Paix?o Harmoniosa: A Chave para Superar uma Vida Morna

"So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (English Standard Version Bible, 1986, Revelation 3:16). Passion may be the most important ingredient for a happy life, certainly the antidote to lukewarm existence. Happiness is defined as the experience of positive emotions, combined with a sense that one’s life is worth living (Lyubomirsky, 2007). If, the absence of happiness leads to depression, which is characterized by a lack of motivation for daily activities (Smith, 2013), then, isn't passion for living life the exact opposite? While passion can be detrimental if it becomes obsessive—fixating and addicting—it's positive when harmonious, allowing control over engagement in beloved pursuits (Vallerand & Verner-Filion, 2013). A passion for activity also increases grit, defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals, which is a strong predictor of success (Duckworth et al., 2007). Grit elevates the likelihood of experiencing flow, a state of deep absorption and engagement, as people find such activities intrinsically rewarding and engage for their own sake (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).? Hence, harmonious passion might be the most important ingredient for a happy and successful life.?

The Buddhists speak of the beginner's mind; although one may advance in maturity and on their spiritual journey, it's crucial not to lose the ability to perceive life with fresh eyes— like a child experiencing the world for the first time with passion and joy (Suzuki, 1970). Yet, as we transition into adulthood, we may develop preconceived judgments, closing ourselves off from the full range of life possibilities, over-identifying with our roles and problems, inflating their significance, and becoming self-absorbed. Sartre (1943) labeled this bad faith and suggested that it serves as a defense mechanism to shield our egos from the anxiety of freedom.

The path to harmonious passion requires us to reestablish the connection with our inner child, to find joy in the journey. Or, as Joseph Campbell (1988) put it, "to follow our bliss." Finding joy in the journey leads to positive emotions and requires practice (Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2008); by engaging with different activities and not over-identifying with any, one develops passion for various pursuits (Vallerand & Verner-Filion, 2013). This involvement with life fosters a grittier individual (Duckworth et al., 2007). Individuals with perseverance challenge themselves out of boredom, and the love and joy for the activity keep them away from extreme anxiety, staying in the flow channel longer (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). This way, harmonious passion can be cultivated and may be the antidote to nihilism, the sense that life is meaningless, associated with depression (Creasy, 2018).?

Martin Seligman (personal communication, October 8, 2023) argues for a stronger focus on mattering rather than meaning. It's an existentialist approach—existence precedes essence (Sartre, 1946), just as mattering precedes meaning. The purpose and meaning don't need to be transcendental; they can also be found in passion for day-to-day life, seeing good and god everywhere in a pantheistic manner (Spinoza, 1677).

In doing so, one might achieve the ideal state of passion for all existence—a state that some cultures call enlightenment. In these terms, it would be a tantric form of enlightenment. Tantra embraces the energies of our physical body, with no dichotomy, no fear of pleasures, seeing them all as valuable (Feuerstein, 1998). The goal in tantra is not to refrain from corporeal pleasures but to learn how to transfer those desires to other areas of one's life—peaking to the point where one is excited to wash dishes, where the beginner's mind is at its best and the running water from the kitchen faucet fills one's whole being with gratitude and ecstasy.

Harmonious passion for life's activities might be the most important ingredient for happiness. Happiness should be viewed as the ultimate measure of success in life and praised accordingly since intrinsic success is what really matters. But as if that wasn't enough, passion also leads to more extrinsic success. Passion provokes grit, since when we love, we persevere to improve. Grit leads to flow; with perseverance and passion, we engage and push our limits, achieving the flow state. Flow increases spiritual connection; during, we lose the sense of self, but after, we feel more connected and with higher meaning (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). Thus, harmonious passion, grit, and flow create a virtuous cycle of happiness and success. Further investigation into harmonious passion is warranted, as it might offer a promising countermeasure to depression and a significant enhancer of overall success. The critical inquiry remains: how might individuals augment their harmonious passion for life and its various activities?