Abstract
If happiness is about Wholebeing, what are its constituent parts? In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of happiness studies—bridging East and West, drawing on the works of philosophers, economists, psychologists and biologists—I have come to look at Wholebeing as a multidimensional, multifaceted variable that includes five elements. Together, these five elements form the acronym SPIRE. The various connotations of this word are intimately related to happiness. A spire is “the highest point or summit of something,” just as happiness, being the ultimate currency, is the highest on the hierarchy of goals. A spire also refers to the sprout at the end of a seed when it begins to germinate, leading the rest of the plant upwards through the soil to flourish; likewise, the pursuit of happiness can help us break through boundaries and limitations that hold us back, so that our whole selves can flourish. Finally, the etymological root “spire”—as in respire and inspire—refers to one’s breath or life force; pursuing happiness can inspire us and make us come alive.
To me, the rainbow was a profoundly hopeful symbol, separating the white light of appearances into its multiple spectrum and revealing a hidden dimension. It reminded me of my belief that it was the mission of science to pierce through the layers of everyday reality and penetrate to the truth.
—Candace Pert
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Ben-Shahar, T. (2021). The SPIRE of Happiness. In: Happiness Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64869-5_3
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