take an interest in life.
