A review by alphareads
The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama XIV

inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

The Dalai Lama is well-known. Known as the 14th Dalai Lama, or Gyalwa Rinpoche to the Tibetan people, he is a sign of tranquillity, goodness, compassion, kindness, generosity, and love. He is an intelligent, open-minded, and humorous being. 

As the highest spiritual leader and former head of the country of Tibet, his deeds and principles of life haven’t gone unnoticed. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression.

People have sometimes wondered if it was feasible to compile a handbook outlining his life philosophies, his straightforward solutions to our issues, and how to live a happy life.

This is what Howard Cutler (an American psychiatrist) worked towards when he interviewed the Dalai Lama and wrote this book.

This work resounds with the kind of profound insight that has come to be associated with the Dalai Lama. This teaching is both calming and energizing for the reader, and it is packed with a lot of good vibrations. This book is a compilation of positive thoughts and simple deeds that may be put into practice daily, and it can be acquired here. It merely serves to bring the reader's attention to the fact that we are the only ones accountable for our happiness.

The book is divided into five parts, each embodying the practices of the Dalai Lama on how to achieve happiness. 

These are:

Part 1: The Purpose of Life

Part 2: Human Warmth and Compassion

Part 3: Transforming Suffering

Part 4: Overcoming Obstacles

Part 5: Closing Reflections on Living a Spiritual Life

In The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama outlines the Buddhist perspective on how one can increase their level of happiness in daily life. According to him, happiness is not something that comes to those who are lucky and eludes others who are not lucky; rather, it is something that you can actively try to increase in your life, and you should do so.

The book educated me about life, how to be happy, how to transform every negative into a positive, and how to handle a lot of different problems, and the most essential things that I learned from this book are how to be disciplined and compassionate!