The Science Of Happiness

By Papyrous

If you feel like a Gooney bird in winter, running on the lake ice, flapping for take off, knowing, beyond a doubt, that your landing will be even more comical, then it is time to think about the beauty, and the joy, of flight.

You see, the science of Happiness is born in an individual from the union of the realization that our lives are a series of chosen possibilities and the realization that not all possibilities are stepping stones to happiness. (Not all mountain roads lead to the top.).

To progress, we must discern what exists and what does not. That star we look at tonight may have exploded millenniums ago. In other words, we intentionally discern, as best we can, which possibilities contain the seeds of happiness and which do not.

We then discard those possibilities which we feel do not contain the seeds of happiness. From the remaining possibilities we re-examine, reflect, discern and choose those which we feel will lead to the most happiness, because we sense that happy hurts less than sad.

Our future is conditioned by the choices we make now, as well as those we have made in the past. As we grow in understanding we increase the number of possibilities which are available to us, and as we grow in discernment we choose the better of those possibilities. It is the way of life.

Thus we are all on the Path of Happiness, and we do better, or worse, on that Path according to how accurately we discern, as well as how prudently we choose our possibilities.

Now someone may say, “All this about possibilities is well and good, but what are those seeds of happiness which we are supposed to discern in a possibility?” Fair enough! Let us explore this question with as much simplicity as we are capable of bringing to it at this time.

Each of us learns what leads to happiness by the consequences of our choices. Yes, the answer is experience, experience, experience! Perhaps the cactus flower will assist us here. Those of us who do not have experience with cactus flowers may respond to their beauty by reaching out to pick one. Those of us who do have experience with cactus flowers have learned to enjoy their beauty from a respectable distance, for they are not without their natural protection. Experience arises from living, like the sun after a storm. Let us now ask an exoterically as well as an esoterically prudent question.

Can A study Of Pleasure And Pain Illuminate The Science Of Happiness?

In general, we choose that which we feel will bring us pleasure, whether it be an object, a feeling, or a thought. In general, we avoid that which we feel will bring us pain. When we, through lack of knowledge; mistakenly choose something, (like a cactus flower), which we feel will bring us pleasure, but in fact, leads to pain, (instant or gradual), we learn a lesson of experience. As long as we accurately learn and remember the lesson of experience, we increase our discernment; however, when we forget the lesson of experience, we then loose discernment, (and will probably reach for that cactus flower again). Sometimes it takes more than one painful experience to learn a lesson well. Close Observations Limit Painful Encounters. (C.O.L.P.E.).

Some things lead to pain quite slowly, so slowly that we may not connect the result with our initial action, (or thought). This may be the case for many repetitions of painful experiences. Some consequences are so distant that they must be taught or passed on from generation to generation in the contents of fairy tales, proverbs, legends, sacred literature, art, opera, dance, poetry, philosophy, symbols and more recently film, and all that has and will go into the treasury of World Culture.

Since the amount and content of experience varies with each individual, as well as varying with times during the individuals life, no one can say what those seeds of happiness are for another person. We can only point out, or share, what we understand those seeds of happiness have been for us. We cannot transmit the experience itself. That is the way of life. We learn through experience.

Does this mean we are totally on our own in our exploration of the Science of Happiness? Yes and no. Yes we must travel the Path on our own. No because everyone is on the Path, and some have learned writing or speaking skills and strive to share, in varying degrees, their experience and or strive to pass on the experience of others that have somehow been shared with them through their interactions with World Culture.

It has been said, that if you do not know what or where an object is, you search for it by the process of elimination. Although logical, this process of elimination could take more time than we could possibly devote to the search. However by a most serious and discerning investigation of what has been shared from the giants of thought in World Culture¹, we may accurately focus our search to become more prudent, in other words, to accurately apply accurate knowledge for the greatest good. Let us now strive to stand on the shoulders of some of these giants, in hopes of seeing beyond the roughness of our character.

Plato well reminds us that, “The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depend upon himself, and not upon others, has adopted the very best plan for living happily.”

Epictetus, the philosopher, echoes this with his understanding that, “The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.”

Shakespeare says that, “My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.”

Benamin Franklin adds to our understanding by sharing that, “Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.”

Albert Schweitzer tells us that, “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.”

Martha Washington, (yes Martha) put it all together when she shared that, “The greater part of our happiness depends on our dispositions and not our circumstances.”

Well now that we have had a glimpse into what some of these giants of thought in World Culture dwelled upon, let us ask a beautiful question.

How Is Happiness Related To Joy?

We are told that the wise define their terms, in order to facilitate the clarity of understanding. With this in mind then, what does the dictionary¹.¹ say that happy means?

It states, “having, showing, or causing a feeling of great pleasure, joy, contentment etc.: joyous, glad, pleased, satisfied”

The same source shares that Joy is, “a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight.”

So the dictionary denotations declare that happiness is joy, and that Joy is happiness.
In our search through World Culture, we find Aristotle² shared that, “…the self-sufficient we now define as that which when isolated makes life desirable and lacking in nothing; and such we think happiness to be; and further we think it most desirable of all things.”

Of course the accuracy of translations often fall prey to the biases of the translators, however, it is generally understood that Aristotle said that everyone is searching for happiness. Our dictionary definition of joy as a meaning for happiness now tells us that another take on Aristotle’s sharing is that everyone is searching for joy, (delight, great pleasure, contentment), which echoes our earlier general understanding that we gratitate towards pleasure and avoid pain. And now another beautiful question.

How Is Happiness Connected³ To Virtue?

“… the notion of happiness in Greek Philosophy applies at most to living things, that of arete—“virtue” or “excellence”—applies much more widely. Anything that has a characteristic use, function, or activity has a virtue or excellence, which is whatever disposition enables things of that kind to perform well. The excellence of a knife is whatever enables it to cut well; and the excellence of an eye is whatever enables it to see well. Human virtue, accordingly, is whatever enables human beings to live good lives. Thus the notions of happiness and virtue are linked.”

“Already by Plato’s time a conventional set of virtues had come to be recognized by the larger culture; they included courage, justce, piety, modesty or temperance, and wisdom. Socrates and Plato undertook to discover what these virtues really amount to. A truly satisfactory account of any virtue would identify what it is, show how possessing it enables one to live well, and indicate how it is best acquired.”

So we see that, according to many ancient Greek Philosophers the search for happiness (Joy, delight, great pleasure) becomes a search for virtue. Let us now see what metaphor Aristotle used to illustrate the pragmatic search for happiness.

“Aristotle seeks flourishing happiness in life. He believes that this can be achieved for each individual through the embracement of virtues⁴. Aristotle believed that virtues are the mean of two vices. This is the basis of the Aristotelian ‘Doctrine of the Mean’. “

In plainer English, the mean is the balance point between the two extremes: one of excess (too much), and the other of deficiency (too little). Aristotle, the famous student of Plato, who in turn was the famous student of Socrates, declared this mean, or balance point, to be virtue. Aristotle gave many down-to-Earth examples in order to facilitate clarity of understanding.

Aristotle was born⁵ in Stagira, a city in Macedonia, 384 years before the birth of Christ and died in 322B.C.E. at sixty two years of age. Time is mentioned here to give a feeling of historic continuity, for we are now going back in time to ancient China to see how Confucius shared his guidance to achieve virtue, which we now understand to be happiness, Joy, and great pleasure.

Confucius⁶ was born in the year 551 B.C.E in the state of Lu (now Shandong Province, China). That is one hundred and sixty seven years before the birth of Aristotle, and five hundred and fifty one years before the birth of Christ.

Now here is the intensely interesting part. Confucius, via his student Mencius⁷ shared his understanding of how to achieve happiness in a writing called the Doctrine of the Mean⁸. If this is starting to sound familiar it is because Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics (Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean) is essentially an expansion of Confucius’ Doctrine of the mean, which is very compact.

Now here is a most fascinating point. Confucius said that he received this knowledge (mouth to ear) from the ancients. Now most of us consider Confucius (in the 6th C BCE) as an ancient, yet he shared that he received his knowledge from the ancients. Like it is said, all things are relative.

Confucius calls the person who can achieve this mean between the two extremes of excess and deficiency the superior man. Since he also refers to this mean as virtue, we see that Confucius sees the virtuous man as the superior man. So virtue, the way to happiness (joy, delight, great pleasure in life) is the mean between the two extremes of too much and too little. But wait, there is more. Confucius also describes the superior man as the sincere man as we shall soon see, but first back to the dictionary.

What is sincerity?

The dictionary describes sincerity as honesty. It describes honesty as no deception. Therefore using Aristotle’s syllogistic logic of the middle term, and Euclid’s axiom of two things equal to the same are equal to each other,

Sincerity means no deception.

The history of the world demonstrates that a lie causes confusion and destroys trust. Thus the reward for sincerity (honesty) is trust. Sincerity is the Light of character. The person who has attained to the most complete sincerity has no deception in him. It is no wonder then that Confucius’ superior man, the man of virtue, is one who practices no-deception as follows:

“Sincerity is the way of Heaven. The attainment of sincerity is the way of men.

He who possesses sincerity is he who, without an effort, hits what is right, and apprehends, without the exercise of thought; he is the sage who naturally and easily embodies the right way. He who attains to sincerity is he who chooses what is good, and firmly holds it fast.”

So How Does Confucius Recommend That We Attain To Sincerity?

“To this attainment there are requisite the extensive study of what is good, accurate inquiry about it, careful reflection on it, the clear [discernment] of it, and the earnest practice of it.

“Let a man proceed in this way, and, though dull, he will surely become intelligent; though weak, he will surely become strong. And now another beautiful question.

What Is The Cause And Effect Of Sincerity?

“It is only he who is possessed of the most complete sincerity that can exist under heaven, who can give its full development to his nature.” “Next to the above is he who cultivates to the utmost the shoots of goodness in him. From those he can attain to the possession of sincerity. This sincerity becomes apparent. From being apparent, it becomes manifest. From being manifest, it becomes brilliant. Brilliant, it affects others. Affecting others, they are changed by it. Changed by it, they are transformed. It is only he who is possessed of the most complete sincerity that can exist under heaven, who can transform.”
It sounds like it is taking a good man and making him a better man through instruction.

What Is The Great Learning?

Confucius, the philosopher of sincerity, found his way into the modern as well as ancient classroom. I once talked with a chinese man who recalled having to memorize The Great Learning as part of his education in China.

My guess is that the world will appreciate the way the Great Learning, which starts as follows:
“What the great learning teaches, is:

1. to illustrate illustrious virtue;
2. to renovate the people;
3. and to rest in the highest excellence. “

Confucius states the goal must be understood as follows:

1. “The point where to rest being known, the object of pursuit is then determined;
2. and, that being determined, a calm unperturbedness may be attained to.
3. To that calmness there will succeed a tranquil repose.
4. In that repose there may be careful deliberation,
5. and that deliberation will be followed by the attainment of the desired end. “

Confucius then connects sincerity with heart & knowledge as follows:

1. “The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states.
2. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families.
3. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons.
4. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts.
5. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts.
6. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge.
7. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.”

It must be obvious by now that Confucius had a very scientific ( cause and effect ) attitude on life. We also may be getting a glimpse into the fact that striving for greater discernment means the end of boredom for the striving one. Well, that’s the process of the Great Learning, now let’s hear Confucius’ comment on that process.

“From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything. It cannot be, when the root is neglected, that what should spring from it will be well ordered. It never has been the case that what was of great importance has been slightly cared for, and, at the same time, that what was of slight importance has been greatly cared for.”

Our Philosopher of Sincerity perhaps has given us a glimpse, into his heart and mind. We see that Confucius cherished the ideals that strive to attain virtue and live by it. Now let’s leave Confucius and continue our exploration of the Science of Happiness with a question about a historical figure perhaps more familiar to us all.

Did Benjamin Franklin Advocate Sincerity?

Young Benjamin Franklin⁹ ,in his return voyage from England included sincerity in his second, of four, earnest resolutions to transform himself as follows:

“To endeavour to speak truth in every instance; to give nobody expectations that are not likely to be answered, but aim at sincerity in every word and action — the most amiable excellence in a rational being.”

This amiable resolution is not only advocating deceptionlessness (sincerity), but deceptionlessness in every instance.

The word excellence here may remind us also of the Greek ideal of virtue.

Sincerity (honesty) is the foundation of his resolution for smoothing the roughness of life and giving birth to a more refined character, thus becoming a more prudent and loving person. Not bad for a twenty year old, Capricorn, born poor on Monday, January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts, who Transitioned on Monday, April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of 84 — the richest man in colonial America and having had sixty four years to practice his resolutions– most of them as a Freemason, and many of those years as a past Grand Master of Masons, as well as an intimate member of the Rosicrucian¹⁰ community.

The Treasury of World Culture contains many valuable jewels. Consider this gem from Agni Yoga, which indicates the preference, as well as the insightful knowledge of the Hierarchy of Light, which includes God, as follows.

“Indeed, we value sincerity above everything¹¹.”

Now someone may attempt to toss in a spoiler here, with the idea that love should be valued above everything, but the discerning know that without Sincerity ( honesty or no-deception) love is reduced to only a word. The discerning also know that the temple of real love is built on the foundation of honesty, as are all good things.

Besides metaphorically being the foundation of love, Sincerity also pertains to the velocity of a person’s spiritual evolution as follows: “Sincerity is nothing but the shortest attainment¹².” Surely this statement will catch the eye of all striving for the Light, for the sooner we achieve a higher level of consciousness, the sooner we can increase our level of service to Humanity.

The individual’s choice of sincerity naturally depends upon his level of discernment. In an ingenious writing from ancient India entitled the Bhagavad Gita¹³, we find illumination on discernment as follows.

“Thinking about sense objects
attaches you to sense objects.
Grow attached and you become addicted.
Thwart your addiction and it turns to anger.
Be angry and you confuse your mind.
Confuse your mind and you forget the lesson of experience.
Forget the lesson of experience and you lose discernment.
Lose discernment and you miss life’s only purpose.”

We may now be appreciating this illumination on a successful life through discernment in relation to the intensity of Confucius’ Superior Man striving to attain the most complete sincerity (virtue). It is also reminicent of Young Franklin’s, “… aim at sincerity in every word and action — the most amiable excellence in a rational being.” None of which can be achieved without accurate discernment.

So we see that to be proficient in the science of Happiness is, in effect, to be seriously involved in an intense striving for achievement in:

1. Discernment
2. Prudence (Quality Choices)
3. Joy (delight, great pleasure), virtue, and sincerity (no-deception)

Now, the un-discerning most likely feel that the Science of Happiness is a beautiful landing at the airport of earthly sorrows, and back up that feeling by reference to the seemingly endless headlines (hawking stories of sadness) in the news media. The un-discerning may feel that virtue is something burried in very old books, in very hard to understand languages and lost dialects. Perhaps someday the general level of consciousness will be raised to the understanding that the greatest cultural works, including some modern films contain one or more of the motifs concerning the striving to achieve a balance between the two extremes of excess and deficiency — too much and too little. Perhaps someday they will see the ingenuity which goes into the making of a great children’s film such as Pinocchio¹⁴, which is said to be “The ultimate expression of what is possible in the craft of the animated film.”

In Pinocchio, as in many of Disney’s films, a close examination, by the discerning mind, will easily find many virtues. Perhaps the most famous of which is Sincerity or honesty, where Pinocchio’s nose grows in alarming length when engaging in deception. We find the stringed-puppet Pinocchio being told by the Blue Fairy, who annimated him as a result of the wood carver Gipetto’s wish, that in order for Pinocchio to become a real boy, Pinocchio must be “Brave, Truthful, and unselfish, for a boy that won’t be good may just as well be made of wood.” In such pithy text and images, are exhibited:

1. Courage: one of the four cardinal virtues
2. Truth:
3. and Altruism, that selflessness which uderlies courage and truthfulness, and is a stepping stone to clothing our hearts with charity, the greatest spiritual virtue.

Volumes have and will be written about just these three characteristics, yet they were, in a most wise and entertaining way superimposed on a puppet, in order to preserve virtue in world culture. These and many other aspects of the Science of Happiness were ingeniously woven into this pinacle of Disney animation. Now let’s see if Poetry can progress our exploration of the Science of Happiness.

Does Robert Frost’s Formula For Creating A Poem Contain Happiness?

You bet it does. In his essay, The Figure A Poem Makes¹⁵, the American Poet Laureate Robert Frost states that a poem should, “Begin in delight, and end in wisdom.” Here we remember that delight is a synonym for joy, and that joy is a synonym for happiness. Now let us ask the most important question of all important questions for Humanity.

Do we need a reason to be joyful¹⁶?

The Holy Bible¹⁷ advises, “Be joyful always.” Notice it doesn’t say be joyful only when you hit the lottery, or on vacation at your favorite getaway spot with plenty of spending money in your pocket. It simply, perhaps challengingly says, “Be joyful always.”

Now the beautiful question arises, how many follow this amazing advice? The worldly would say there were, are and will be an overwhelming number of joy-less Earthlings, who will not be joyful until their mind tells them that there is a good enough reason to be joyful (which may not be soon or frequent if my take on Human interactions, and news headlines, is even slightly accurate). Notice the wording is good enough reason. When it comes to joy most have become their own hard task masters, who have raised their personal bar (their criterion of what is joyful) to an im-prudent height.

Some, when presented with news of a joyful event, would say, “Well that’s the way life should be anyway.”, and continue in their un-joyfulness. Somewhere along Man’s line of ascent, we bought the erroneous idea that we had to have a reason to be joyful. It’s so engrained that we have to take special training, to gradually learn (notice the emphasis on gradual) that to be joyful is part of life’s goal to become wise. Scripture also advises, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding¹⁸.”

We gradually learn (understand) that there are many reasons (if we really need them) to be joyful – they just escaped us at the time. Perhaps because we were distracted; by the sadness of world events; by chasing that almighty dollar; or by catching a joyless mood like a common cold in the workplace, and forgot to be joyful (as well as grateful) for our next breath and our next heartbeat.

President William Howard Taft commented on Freemasonry as follows. “The true Mason takes full responsibility for the condition of his character and ever strives for its perfection.”

The higher emotions are healthier: it has become common to hear that laughter is the best medicine. One of the dictionary1 definitions of laugh indicates that laugh means “to feel or suggest joyousness, cheerfulness.” So Laughter is a manifestation of Happiness (joy, delight, great pleasure). Now let us ask a most intensely valuable question.

When Will The Quest For Joy (Happiness) Begin?

We learn in Agni Yoga that “Joy is the health of the spirit¹⁹.” We also glimpse there the magnificent understanding, that

“when physiology shall teach men about the debilitating consequences of sorrow, the quest for joy will begin¹⁹.”

Now What Are The Causes Of Joy?

Agni Yoga does us all a favor by revealing the parents, or causes, of joy as follows.
“The bliss of the thinker or the torment of the thinker? It is customary to represent a thinker as in torment, but if you ask him whether he wishes to be freed from such pangs, any thinker will reply in the negative. In the depth of his consciousness he experiences great bliss, for the process of thinking is a higher enjoyment. People have only two real joys– thinking and the ecstasy over beauty.

(We now see how joy is related to beauty)

“The path to the Fiery [in other words vibrationally higher] World has been affirmed by these two manifestations. Only through them can man advance to the lofty spheres. Every higher communion will contain these two fundamentals. Therefore, it is absurd to talk about the torments of the thinker or the creator. They are not suffering but rejoicing.²⁰”

Here we see that Agni Yoga has positioned joy (happiness) as the criterion of advancement to the” lofty spheres”, and that “Every higher communion will contain these two fundamentals”. Happiness (joy) is thus elevated to be esoterically as well as exoterically our most valuable working tool to smooth our way to oneness with the whole of Reality (our Creator).

A joy-less life is the fate of one who cannot find a reason to be joyful. But catch this, even if a reason was found, most are so out of practice in radiating joy that it may be close to a non-event. Long has it been that “no reason” to be joyful meant it is inappropriate to be joyful. No reason, no joy. Yet, we do not need a reason to be joyful.

Who Can Be Happy In Their Work?

The argument against joyful labor is mentally convincing, emotionally satisfying, and leads to pain. In the dark there are no rainbows. Labor without joy is like Spring without flowers, there is no beauty in it. Labor without joy is like a building without a foundation, there is no strength in it. Labor without joy is like a life without The Great Architect, there is no wisdom in it. Now let us ask a question, the answer to which could resound in the depths of the mysteriously esoteric Kundalini as well as in the heights of the highest world.

Who Can Oppose The Joy Of Achievement?

“No one can oppose the joy of achievement.

Thus, let us cultivate it as one would most precious blossoms, but let us not belittle it with the suspicion that it is an illusion. “

“… we know how joy resounds through the channel of Kundalini. We cannot often explain in words whence arises this joy, as a forerunner, but it comes to visit us on a light-winged ray of Hierarchy. Who knows from what Infinite Source sounds the call to joy? How many know that already the time of manifestation of joy has approached? But the law is immutable, and therefore joy is a special wisdom. How long ago this was said! But in spiral evolvement it gradually becomes real and comprehensible. Likewise grows the heart, and the consciousness, and fiery wisdom. We do not see how the grass grows, but we perceive the evidence of the growth. So too with the joy of achievement.²¹”

So we see that to achieve personal happiness it is necessary to conquer personal un-happiness. Hidden in our un-happiness is often found various aspects of fear. So let us now ask the beautiful question:

What knows no fear?

The beautiful answer is

“… tempered joy. Joy is a special wisdom, and cheerfulness is a special technique. Creativeness is the basis of evolution. With what then is it possible to strengthen the acts of creative power? Only with cheerfulness. cheerfulness serves as a wine of joy²²”.

We see that we can be joyful at any time because we choose to be joyful. It is a personal, individual, declaration of independence to be joyful, not when the world thinks it is appropriate to be joyful, but any time, any place we choose to be joyful.

And just in case anyone may be thinking that the Science of Happiness is a nice sentiment, but forever doomed to exist in remote sections of very large libraries, let us honor and cherrish the Science of Happiness with a larger, historically dynamic, group application of happiness as follows.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit²³ of Happiness.”
And now let us give the last word to a quote from the Holy Bible which puts our subject on a planetary scale.
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye nations! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with joyful singing.²⁴”

Thank you all for your joyous patience, and here’s wishing you the very best in your adventures with the Science of Happiness. 🙂

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. 1001 Ways To Happiness, Arcturus Pub. Ltd. 2014
   • 1.1. Webster’s New Universal Dictionary of the English Language; Webster’s international Press, New York 1976.

2. Nichomachean Ethics; book 1, sect 7.
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Article by Constance C. Meinwald 9-8-2014.
4. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, in A. I. Melden, ed., Ethical Theories 2nd Edition. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1957)
5. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Article
6. Encyclopaedia Britannica
7. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
8. Doctrine of the Mean: Confucius, translation by James Legee, Dover Publications Inc. 31 E. 2nd St. Minecola, NY 1150
9. Benjamin Franklin: the autobiography and other writings; The Way To Wealth; Plan for Future Conduct 1726, page 182
10. The Mastery of Life: The Rosicrucian Order A.M.O.R.C. 1342 Naglee Ave, San Jose, CA 95191
    also Rosicrucian Questions and Answers With Complete History pages 92 and 165
11. Agni Yoga Series of books: Infinity II, numbered paragraph 337. See also note 14
12. Agni Yoga Series of books: Community, numbered paragraph 134. See also note 14
13. The Song of God: Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta Press, July 1, 1987, translated by C. Isherwood and Swami Prabhavananda.
14. J.B. Kaufman, film historian, found in Disney’s film commentary on Pinocchio, No Strings Attached.
15. The Figure A Poem Makes: Essay; Frost, Robert (1874-1963)
16. Paradise Valley Silver Trowel Lodge No. 29 Trestle Board; Trowel Talk No. 17 (September 2012), by Tom Lyle.
17. the Holy Bible (I Thessalonians 5:16).
18. Proverbs 4:7 King James Version (KJV) 7
19. Agni Yoga Series of books: Fiery World 1, numbered paragraph 298, Agniyoga.org, Agni Yoga Society, Inc. 319 West 107th Street, New York, N.Y. 10025
20. Agni Yoga Series of books: Brotherhood; numbered paragraph 85. see note 14.
21. Agni Yoga Series of books: Fiery World II, numbered paragraph 258. See note 14.
22. Agni Yoga Series of books: New Era Community, numbered paragraph 163.
23. IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.
24. Holy Bible: Psalm 100.