2008 Woodie Awards
Handbook for Living: a True Guide to Happiness
Eryn O'Neal
Issue date: 1/19/05 Section: A&E
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Happiness is obtainable, according to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan religious leader.
The Art of Happiness, A Handbook for Living by the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., gives the reader that hope.
Written by Cutler, the book is based on his many encounters with the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the spiritual leader of Tibet.
When Cutler asked the Dalai Lama if he himself is happy, he replied "yes." From there on, I knew the book was going to be amazing.
Cutler, a Western psychiatrist, often doubts the Dalai Lama and bombards him with questions regarding his theory.
The book is written as if the Dalai Lama is talking with the reader. This unity style makes the book feel warm and personal.
The Dalai Lama believes that the sole purpose of living is to be happy. People are born compassionate and happy, but it takes time to unfold all the pieces and gain a total sense of happiness, he says.
In this work, the Dalai Lama introduces the reader to the steps one can take to acquire happiness.
He begins by stating that everyone has the right to be happy. It is not a privilege but something that can be obtained by training the spiritual part of the mind.
The Dalai Lama believes that acquiring happiness is a long process, but, if practiced with dedication, the process can become easy and fulfilling.
He then introduces the sources of happiness.
He teaches the reader to be compassionate and forgiving, stating that everyone is connected in some way. The Dalai Lame teaches the reader how to deal with loss, suffering, anxiety and change. In learning these truths, the reader can relate better with others, he says.
His holiness tries to convince us that we should live our lives in pursuit of happiness. He urges the reader to look at things in a different light. Will this fifth piece of pizza make me happy? Will smoking lead to my overall happiness?
The Dalai Lama also stresses the importance of building self-esteem, not by obtaining the perfect body or that ridiculously expensive Mercedes Benz, but by living in harmony with the ones we love.
In the closing of the book, the Dalai Lama teaches us some basic spiritual values that he says can be practiced without being a Buddhist.
This book is a must-read. It is a guide for living. Whether you take his advice literally or not, the Dalai Lama offers something for everyone to think about.
The Art of Happiness, A Handbook for Living by the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D., gives the reader that hope.
Written by Cutler, the book is based on his many encounters with the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the spiritual leader of Tibet.
When Cutler asked the Dalai Lama if he himself is happy, he replied "yes." From there on, I knew the book was going to be amazing.
Cutler, a Western psychiatrist, often doubts the Dalai Lama and bombards him with questions regarding his theory.
The book is written as if the Dalai Lama is talking with the reader. This unity style makes the book feel warm and personal.
The Dalai Lama believes that the sole purpose of living is to be happy. People are born compassionate and happy, but it takes time to unfold all the pieces and gain a total sense of happiness, he says.
In this work, the Dalai Lama introduces the reader to the steps one can take to acquire happiness.
He begins by stating that everyone has the right to be happy. It is not a privilege but something that can be obtained by training the spiritual part of the mind.
The Dalai Lama believes that acquiring happiness is a long process, but, if practiced with dedication, the process can become easy and fulfilling.
He then introduces the sources of happiness.
He teaches the reader to be compassionate and forgiving, stating that everyone is connected in some way. The Dalai Lame teaches the reader how to deal with loss, suffering, anxiety and change. In learning these truths, the reader can relate better with others, he says.
His holiness tries to convince us that we should live our lives in pursuit of happiness. He urges the reader to look at things in a different light. Will this fifth piece of pizza make me happy? Will smoking lead to my overall happiness?
The Dalai Lama also stresses the importance of building self-esteem, not by obtaining the perfect body or that ridiculously expensive Mercedes Benz, but by living in harmony with the ones we love.
In the closing of the book, the Dalai Lama teaches us some basic spiritual values that he says can be practiced without being a Buddhist.
This book is a must-read. It is a guide for living. Whether you take his advice literally or not, the Dalai Lama offers something for everyone to think about.