Posted on by Phil

My Learnings from The Book of Joy

This past summer a good friend of mine bought me a copy of “The Book of Joy.”  In the last year I’d been getting into meditation/spirituality, and his wife had loved it.

While the book isn’t very long, it did take me a long time to read it for the simple reason that there is SO MUCH wisdom sprinkled throughout.   For those that don’t know, this book is basically a summary of a week of conversation between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.  It outlines many of their core philosophies.

There are a ton of great tidbits in this book for anyone with an open mind, and I highly suggest you go buy it if you’re at all curious.

I knew it’d be a worthwhile exercise for my own self to codify some (I can’t stress ‘some’ enough – this book is full of interesting and useful wisdom) of the key lessons that I took away, and thought “why not write them up on that blog I never post to!”

So, here are a few of the lessons I took away:

  • “The purpose of life is to find happiness” – The Dalai Lama says this in the opening part of the week, and I completely agree.  Of course, finding and pursuing happiness are quite different and will lead to divergent outcomes.  As is mentioned later in the book, happiness is a byproduct of generosity, compassion, self love, and a host of other worthy pursuits.  Pursuing it directly usually ends in distraction and a focus on things like fast cars or big boats.
  • Compassion = Happiness – Do you ever have one of those days where you strike up a genuine conversation with a stranger, or get to help out someone in need?  As the book says “If you develop a strong sense of concern for the well-being of others, this will make you happy in the morning, even before coffee.”  This is very true, and you can lean test it by smiling and saying hello to each person you meet with today – I guarantee you’ll notice the change in yourself.  Of course, you can supercharge your effort through generosity.
  • A grateful mind breeds happiness – Having a bad day?  Think of something you’re truly grateful for and focus on it.  Maybe it’s as trivial as how warm your coffee is, or maybe it’s something as important as your health.  Focusing on things we’re grateful for is transformative, and a worthwhile daily practice.
  • We’re all people – This is very related to the compassion point, but I wanted to write down a key consideration made throughout the book around the negative side of personal interactions.  Ever have a boss that is horrible, or have a run in with a bully?  Realistically, these people are critical because they see the world as critical, or aggressive because they are fragile.  Forgiveness and empathy, even to people who “don’t deserve it” leads to happiness.  Side note: I’ll admit it, I can hold grudges…but letting them go feels so much better than ruminating (with the exception of when I’m trying to beat a 3 mile time and need some extra adrenaline for that final push).
  • Stress and hardship are just a part of life – According to the book, stress is actually key to our development in utero (disclaimer:  I’m no doctor).  We can all agree that it’d be crazy not to recognize the amazing role that hardship and failure play in the evolution of us as individuals.  So, try to see the bright side of your next challenge, and realize that every human on earth has to go through something similar in their lives (easier said that done!).  Apparently, the first noble truth of Buddhism is that life is full of suffering.  If you need some extra inspiration here, I highly recommend Viktor Frankel’s Man’s Search for Meaning.
  • It ain’t all fluff  – A lot of the above sounds like something a non analytical thinker would believe in, or what you may simply learn at Kindergarten (and what’s wrong with that???).  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  Following the teachings laid out in this book will actually make you happier, allow you to think clearer, and live a more “productive” life.  Beyond my own experience,  you can see that these teachings align with how humans came to be through the evolution of our species.  For example, building meaningful relationships with others is a sure fire way to be happy, which makes sense as that’s how we used to (and still do) get stuff done in society.  In fact, the book is sprinkled with actual scientific studies that detail things like lowered hypertension in people who gave away money…just in case you’re a skeptic and need some data along with the wise words 🙂

One fun thought experiment is to think about the various things future generations will know as truth that we can’t see right now.  For example, we now look back at history and think “how could they not know smoking was bad for them?” or “how could anyone not see the CDO market was a house of cards that posed a major systemic risk to the economy?”  Meditation is a great way to think more clearly about the question of what we just aren’t understanding now…and, perhaps its future adoption will be another answer to this thought experiment.

8,699 Replies to “My Learnings from The Book of Joy”

  2. I’m really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues?
    A couple of my blog visitors have complained about my blog not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox.
    Do you have any solutions to help fix this issue?

  3. each time i used to read smaller content which also clear their motive, and that is also
    happening with this paragraph which I am reading at this time.

  5. I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but great topic.
    I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
    Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this info for my mission.

  6. Your mode of describing all in this piece of writing is actually pleasant, every one can without difficulty understand it,
    Thanks a lot.

  7. My brother recommended I would possibly like this blog. He was
    once totally right. This post actually made my day. You can not consider just how
    a lot time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

  9. Hey there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could
    find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform
    as yours and I’m having problems finding one? Thanks
    a lot!

  10. Usually I do not read article on blogs, however
    I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me
    to try and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me.
    Thank you, quite nice article.

  11. Hey there! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you
    I really enjoy reading your blog posts. Can you suggest
    any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same subjects?
    Thank you!

  12. Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Thank you so much, However I
    am experiencing difficulties with your RSS. I don’t understand why I cannot join it.

    Is there anybody else having identical RSS issues?
    Anyone who knows the solution will you kindly respond?
    Thanks!!

  14. If some one wants expert view on the topic of running a blog
    then i recommend him/her to pay a visit this weblog, Keep up the nice job.

  15. Simply wish to say your article is as surprising.

    The clarity in your post is just cool and i could assume you’re an expert
    on this subject. Well with your permission allow
    me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post.
    Thanks a million and please carry on the rewarding work.

  16. Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all folks you actually understand what you’re talking about!
    Bookmarked. Kindly also consult with my site =). We will have a hyperlink
    exchange contract among us

  18. Thanks a lot for sharing this with all people you actually know what
    you are talking about! Bookmarked. Kindly additionally seek advice from my website =).
    We could have a hyperlink trade agreement between us

  19. Everything is very open with a precise explanation of the issues.
    It was definitely informative. Your site is very useful. Thanks for sharing!

  22. Hi, i think that i saw you visited my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I am trying to find things to improve my web site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!

  23. Hmm it looks like your website ate my first comment (it was
    extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m
    thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything.
    Do you have any tips for beginner blog writers?
    I’d genuinely appreciate it.

  24. Nice blog here! Also your website loads up fast! What web host are you using?
    Can I get your affiliate link to your host?
    I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol

  25. Incredible! This blog looks just like my old one!
    It’s on a entirely different subject but it has pretty much the same layout and
    design. Wonderful choice of colors!

  26. Does your site have a contact page? I’m having problems locating it but,
    I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some suggestions
    for your blog you might be interested in hearing.
    Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.

  28. Thank you for another informative blog. Where else may I
    get that type of information written in such an ideal means?
    I’ve a challenge that I’m just now working on, and
    I’ve been on the glance out for such info.

  30. Hey there, You’ve done a great job. I will certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends.
    I’m sure they will be benefited from this website.

  32. Hello! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers
    and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us beneficial information to work
    on. You have done a marvellous job!

  33. Greetings, I believe your web site might be having
    internet browser compatibility problems. Whenever I take a look at your blog in Safari,
    it looks fine however, if opening in Internet Explorer,
    it has some overlapping issues. I just wanted to
    provide you with a quick heads up! Besides that, great website!

  34. Thanks , I’ve recently been looking for info about this topic for a long time and yours is the greatest
    I’ve discovered so far. But, what about the
    bottom line? Are you sure concerning the supply?

  35. My family all the time say that I am killing my time here at net,
    however I know I am getting knowledge all the time by reading such nice posts.

  36. Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to assert that
    I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts.
    Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently fast.

  39. Your style is very unique in comparison to
    other folks I’ve read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I’ll just bookmark
    this blog.

  40. Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice at the same time as you amend your
    web site, how could i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account helped me a appropriate deal.

    I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast
    provided shiny clear concept

  41. Today, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive
    a 25 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now
    broken and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off
    topic but I had to share it with someone!

  43. Heya! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble
    with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing a few months of hard work due to no back up.
    Do you have any methods to prevent hackers?

  44. Superb blog! Do you have any recommendations for
    aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
    Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress or go
    for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused ..
    Any tips? Thank you!

  46. Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and
    wanted to mention that I’ve really loved
    browsing your weblog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing in your feed and
    I am hoping you write once more soon!

  50. Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to
    assist with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some
    targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results.
    If you know of any please share. Many thanks!

Comments are closed.