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“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.” -Meister Eckhart (c. 1260–c. 1328) German Dominican Friar and Mystic Welcome to December’s "Mysteries of the Mind" monthly newsletter! With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas and other festivals of lights ahead, I am so very thankful for this season! The Benefits of Being Thankful Time for celebration! Two psychologists are working hard to unlock how gratitude might promote health and happiness. Below is the story of Dr. Robert Emmons (UC Davis) and Dr. Michael McCollough (Southern Methodist University). From Buddha to the Vedas, many philosophers and spiritual teachers have celebrated gratitude. The world's major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hindu and Judaism, prize gratitude as a morally beneficial emotion that encourages reciprocal kindness. But until recently, gratitude has almost held the prize for the emotion that psychology has studied the least! Emmons & McCollough’s recent study required several hundred people in three different groups to keep daily diaries. Group 1: Kept a diary of the events that occurred each day. Group 2: Recorded their unpleasant experiences. Group 3: Made a daily list of things for which they were grateful. The results of the study amazingly show that listing daily gratitude results in higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy. Group three “The Gratitude Group” also experienced less depression and stress, were more likely to help others, exercised more often and made far more progress toward their personal goals! According to the findings, people who feel grateful are also more likely to feel loved. McCullough says these results seem to show that gratitude works independently of faith. So, all of us can increase our sense of well-being and create positive social effects just by counting our blessings and thinking each day about what we are grateful for. "All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." -Martin Buber Please stay in touch, this month I am traveling a lot. I love to hear your updates and I always find in our friendship many commonalities and shared experiences. I am thankful for your e-mails, and grateful for your friendship. Your friend, -Paul Draper paul@mentalmysteries.com 801-541-2976 Websites: mentalmysteries mentalmystery (agent friendly site) "Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." -Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) Author

Upcoming Events St. Judes Ranch for Children: December 4th-5th Opportunity Village Santa Run: December 5th Peter Reveen Magician of the Year: December 7th Vox Marketing Group Utah: December 10th Transmersive Media Party Santa Monica, California: December 11th Epcot Center: December 13th Medical Training West Palm Beach, Florida: December 14th-15th Playground Media Party Santa Monica, California: December 16th Quote in Glamour:: December Harrington’s Bottling Party, Montana: December 19th IBM Lecture SLC, Utah: January 6th – 7th CES Las Vegas: January 8th-10th Utah Theater Association Keynote: January 21st

Thankful for teachers, thinkers and writers. I am thankful for the great thinkers and writers who have come before us. Some who have left us, but their great works remain. I am thankful for teachers who helped me and continue to help me shape my perspective and my understanding of humanity and the universe. Below are clips of two of my teacher hero’s. Their work may be familiar to you. If not, I would love for you to become acquainted. Their work and thinking has inspired and continues to inspire my work. Joseph Campbell Carl Sagan

Snippet from December 2009 Glamour Magazine: "Life & Happiness" Page 203 "If your sex life was a movie, what would it be called?" ""Far and Away". I travel a lot and just can’t seem to keep a girlfriend. I need to find a gypsy princess to see the world with me." -Paul Draper 31 Las Vegas I am thankful that Glamour readers around the world want to know about my sex life ;-)

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