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

Description

Although we are materially better off than ever before, surveys show that we are depressed and listless. In his revolutionary book, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard shows that happiness is not just an emotion, but a skill that can be developed. Free of jargon, Happiness contains simple exercises that will train the mind to recognize and pursue happiness by concentrating on the fundamental things in life, and in doing so change the way we view the world.

Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk who had a promising career in cellular genetics before leaving France to study Buddhism in the Himalayas thirty-seven years ago. He is also a bestselling author, translator and photographer, and an active participant in current scientific research on the effects of meditation on the brain. He lives in Tibet and Nepal and is involved in humanitarian projects in both these countries. Find out more at www.www.matthieuricard.org

A remarkable book... It exudes inspiration and intelligence * Independent on Sunday * Matthieu Ricard exhorts us to realize the toxic, self-harming nature of anger and envy, get off the roller coaster of alternating happiness and unhappiness, and instead experience the pleasure of being calmly alive and aware. * Sunday Times * Matthieu Ricard combines the talents of a philosopher and scientist -- George Soros If you want to be happier and better, this is the book you should read -- Richard Layard, author of Happiness: Lessons from New Science