Happiness : A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill

In this groundbreaking book, Matthieu Ricard makes a passionate case for happiness as a goal that deserves as least as much energy as any other in our lives. Wealth? Fitness? Career success? How can we possibly place these above true and lasting well-being? Drawing from works of fiction and poetry, Western philosophy, Buddhist beliefs, scientific research, and personal experience, Ricard weaves an inspirational and forward-looking account of how we can begin to rethink our realities in a fast-moving modern world. With its revelatory lessons and exercises, Happiness is an eloquent and stimulating guide to a happier life. In This Groundbreaking Book, Matthieu Ricard Makes A Passionate Case For Happiness As A Goal That Deserves At Least As Much Energy As Any Other In Our Lives. Wealth? Fitness? Career Success? How Can We Possibly Place These Above True And Lasting Well-being? Drawing From Works Of Fiction And Poetry, Western Philosophy, Buddhist Beliefs, Scientific Research, And Personal Experience, Ricard Weaves An Inspirational And Forward-looking Account Of How We Can Begin To Rethink Our Realities In A Fast-moving Modern World. With Its Revelatory Lessons And Exercises, Happiness Is An Eloquent And Stimulating Guide To A Happier Life. Book Jacket. Talking About Happiness -- Is Happiness The Purpose Of Life? -- A Two-way Mirror: Looking Within, Looking Without -- False Friends -- Is Happiness Possible? -- The Alchemy Of Suffering -- The Veils Of The Ego -- When Our Thoughts Become Our Worst Enemies -- The River Of Emotion -- Disturbing Emotions: The Remedies -- Desire -- Hatred -- Envy -- The Great Leap To Freedom -- A Sociology Of Happiness -- Happiness In The Lab -- Happiness And Altruism: Does Happiness Make Us Kind Or Does Being Kind Make Us Happy? -- Happiness And Humility -- Optimism, Pessimism, And Naivete -- Golden Time, Leaden Time, Wasted Time -- One With The Flow Of Time -- Ethics As The Science Of Happiness -- Happiness In The Presence Of Death -- A Path. Matthieu Ricard ; Translated By Jesse Browner. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 269-281). A molecular biologist turned Buddhist monk, described by scientists as "the happiest man alive," demonstrates how to develop the inner conditions for true happiness.