Excel 2016 Companion

How may we find happiness and peace?In this book, Rupert Spira distills the message of all the great religious and spiritual traditions into two essential truths: happiness is the very nature of our self or being, and we share our being with everyone and everything.Drawing on numerous examples from his own experience, Spira demonstrates that to seek lasting happiness through objects, situations and relationships is destined for failure and disappointment, and skillfully guides the reader to recognize that we are already the happiness we seek.This book is for anyone who yearns for lasting happiness and is open to the possibility that it is continuously available within ourselves, irrespective of our circumstances.Could there be any greater discovery in life than to know that we are already that for which we long? An Introduction to Non-Duality is the first volume in the Conversations on the Philosophy and Practice of Non-Duality series from luminary teacher and author Rupert Spira. This book presents the most fundamental questions about non-duality commonly asked by spiritual seekers and people new to the teachings.In our modern world, so marked by materialism and the disconnection that seems to stem from it, many of us are looking for a higher truth, one that speaks to what connects us rather than divides us. Some of the questions that may initially prompt our spiritual seeking include Who am I? Does God exist? What is the cause of suffering? and What is enlightenment? If you've been on a spiritual path for some time, you may find yourself asking questions like How do I stop my thoughts? What happens when the body dies? Why is there ignorance? and Do I have free will? No matter where you are in your spiritual search, An Introduction to Non-Duality can help.Starting with the introduction, this book places non-duality in its historical and philosophical context, describing both the inward-facing and outward-facing paths toward understanding and abiding as one's true nature. The first chapter begins with the most basic question-What is non-duality?-while successive chapters gradually broaden and deepen the discussion, always returning to the essential exploration of the nature of consciousness, but addressing even larger and more complex questions, such as Is witnessing awareness separate from objects? What is the purpose of life? and Is world peace possible?With gentle guidance, writing that is accessible and direct, and clear dialogues, An Introduction to Non-Duality will satisfy and stimulate, helping you develop the confidence that can only come with a truly experiential exploration of these eternal questions, regardless of spiritual background. And with this book being only the first in the Conversations on the Philosophy and Practice of Non-Duality series, you'll find yourself looking forward to a new volume every year. By luminary teacher and author Rupert Spira, You Are the Happiness You Seek offers a simple and direct presentation of the nondual understanding for spiritual seekers as well as people new to the teaching. In our modern world, so marked by materialism and the disconnection that seems to stem from it, many of us are looking for a deeper truth, one that speaks to what connects us rather than what divides us. You Are the Happiness You Seek invites us to explore in our own experience the essential teaching of all the great religious and spiritual traditions: that the peace, happiness and love that we desire above all else are to be found in our own self or being. Most of us spend our lives seeking happiness where it cannot be found, outside of ourselves, in objects, activities and relationships. When we acquire a desired object, the seeking activity of the mind comes briefly to an end and our innate happiness shines by itself. The happiness was there all the time, but it was obscured by the seeking mind. When we understand that happiness cannot be produced by an object or a situation, and love cannot be produced by a person, we withdraw our demand from other people and the world that they be a source of happiness for us. We no longer engage in activities and relationships for the purpose of finding happiness, but rather as a way of sharing our own happiness. With gentle guidance and writing that is accessible and direct, You Are the Happiness You Seek will satisfy and stimulate, allowing the reader to develop the confidence that can only come with a truly experiential exploration of this eternal understanding, regardless of spiritual background. "In this book, Rupert Spira distils the message of all the great religious and spiritual traditions into two essential truths: happiness is the very nature of our self or being, and we share our being with everyone and everything"--Page 4 of cover