Eudaimonia is not an emotional state; it is more about being all that you can, fulfilling your potential. The idea is that by living in a way that reaches your full potential you bloom or flourish and so display the best version of you that you can be.
-Aristotle

Beliefs

Beliefs

✶ Happiness is a state of mind, not a destination.

✶ Celebrations are the best way to experience happiness.

✶ Eudaimonia is about personal experience.

✶ In a celebratory social environment the emotions that result from bringing everyone together are ultimately what makes one happy.

✶ The purpose of Celebrations are to appreciate and celebrate life, family and friends.

✶ Birthdays are one of the most important days to celebrate.

✶ The after life is not a concern in Eudaimonia because our primary concern is finding happiness in this lifetime.

✶ Happiness is found ultimately within yourself, but happiness outside oneself can be found in those who surround you.

✶ No age group is excluded from Celebrations, however each age group celebrates differently.

✶ There is no right or wrong way to celebrate.

Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics

While in Celebration…

✶ Follow the Golden Rule – Treat everyone equally.

✶ Your happiness should not cause any one else harm.

✶ Do not act impulsively, act responsibly.

✶ Do not instigate negative behavior

✶ Live in the moment -- enjoy your life now and do not worry about the future.

✶ Freely experience happiness, as long as it is within the laws established by your country

✶ Do not pass judgment on others, especially on what makes them happy.

✶ The point of the religion is to have that feeling of happiness that one gets when hanging out with friends and bringing people together, so if drinking is involved, it should be done responsibly. Followers should not get to the point of uncontrollable intoxication in which they lose memory and ability to function.

✶✶ Eudaimonians are not restricted to practicing just the Religion of Celebration. They are free to explore and practice other religions as well.✶✶

Rituals

Rituals & Celebrations

✶ Saturday is the day of celebration.

✶ Sunday is the day of rest and reflection.

✶ Reflection is time of deep contemplation on ones Celebration experiences and can be done alone or with friends or family.

✶ June 21st is the official holiday of Eudaimonia – “Eudaimonia Day” - a day where people worldwide celebrate life.

These are reflections of our followers who wish to share their experiences and joy with others.

Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 2010 Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade attracted millions of people from all over the world of all ages to celebrate. Despite the 39 degree weather and the forecast of rain, people still lined up earlier than 6:30am (which was when we arrived) to secure a good spot to watch the parade. Even though our teeth were chattering and our muscles were shivering, everyone, for the most part, was happy and cheering in anticipation. People even came together to do the wave and see how far down they could get it to go:

...the wave didn't make it to the next block but nobody cared, everyone on our block had a great time trying. And we tried many, many times until the parade started.
Also on our block (between 63rd and 64th) was a young girl who was celebrating her birthday -- it was a double celebration! Before the parade started her family got the whole block to sing her happy birthday. Then, during the parade, a few parade clowns stopped to hug her, sing her a happy birthday, and throw confetti at her:
[The birthday girl is in red]
The parade featured people from different states (Florida, Oregon, Indiana), different cultures (Indian, Latin), and even different countries (Guatemala) all dressed in absolutely ridiculous costumes. It also featured celebrities such as Kanye West, Jimmy Fallon, Gladys Knight, and Jessica Simpson. Yet regardless of the cold and how silly they looked, the people in the parade were smiling and waving and yelling HAPPY THANKSGIVING! to anyone and everyone. The parade not only brought performers from all over the world but observers from all over the world:

A small portion of the sea of people gathered to celebrate, despite the cold weather and tentative rain.
People also watched the parade on their televisions - according to the website the parade attracts about 3.5 million people who line the streets and another 50 million people who tune into NBC. The celebration is universal and brings joy to people everywhere. Whether it was the little girls excited for the boy band on one of the floats or the parents happy to see the joy on their child's face (as well as some of the floats themselves) or the 20 year old girls behind us who were just extremely excited and happy to be there, everyone was cheering and laughing and smiling -- just enjoying the moment and the company of the people around them. I even made some new friends that day who taught me how to use my new camera! Being in such a contagiously happy atmosphere was such a wonderful way to start Thanksgiving Day. It made me realize how simply being surrounded by family and friends (new and old) can make me feel so alive and happy, and I'm truly thankful for that experience.




Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)