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Considering the striking similarities between the treatment of the dead and conceptions of the netherworld in ancient Egypt and China, how can we compare the two traditions?Mu-chou Poo considers this question, and provides a new perspective on archaeological materials, including tomb structures and funerary texts, by addressing them in the context of universal human problems such as death, the future of the dead, and the search for happiness in life.Poo chronologically reconstructs the emergence of the idea of the netherworld and its evolution in both ancient Egypt and ancient China. He explores the relationship between religious beliefs and social ethics in these civilizations, considers why similar social and material conditions could have produced varied expressions of the afterlife, and what such variations reveal about each culture.Poo argues that a comparison between both visions of the netherworld and their relationship to life experience gives further insight into the nature of each civilization. Through this analysis, Poo shows that thematic comparison of ancient civilizations is not only possible, but also relevant to modern society.

Most books on happiness are concerned with answering, in their diverse ways, a basic question: how should I live? Such books assume, however, that the path to happiness lies entirely within one's control. Happiness is simply a matter of doing certain things and refraining from doing certain other things. This book, however, takes a different view. It is that happiness is not always within our control but, instead, prey to the attitudes and actions of others. Following Jean-Paul Sartre's aphorism, “hell is other people”, the broad theme of this book is that “unhappiness is other people”.In the language of economics, “other” people, through their attitudes and actions, create externalities – often negative - which serve to make “us” unhappy. The instruments for creating such externalities are intolerance and feelings of envy/superiority. This book expands on this theme in respect of three areas: religion, money, and prejudice. It is fair to say the existing (un)happiness literature, particularly in economics, does not take many of these externalities into account. Instead, the focus is, firstly, on identifying the factors, internal to oneself, that contribute to personal happiness and, secondly, on measuring the relative strength of their contribution. By contrast, an analysis of the externalities that people impose upon others lies at the heart of this book.Economics, Religion and Happiness will primarily appeal to students, academics and researchers across economics, psychology, philosophy, and sociology, and will also find an audience among those interested in exploring issues related to happiness in greater depth.

Women were made to give life—and they can do that right in their own homes. Hygge [HYOO-guh] has become a cultural buzzword. When many read about this Danish practice, their shoulders lift in excitement, then fall in exhale. In a culture of rush, hygge appeals to their desire for rest—for slow living, shared moments, and fostered friendships. Hygge has strong ties to beauty, contentment, and well-being. It's warm and inviting. Hygge is the opposite of hustle. It eschews abundance. It savors. It takes things slow and envelopes you in sanctuary. Hygge is home. When you sit in a comfy chair by the fire, that's hygge. When you arrange a fresh bouquet of wildflowers on a bedside table, that's hygge too. Candles, soft furnishings, natural light, fresh-baked pastries, intimate gatherings with friends—these are what come to mind when you think of hygge. But hygge can be so much more. In Holy Hygge, author Jamie Erickson unites the popular Danish practice with the deep, theological truths of the gospel. She unpacks the seven tenets of hygge: hospitality, relationships, well-being, atmosphere, comfort, contentment, and rest. In addition, Erickson shows how the external veneer of a lifestyle can create a life-giving home only when placed under the hope of the gospel. Holy Hygge provides practical ideas for using hygge to gather people and introduce them to faith in Christ. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, Scripture references, and a prayer.

How may we find happiness and peace?In this book, Rupert Spira distills the message of all the great religious and spiritual traditions into two essential truths: happiness is the very nature of our self or being, and we share our being with everyone and everything.Drawing on numerous examples from his own experience, Spira demonstrates that to seek lasting happiness through objects, situations and relationships is destined for failure and disappointment, and skillfully guides the reader to recognize that we are already the happiness we seek.This book is for anyone who yearns for lasting happiness and is open to the possibility that it is continuously available within ourselves, irrespective of our circumstances.Could there be any greater discovery in life than to know that we are already that for which we long?

Uma receita pode ser um guia para confecionar um determinado prato, às vezes também achamos que vai chegar um determinado momento para sermos felizes e vamos deixando passar as oportunidades que a vida nos apresenta porque acreditamos que para sermos felizes deve acontecer algo extremamente extraordinário neste mundo ou fora dele. Se estiveres à espera que esse momento chegue, estarás a perder tempo para ser feliz, porque a felicidade está em qualquer momento, basta para isso vermos o lado positivo das coisas. Embora seja verdade que existem circunstâncias nas quais podemos sentir que somos felizes, por exemplo, um namoro, um triunfo académico ou profissional, além dos momentos em que nos permitirmos ser felizes. Com o simples facto de ver a beleza dos momentos, de aceitar que temos uma vida e que todas as manhãs acordamos, isso deve bastar para nos sentirmos felizes.

Sukhmani (The Pearl of Happiness) is a popular Sikh text by Guru Arjan, which inculcates the Sikh religious ethos and philosophical perspective on wellbeing and happiness. The book features a new translation of this celebrated Sikh text and provides the first in-depth analysis of it. The Sikh View on Happiness begins with an overview of the nature of suffering and the attainment of happiness in Indian religions. This provides the foundation for the examination of the historical, social, and religious context of the Sukhmani and its contribution to the development of the Sikh tradition. In addition to exploring the spiritual teachings of the Sukhmani, Nayar and Sandhu draw upon the Sikh understanding of the mind, illness, and wellbeing to both introduce key Sikh psychological concepts and illustrate the practical application of traditional healing practices in the contemporary context. In doing so, they highlight the overlap of the teachings in the Sukhmani with concepts and themes found in Western psychotherapy, such as mindfulness, meaningful living, and resilience.

‘Regimes of Happiness'is a comparative and historical analysis of how human societies have articulated and enacted distinctive notions of human fulfillment, determining divergent moral, ethical and religious traditions and incommensurate and conflicting understanding of the meaning of the ‘good life'. Presented in two parts, ‘Regimes of Happiness'provides a historical view of the way in which Western societies, the descendants of the Latin Roman Empire, created languages and institutions that established specific and occasionally antithetical conceptions of a fulfilled human life or'happiness'in the first part. The second part explores how non-Western societies and non-Christian religions have conceived and established their own ideals of human perfection. ‘Regimes of Happiness'is a critical reflection on modern notions of happiness which are typically focused on individual feelings of pleasure.

Economists and theologians usually inhabit different intellectual worlds. Economists investigate the workings of markets and tend to set ethical questions aside. Theologians, anxious to take up concerns raised by market outcomes, often dismiss economics and lose insights into the influence of market incentives on individual behavior. Mary L. Hirschfeld, who was a professor of economics for fifteen years before training as a theologian, seeks to bridge these two fields in this innovative work about economics and the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.According to Hirschfeld, an economics rooted in Thomistic thought integrates many of the insights of economists with a larger view of the good life, and gives us critical purchase on the ethical shortcomings of modern capitalism. In a Thomistic approach, she writes, ethics and economics cannot be reconciled if we begin with narrow questions about fair wages or the acceptability of usury. Rather, we must begin with an understanding of how economic life serves human happiness. The key point is that material wealth is an instrumental good, valuable only to the extent that it allows people to flourish. Hirschfeld uses that insight to develop an account of a genuinely humane economy in which pragmatic and material concerns matter but the pursuit of wealth for its own sake is not the ultimate goal.The Thomistic economics that Hirschfeld outlines is thus capable of dealing with our culture as it is, while still offering direction about how we might make the economy better serve the human good.

¡ELIMINA EL MIEDO, ENCUENTRA EL AMOR!Inspirador, vivaz y entretenido, el método práctico de vivir nuestra vida diaria de acuerdo a los principios de Un Curso de Milagros que nos muestra María Felipe te guiará hacia una vida libre de miedo y duda, y llena de alegría y poder. En nueve capítulos claros y accesibles, María te enseña a eliminar la “voz loca” del ego y conectar con tu maestro interno, así encontrando amor y fuerza ilimitados. Sus anécdotas, compartidas de su propia vida o la de sus estudiantes, demuestran que, con una gran dosis de buena voluntad y un corazón abierto, la felicidad no sólo es posible – ¡es inevitable!Description in English:Banish Fear, Encounter Love!Inspired, lively, and fun, Maria Felipe's real-world approach to living based on A Course in Miracles will guide you toward a life released from fear and doubt and filled with joy and power. In nine crystal-clear chapters, Maria shows you how to banish the “cuckoo voice of the ego” and connect with your internal teacher, accessing unlimited love and strength. Her stories, shared from her own life and from her students'experiences, demonstrate that with a willing attitude and an open heart, true happiness isn't just possible — it's inevitable!

Comment des religieux épris de spiritualité, soucieux de s'élever vers le ciel, peuvent-ils chuter dans un intégrisme massacreur? Dans cet essai l'auteur analyse les rouages théologiques de cette chute qu'il dénomme « l'escalier du malheur », le massacreur tirant alors sa puissance de la confusion entre la foi et le politique, l'Eglise et l'Etat. En se fondant sur une analyse serrée de la Torah, écrite et orale, des Évangiles et enfin du Coran, l'auteur examine comment les trois religions se sont inscrites (ou pas) dans cet escalier du malheur. Existe-t-il des antidotes face à ce danger?

Banish Fear, Encounter Love!Inspired, lively, and fun, Maria Felipe's real-world approach to living based on A Course in Miracles will guide you toward a life released from fear and doubt and filled with joy and power. In nine crystal-clear chapters, Maria shows you how to banish the “cuckoo voice of the ego” and connect with your internal teacher, accessing unlimited love and strength. Her stories, shared from her own life and from her students'experiences, demonstrate that with a willing attitude and an open heart, true happiness isn't just possible — it's inevitable!

Szczęście jest jak piłka, za którą się biegnie, ale w momencie złapania jej, kopie się ją nogą… by móc dalej za nią biec! Bo w tym biegu czujemy się stymulowani; to w tym poszukiwaniu, w tym uniesieniu, by dojść do końca znajdujemy szczęście. Kiedy w końcu otrzymujemy to, czego pragnęliśmy, oczywiście jesteśmy szczęśliwi przez moment, ale zaraz potem odczuwamy pustkę: trzeba znów szukać jeszcze czegoś innego i nigdy nie jesteśmy usatysfakcjonowani. A więc cóż trzeba zrobić? Oddać się poszukiwaniu celu najdalszego i najbardziej nie do zrealizowania: doskonałości, bezkresu, wieczności, a po drodze znajdziecie resztę: wiedzę, bogactwo, potęgę, miłość…

What does it mean to be truly happy? In Philosophies of Happiness, Diana Lobel provides a rich spectrum of arguments for a theory of happiness as flourishing or well-being, offering a global, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary perspective on how to create a vital, fulfilling, and significant life. Drawing upon perspectives from a broad range of philosophical traditions—Eastern and Western, ancient and contemporary—the book suggests that just as physical health is the well-being of the body, happiness is the healthy and flourishing condition of the whole human being, and we experience the most complete happiness when we realize our potential through creative engagement.Lobel shows that while thick descriptions of happiness differ widely in texture and detail, certain themes resonate across texts from different traditions and historical contexts, suggesting core features of a happy life: attentive awareness; effortless action; relationship and connection to a larger, interconnected community; love or devotion; and creative engagement. Each feature adds meaning, significance, and value, so that we can craft lives of worth and purpose. These themes emerge from careful study of philosophical and religious texts and traditions: the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Epicurus; the Chinese traditions of Confucius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi; the Hindu Bhagavad Gītā; the Japanese Buddhist tradition of Soto Zen master Dōgen and his modern expositor Shunryu Suzuki; the Western religious traditions of Augustine and Maimonides; the Persian Sufi tale Conference of the Birds; and contemporary research on mindfulness and creativity. Written in a clear, accessible style, Philosophies of Happiness invites readers of all backgrounds to explore and engage with religious and philosophical conceptions of what makes life meaningful.Visit https://cup.columbia.edu/extras/supplement/philosophies-of-happiness for additional appendixes and supplemental notes.

Comment profiter d'une vie plus saine et plus équilibrée Bien que les Etapes soient simples, les personnes qui les travaillent sont infiniment compliquées. Dans cette édition enrichie de son classique, Joe Klaas décortique le langage de chaque Etape, nous expliquant les résistances que nous pouvons opposer et les erreurs que nous pouvons commettre. Chaque chapitre contient une idée explosive qui nous invite à explorer pour nous-même la véritable signification de l'Etape et à réfléchir aux conséquences qu'elle aura sur nos vies. Un guide utile pour quiconque est en voie de recouvrance dans un mouvement anonyme. Les Douzes Etapes vers le bonheur peuvent nous aider à trouver les outils pour travailler nos programmes. Et pour ceux et celles qui aspirent seulement à une vie plus saine, dans un monde de plus en plus chaotique, ce livre des Douzes Etapes les conduira à un meilleur mode de vie. « Le but de ce livre est de vous aider à éviter les pièges qui vous feront perdre du temps, pièges sur lesquels j'ai trébuché alors que j'avançais, d'un pas hésitant mais régulier, vers une vie encore plus merveilleuse que je ne pouvais l'imaginer. » - Joe Klaas

Everybody wants to be happy. Everybody is on a happiness quest. For many, happiness is measured in moments. Experiences. It's elusive. Unsustainable. What about you? What makes you happy? Something comes to mind for each of us.In this six-session video Bible study, pastor Andy Stanley examines the ways in which we tend to define happiness and explains how that definition influences the way we pursue it. He reveals that happiness is about who, not what, and that happy people are at peace with God, with others, and with themselves. He also shows how sin undermines peace because it separates us from God, others, and ourselves by substituting pleasure for fulfillment, things for people, images for intimacy, and self-expression for self-control.We are often tempted to believe that happiness comes from acquiring things, but happiness is actually an outcome of what we sow in our lives. We can't acquire, consume, or exercise our way to happiness, but we may be able to serve and volunteer our way there. In the end, we find that if we live as if it's all about us, we will never be happy.Sessions include:NothingPlan for ItPeace with GodHappy MoneyShoesYou're Not EnoughDesigned for use with the What Makes You Happy DVD (sold separately).

An instant New York Times bestseller. Over 1 million copies sold!Two spiritual giants. Five days. One timeless question. Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships—or, as they would say, because of them—they are two of the most joyful people on the planet.In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering?They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy.This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecedented week together, from the first embrace to the final good-bye.We get to listen as they explore the Nature of True Joy and confront each of the Obstacles of Joy—from fear, stress, and anger to grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives.The Archbishop has never claimed sainthood, and the Dalai Lama considers himself a simple monk. In this unique collaboration, they offer us the reflection of real lives filled with pain and turmoil in the midst of which they have been able to discover a level of peace, of courage, and of joy to which we can all aspire in our own lives.