Books › The art of happiness
The art of happiness
a handbook for living
First published 1998 · 387 pages
A warm, grounding conversation that bridges Eastern spirituality and Western psychology to help you find quiet joy in a chaotic world.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting down for a long, unhurried cup of tea with a deeply wise, endlessly patient friend. The pace is leisurely, inviting you to pause and digest its gentle truths rather than rush to the finish line. Blending profound spiritual serenity with pragmatic Western psychology, the prose is accessible, conversational, and entirely devoid of dogma. The mood is incredibly grounding, creating a sunlit, quiet space that offers a refuge from modern anxieties. It traces a journey from the universal experience of human suffering toward a tangible, everyday sense of inner peace. This is the perfect read for anyone feeling adrift or overwhelmed, offering a compassionate roadmap back to one's own innate capacity for joy.
- Mood
- calming
- reflective
- grounded
- uplifting
- serene
- Tone
- earnest
- compassionate
- conversational
- pragmatic
- gentle
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- cultivating inner peace · overcoming suffering · human connection · mindfulness · the nature of joy
- The writing
- A clear, accessible blend of Western psychological inquiry and Eastern spiritual wisdom, structured as a warm dialogue.
- The arc
- Moves from a state of questioning and modern anxiety toward a grounded, expansive sense of inner peace and practical optimism.
- Who it's for
- Anyone feeling overwhelmed by the modern world seeking practical, compassionate wisdom to ground their daily life.
Content notes
- discussions of suffering
- grief
- illness
About the book
Summary:One of the world's greatest spiritual leaders teams up with a psychiatrist to share, for the first time, how he achieved his hard-won serenity and how readers can attain the same inner peace
Description from Open Library.
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