Source: Huffington Post
If someone told you that happiness was within your reach, without a moment’s delay, would you believe them?
The “counterintuitive” nature of that proposal is exactly what Derek Lin, a prolific author and Taoist teacher, said can be found in the teachings of Taoism.
“There’s nothing to stop us from making changes today that will result in a complete transformation [towards happiness],” Lin told The Huffington Post.
Lin’s new book, The Tao of Happiness, comes out on Nov. 17, and in it he shares stories from Taoist sage, Chuang Tzu who lived more than 2,000 years ago. Tzu’s parables illustrate a guide to happiness that Lin said runs counter to many common notions about success and fulfillment.
“When we talk about happiness in the Tao we have to be very specific in defining the deeper meaning of it,” Lin told The Huffington Post. It isn’t the “temporary” or “conditional” joy we experience after getting a new gadget or even paying off our mortgage. “That happiness will only last for a short time,” Lin said.
Taoism offers a different approach. In the simplest sense, Tao is a Chinese character which means “the way” or “the path.” As a philosophy, Taoism is a body of works compiled by various sages from more than 2,000 years ago, which explores “the way of life, the way of the universe, the way of existence, and the way of reality,” Lin said.
Categories: Book Review, Human values