"There we stood, high in the Himalayas, having finally reached the culmination of seven years of painstaking work. We were there to study the universal language of human emotion, which the village head generously obliged. What we did not know was that these people, uncontacted by the globalized world, were about to teach us the
great art and philosophy of contentment."
"We studied 22 different emotions across eleven cultures, but there was one state related to wellbeing - contentment - that profoundly transformed me. We were consistently surprised to find that contentment resonated with most of the people we studied as central to realizing sustainable happiness in life. It was so elegantly simple, but yet so different from what is traditionally cultivated in the modern world."
Where did it all Begin?
The Universal Expression Project was a massive cross-cultural study that sought to document how people in over a dozen different cultures expressed and interpreted emotions in the face, voice, and body. Our team at UC Berkeley collaborated with scientists in eleven different nations across the globe to see if there were patterns in how people interpreted and expressed their emotions around the world. We also wanted to know how people expressed emotions differently based on gender, culture, and individual life experiences. As a certified expression analyst and project director, I have personally decoded over 5,500 facial displays from people all over the world, muscle-by-muscle.
This project, spanning seven years, showed that there were about 30 facial expressions and 20 vocal expressions that are very similar around the world. There are also over 100 cultural variations on these global themes, and hundreds of differences based on individual experiences in life. We're using all of these great results to create tools that aim to teach cross-cultural expressions of emotion to those who need it.
Check out my one minute thesis here:
In the News
Some organizations started to take an interest in our human emotion work.
Here are a few stories that might interest you.
Meditation Offers Alternative Ways to Increase Happiness
by Dan Harriss, ABC News
IQ Plus EQ: Cordaro Plumbs the Depts of Emotions
by Lewis Kendall, IC View Magazine
Berkeley Science Review Event Touches Berkeley Graduate Students
by Georgeann Sack, Berkeley Science Review
Embarrassed? Amused? Humans Share Dozens of Expressions
by Tia Ghose, LiveScience
How to Create an Atlas of Universal Emotions
by Antonio Martínez Ron, Next
"I took a position at Yale to lead a project on understanding contentment from multiple lenses: science, philosophy, and spirituality. Our team mines the philosophical literature for hypotheses about wellbeing, which we then put to the test. We've found that every major ancient philosophy places an importance on contentment - a sense of completeness that nothing can take away from you, because it is you."
"Our science is uncovering the importance of contentment for sustaining true happiness in life. This is why I dedicate a significant portion of my time to teaching, coaching, and intervention development. For those who are tired of obsessing over finding happiness 'out there', contentment allows us to rest in what it means to be complete as we are. It is an unconditional acceptance of the present moment, and it's your natural state."
Get Involved
The Global Contentment Project at Yale focuses on four key areas:
1. Understanding the philosophies of contentment and wellbeing around the world
2. Studying the psychology of sustainable wellbeing
3. Developing a new wellbeing intervention for kids and teachers
4. Personal cultivation and realization of contentment
Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Daniel Cordaro (daniel.cordaro@yale.edu) at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. For more detailed information about these projects and how they relate to you, follow the link below to our formal team page at Yale.
"When pursuing happiness, it is always one step ahead of you. When pursuing contentment, there is nowhere to run."
Immerse Yourself
Our team runs a limited number of experiential talks, workshops, and retreats each year. For more information about private and group experiences, email daniel.cordaro@yale.edu. I look forward to hearing from you.
Exploring Fundamental Contentment through Emotional Intelligence
Week of May 8-13, 2016 at Esalen
Weekend of May 13-15, 2016 at Esalen
