So,
I'm very,
Very excited and slightly humbled and frightened about the prospect of trying to chair a conversation with these two eminently wise figures.
And I'd like to start first of all by introducing two men that really need no introduction.
But on my immediate right here,
Mathieu has been with us very generously,
I think,
For three previous events and of course has written wonderfully and taught wonderfully on the subjects of happiness and altruism and this whole idea of the self and going beyond the self for many years.
So we're delighted to have you back,
Mathieu.
And Wolf,
It's a great pleasure to have you at your first Action of Happiness event and we're so excited to be helping to spread the word about your work.
Wolf is an eminent neuroscientist and has spent many years studying the sort of scientific aspect of the mind and consciousness and many of the topics we're going to be hearing about this evening.
So before we delve into this unique mix,
I think,
Of Eastern and contemplative wisdom and modern Western science,
I wanted to invite Mathieu to perhaps set the scene for all of us to be more tuned in and awake and aware of ourselves and what we're listening to and what we're doing by perhaps leading us in a very short,
Mindfulness meditation exercise if you'd be happy to join us for that.
Mathieu.
Wonderful.
So thank you so much.
It's interesting when we say we're going to meditate,
Everybody starts sitting straight.
There's something there,
Huh?
Meditate like we used to.
You just have to say the word and everybody sort of.
.
.
So but before I forget,
Because you know aging brainchild like that,
I want to thank my dear friend,
Lord Lyad,
And Mark Williamson,
And the whole Action for Happiness team and for this wonderful endeavor and then for your dear friendship and always so warm welcome.
So it's always a great joy to be with you.
So I don't know,
Rather than doing this kind of boring meditation,
You know,
The kind of empty your mind and relax.
Did you try to empty your mind ever?
Does that work?
Anyone?
Anyway.
So I think since we are starting some dialogue and action for happiness and for altruism and for everything,
You know,
When you get up,
The first few steps you take usually takes you east,
North,
West,
South.
So extremely important,
The motivation.
That's basically orientates the whole journey.
And if it's a lifelong journey,
You better get the right direction before you find too late that you have been sort of going to some weird place in life.
So that's why.
So what better motivation can you have than what I'm doing,
As we are doing now tonight,
And what you came here,
Is it just for myself or for others?
If it's for others as well,
You don't have to neglect your sacrifice,
Your center,
So it doesn't work.
Is it for the smaller number,
The greater number?
Is it for the short term or the long term,
As you can easily realize the best outcome is for the greater number,
For the long term.
So that means that what we are going to start here,
Let's sort of feel that whatever,
You know,
Discussion we have,
Whatever we take away from here,
Whatever it might inspire us to do or not to do,
May that somehow be instrumental in transforming ourselves so that we can better be of service and contribution to society.
May happier,
More altruistic,
More cooperative society a better world.
And you know,
Basically,
Nobody wants a worst world,
But we don't always sort of realize that we can do it together.
So for that,
Of course,
We need what we call meditation that means a more stable,
Clear,
And calm mind,
Because otherwise the motivation will be like a restless monkey,
Like everything else.
So let's,
Yes,
In a way,
Just let our mind be more clear,
Be more stable,
And become filled with its altruistic motivation,
What we are going to do together,
And as well as many other projects we might have,
May that be dedicated or oriented to other momentary and ultimate good of all fellow sentient beings,
Including sort of 8 million species of other sentient species.
Why not forget them as well?
So let's spend a few moments to fill our mental landscape with this benevolent motivation.
Okay.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
