Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill (平装) 316167258

Never has happiness as an emotional and physical state of being been so widely discussed. Matthieu Ricard is one of the most compelling voices on the subject, and one of the few who can bring together the teachings of eastern and western thought. In this accessible new work, Ricard provides a straightforward assessment of how to create true and lasting happiness. He addresses the pursuit of a meaningful life at its most fundamental level the strengthening of the inner conditions that lead to genuine happiness. Ricard helps readers form new patterns of interaction with themselves and with the larger world, working toward happiness step by step, starting with 20 minutes of daily mind training and meditation. Ricard has been featured in Time, Self, O Magazine, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times Magazine. Ricard has served as interpreter for the Dalai Lama and also works with many influential thinkers within the scientific community, including Brian Greene and Daniel Goleman. With his father, Jean Francois Revel, Ricard co-authored the French bestseller The Monk and the Philosopher, which was translated into 21 languages. He also co-authored the 2001 book The Quantum and the Lotus with astrophysicist Trinh Xuan Thuan. Acclaim for Happiness: Written with grace and clarity, Ricard offers exciting ideas and practical tools for increasing our understanding of ourselves and our relationship to the world. Paul Ekman, Ph.D., author of Emotions Revealed "In this highly readable and enlightening volume, Matthieu Ricard offers us the keys to opening up the chambers of the mind where serenity resides. His elegant descriptions show us how the preoccupation with the self leads to the detrimental urges, thoughts, and feelings that present barriers to genuine liberation. This superb volume demonstrates how we can experience contentment even in the face of unpleasant circumstances Aaron Beck, Ph.D., author of Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk who completed a Ph.D. in cellular genetics with the Nobel laureate Francois Jacob before leaving France to study Buddhism in the Himalaya 35 years ago. He lives and works on humanitarian projects in Nepal. From Publishers Weekly For millennia, philosophers, writers and artists have sought the key to human happiness. A Buddhist monk and former cell biologist, Ricard offers his own musings about the nature of happiness and tips on how to attain it in his sometimes tedious, sometimes dynamic guide. Happiness, for Ricard, cannot be found in fleeting experiences of pleasurethe joy of a sunny day, the refreshing taste of an ice cream cone, the ecstasy of sexbut only in the depths of an individual's being. Happiness is not self-interested, but rather compassionate, seeking the well-being of others. If we are truly happy, writes Ricard, we can change the world because of our compassion for others and our desire to end hatred and bring happiness even to those we don't like. For Ricard, happiness is a deep state of well-being and wisdom that flourishes in every moment of life, despite the inevitability of suffering. Individuals can, however, learn to minimizesuffering in life by practicing moderation in all things, as well as meditation. Meditative exercises that individuals can practice to achieve happiness appear in each chapter. Ricard (Tibet: A Compassionate Eye) doesn't have much new to tell us about his subject, but he imbues these reflections with his own deep sense of happiness and verve. (Apr. 12) Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From AudioFile Both the subject, happiness, and the author/narrator, an accomplished French scientist who's been a Buddhist monk for 35 years, are endlessly fascinating. Ricard's gorgeous accent and unique use of everyday words are totally beguiling. A translator for the Dalai Lama, he is renowned for his research and practice of cultivating a state of happiness. As he explains how to meditate and accumulate positive moods, his presentation is punctuated with quirky humor. For example, when a man confesses that he's afraid of what he will see when he looks within, the Dalai Lama observes that there's nothing more entertaining on TV or film than self-analysis. Just listening to Ricard is soothing and inspiring. This is a great choice for those seeking a calmer inner life.S.G.B. AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.