Happiness
"In his... 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"-- Back cover.
Stats for nerds
7recommend
11mentions
8people
2010–2022years
82% recommend9% neutral9% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I read the following 3 in this order and it definitely co-incided with a change in my life for the better:
* A confession and other religious stories by Leo Tolstoy * Happiness by Matthieu Ricard (a counter argument against French philosophers who believe happiness doesn't exist) * The Diary of Anne Frank * A Life Interrupted by Etty Hillesum (the most beautiful book I will ever read)
- You're welcome.
My personal experience with the book, and mindfulness in general, is that it has significantly transformed my life for the better. I say that despite the fact that my practice of mindfulness has been pretty poor, but I keep working on it.
I don't subscribe to what I would call woo woo thinking or philosophy, so I was pretty skeptical at first. However, the fact that this book was written by a medical doctor helped me overcome my skepticism. My initial attempts at mindfulness meditation, however unskilled it was, sealed the deal.
It has been incredibly helpful (beyond what I originally thought was possible) to use the techniques of mindfulness to be able to notice the thoughts and emotions I was experiencing, without judgement, and then gently, and purposely direct my attention towards something more positive or peaceful. I use the techniques, even if just a little bit, every day. It's helped my emotional self-regulation, my relationships, and my ability to focus on work. It's helped me cope with pain, and maintain resilience even when I was feeling particularly low.
There are lots of wonderful books on this subject. Another great one is "Happiness" by Matthieu Ricard (another scientist). Sam Harris talks about mindfulness extensively, so you might check his work, and his app (although the app is a paid service).
- “Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill” by Matthieu Ricard
Phenomenal book by a molecular biologist turned monk who talks about happiness being a skill that can be developed through practice. Powerful, well grounded in science, one of those books that can shift your worldview in a supremely positive way.
https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Guide-Developing-Lifes-Impo...
- You may enjoy the books "Happiness" and "Altruism" by Matthieu Ricard, who's been called the "happiest man alive" based on extensive brain scans. His advice is basically to help others in practical ways, as well as more abstract ways such as loving kindness meditation. Tldr: helping others takes attention off of "separate self", which is a common cause of suffering. Wish you the very best!
- I think you might get something out of reading 'Happiness' by Matthieu Ricard.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007K9W0KM/
It's a nice rational introduction to Buddhist thought on happiness, which I thought might be relevant because of their acknowledgement of 'Dukkha', i.e. 'suffering'.
- Money can buy the appearance of happiness, but happiness comes from inside, not from outside. It's a skill one can develop.
Recommended reading: Matthieu Ricard's book "Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill"
