The Book of Joy –by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams

Nonfiction  

363 pages / 9844 KB

5 Stars

This is a marvelous book, by two of the most genuinely happy people living. They have both gone through great pain, horrendous sorrow, and yet they remain happy. How is that? They have discovered the "secret" and herein share it with all of us, if we will be read with open hearts.

The book is a series of discussions between the two clerics, moderated by Douglas Abrams. The format is informal, and a little different than what many of us are used to, but the words, oh, the words!

"I believe everyone has the responsibility to develop a happier world. We need, ultimately, to have a greater concern for others' well-being. In other words, kindness or compassion, ..." (HH the Dalai Lama). This book shows us how to develop a happier world—starting with ourselves. Love your neighbor as you love yourself (Mark 12:31, the Holy Bible)—after all, if you don't love yourself, you cannot love anyone else. "The ultimate source of Happiness is within us." (HH)

In the back of this book are meditations and prayers to help us on our daily journey to find true joy, the ultimate source of our happiness, and once found, we'll know how to share it with one and all.

The only quibble I have with this book is there is no index. I heartily and unequivocally recommend this book to everyone, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey—just starting out or finishing a life long quest. I further suggest you buy a hard copy you can make notes in, so you can find things at a glance when you want to. Yes, I know, writing in books is a big no-no – but it makes me happy.