Change from the heart with COMO Uma Punakha

ON A RECENT TRIP TO BHUTAN, JOURNALIST KATHERINE FAIRWEATHER DISCOVERS WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY HAPPY AND SPEAKS TO DANIEL CORDARO, FOUNDER OF THE SATISFACTION FOUNDATION, AND CHERING YUDON, DIRECTOR OF THEIR OPERATIONS IN BHUTAN.

But can this Bhutanese sense of community, identity and belonging coexist with the pressures of a new world opening up to technology and the allure of social media? The small and until recently secret Himalayan kingdom is a geopolitical flashpoint between the giants of India and China. Earlier in my visit, while traveling through another region traversed by the Transbutan Trail, I was struck by the very visible conflict between the old order represented by the ceremonial opening in 2022 of the Transbutan Trail - considered a triumph for conservation by environmental enthusiasts - with the very visible encroachment of "modernizers" and developers. Along the route, seven Indian-funded dams cut into the slopes of the mythical Black Mountains, where tigers roam and bulldozers push tuk-tuk-sized boulders our way. Official GR codes that give you an idea of ​​your location on a map or place a trail in historical or botanical context have been hacked by a Chinese company advertising baby food. And in Thimpu and Paro, gangs of disaffected youth were hanging around the parks, unemployed and idle. My impression is that Total National Happiness - the Bhutanese government's philosophy of life that measures well-being according to spiritual rather than materialistic indicators - may at times be more of an idea than a reality.

The problem for the youth of Bhutan is where do they sit on the pivot between the old order and the new? How do they find their place in a rapidly changing world? It is a growing problem that manifests itself in anxiety and mental health problems. But there is a potential solution to this problem - and with the King's support, the US-based Contentment Foundation will embark on an ambitious project to empower children and teachers in Paro in 2023, supported by a donor-advised grant facilitated by the COMO Foundation. This grassroots program is led by Tshering Yudon, a teacher and the organization's emissary to Bhutan. To find out more, I sat down with Tshering and The Contentment Foundation founder Dr. Daniel Cordaro.

KATHERINE FAIRWEATHER [CF]: DANIEL, WHERE DOES THE SATISFACTION FUND COME FROM?

DANIEL CORDARO [DF]: I have a PhD in emotional psychology and I taught psychology at Yale University. In 2012, there was a tragic school shooting in Connecticut. Unfortunately, these types of events happen regularly in the United States. This is devastating to our local schools and communities. And unfortunately, no one at Yale could do anything back then that was of practical value to reduce the injury, because academics work in the arena of theory, right?

SO MY TEAM GETTED AWAY AND WE STARTED CREATING LESSONS THAT COMBINE 200 YEARS OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH WITH ANCIENT, OLD, HUMAN WISDOM AND TRADITIONS.

We sent out lesson plans on concepts such as mindfulness, self-compassion, conflict resolution, and trauma reduction that will promote safe and healthy school communities. They were well received. This sowed the seeds of a comprehensive plan we called the Four Pillars of Well-Being—the core of a mental health support system centered on mindfulness, contentment, self-love, and community.

Fast forward 10 years and the Contentment Foundation is now working in eight different countries, including this year in Bhutan in collaboration with the Cities of Wellbeing Paro project. School shootings are not a problem here, but there are serious mental health issues that have been exacerbated by the recent pandemic. COMO has lodges in Bhutan; they hire staff from the community; they want to be part of a long-term solution.

[CF]: AS A PARTNERSHIP, IT MAKES SENSE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COMO GROUP'S WELLNESS ETHICS, WHICH INCLUDES COMO SHAMBHALA. I AM INTERESTED IN IF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SATISFACTION FOUNDATION ARE EASIER TO APPLY IN A BUDDHIST COUNTRY LIKE BHUTAN - A MAINLY PEACEFUL SOCIETY BASED ON AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MINDFULNESS AND GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF COMPASSION AND KINDNESS YOU?

[DF]: All cultures since time immemorial have sought a feeling of peace and well-being that no one can take from you or give. It's like solar-powered well-being—something that comes from within. Whether you are a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim, every religious tradition and our modern scientific tradition in psychology asks the same question: What does it mean to be content, supported and experience inner peace?

[TE]: So Gross National Happiness is what defines us here in Bhutan. It is a set of abstract values ​​and concepts that are among the highest ideals for the people of Bhutan and we try to embed these values ​​in everything we do or strive for. My personal transformation came about through The Contentment Foundation's Four Pillars of Well-Being program, which is a measurable and simple well-being measure that teaches modern self-management tools that anyone can use. Especially now as we try to reinvent ourselves in a post-pandemic world while still grappling with problems that existed even before Covid. That's why I joined The Contentment Foundation. In a fast-changing, globalized Bhutan, where most children now have smartphones and both parents work, I think the program is a powerful way to help us move forward while preserving our cultural and traditional values.

Do I need an international organization to remind me of my traditional values? The answer is both yes and no at the same time: the Well-Being program combined everything that I already knew, but had previously discarded for what was not relevant to success in the modern world.

[CF]: BUT HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE IDEAS OF HEALTH IN A CULTURE THAT STIGMATS MENTAL HEALTH?

[TE]: By making content as culturally appropriate as possible, we really help break down any concepts that may be lost in translation. We have a strong foundation in selfless service and being a good member of society. The famous Bhutanese generosity and openness are also a good starting point for wellness. But I agree that mental health is often misunderstood in this country. For example, “worry”: This word is not easy for most Bhutanese to understand. However, when we try to understand it from the closest word in Bhutanese culture, which translates to “hot-cold”, meaning a feeling of discomfort, the idea becomes much more accessible.

[DF]:I have never met a person on planet Earth who told me that gratitude is a bad idea. I've never met anyone who said that understanding your emotions is a bad idea. These are things that are inherent in every culture. We bring this essence of being into lesson plans that are suitable for everyone, even children. Wellness can be as simple as practicing compassion, focusing on how we can be kinder to ourselves, or being grateful to our families or our teachers for helping us. If everyone buys into the idea, it becomes embedded in the culture and you see the impact.

[CF]: I SUGGEST THAT BUTANE IS INTENDED TO BE A PARTICULARLY INTERESTING STUDY. I UNDERSTAND THAT DATA COLLECTION IS AN IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL TOOL FOR THE CONTENT FUND. BHUTAN IS A SMALL COUNTRY - THE SIZE OF SWITZERLAND. EVERYTHING HAS ACCELERATED SO FAST IN THE LAST TWO DECADES; JUST 20 YEARS AGO THERE WERE NO TV OR SOCIAL NETWORKS. CAN THE IMPACT OF THIS ACCELERATION ON MENTAL HEALTH BE EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLED?

[TE]: Yes. There could not have been a better time for such a program. We are a poor, developing country that is changing rapidly with all sorts of problems, including economic decline, rural-to-urban migration, emigration and a declining population. At the school level, The Contentment Foundation creates a space where teachers can fully express themselves and have honest conversations. Personally speaking, it helped me overcome doubts about my abilities. This motivates me to help as many Bhutanese as possible the way this program helped me; return home to yourself and your country.

[CF]: YOU BOTH MENTIONED THAT THE PANDEMIC WAS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN EXACTLY?

[TE]:In Bhutan, it reaffirmed our national sense of community and cooperation, as well as values ​​that are not based on material life. For example, the volunteer group Desuung has made us proud by fighting the invisible enemy by ensuring that the nation, including villages in remote communities, does not go hungry.

[DF]: Yes, the pandemic has opened the door to better psychological support. You know, if I had been doing this job ten or fifteen years ago, most people would have rolled their eyes and said, okay, it's a "nice to have" rather than a "need to have." They would pat me on the head and that would be the end of the conversation. Now, post-pandemic, presidents, prime ministers, kings are prioritizing mental health at the national level.

I think in Bhutan, schools are opening up to these first level mental health support systems for the first time in history.

In short, the pandemic has reinforced the recognition that wellness matters; that we need to have the right wellness infrastructure in place for the next generation of our children so they can lead us into the future.

[CF]: WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR BHUTANE - TO SPREAD IT FROM PARO TO MORE RURAL PROVINCES?

[TE]: Yes, absolutely. For now we are starting with Paro. But there are 20 such areas in Bhutan, Katherine, and this is just the beginning.

[DF]: This is a big deal. The ability to provide Tier 1 mental health support to an entire city, every child, every educator, government employee and family member will be a remarkable breakthrough for the mental health revolution. If we can do this in Paro at a city-wide level, we hope it can be a catalyst not only for Bhutan, but also for other cities around the world, supporting as many children as possible through what we call “Cities of Prosperity.”

“True enduring well-being is within us,” says Dr. Cordaro; “It is a skill we can learn to practice and a philosophy that is part of our human heritage. In 2023, philanthropists interested in getting involved can join Dr. Cordano in Bhutan this spring, where we are working to empower children and teachers in Paro, located next to our flagship hotel.

The first donor's trip will take place from April 21 to 30 - a 10-day tour of Bhutan, which includes a stay in COMO Uma Paro. You will be hosted by Dr. Cordaro as Bhutanese environmentalists, thought leaders and wellness experts join you on this life-changing journey to explore personal passion and purpose - with access to remote areas of the country usually closed to outsiders. You will learn the fundamental philosophies and practices of human flourishing. You'll also see what The Contentment Foundation is doing in Bhutan with support from the COMO Foundation with its new Cities of Wellbeing project in Paro. To reserve your place please email James Low, [email protected].