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	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Sebastian Ritscher
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Religion & beliefs

HAPPINESS IS OVERRATED

Cuong Lu

Simple Lessons on Finding Meaning in Each Moment

Stop chasing happiness and reconnect to the meaning of each moment through this practical guide, told through vignettes of life training as a Buddhist monk under world-renowned spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh.

We spend so much time in pursuit of happinesstrying to purchase it, experience it, meditate our way toward itbut happiness is elusive and doesn't last. According to the teachings of the Buddha, Cuong Lu writes, "Suffering is not a problem to be solved. It is a truth to be recognized." Happiness Is Overrated invites us to look deeply at the truths in our livesnot glossing over or denying our sufferingand to focus on the meaning and value already within us. Each chapter of Happiness Is Overrated shares a lesson drawn from Buddhist psychology, accessible for all readers. Short practices at the end of each of the 30 short chapters help readers apply the teachings on their own. Happiness Is Overrated helps us get in touch with our true selves and our true minds, through meditation and mindfulness practices that include paying attention to the breath, observing our minds, connecting with our hearts, practicing "interbeing" with others and the Earth, and more. Cuong Lu is a Buddhist teacher ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village. He dedicated his life to service after witnessing a shooting while fleeing Vietnam in 1975. He served as a monk for sixteen years and now teaches in the Netherlands, where he lives with his wife and three children. A former prison chaplain, he is the author of The Buddha in Jail.

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Book Published 2023-09-05 by Shambhala Publications

Comments

After reading Happiness is Overrated, I found myself treasuring everyday opportunities to practice the exercises Lu so wisely and lovingly provides us. Suddenly, waiting in line at the bank, grocery store, or post office are transformed from drudgery into precious opportunities to practice, to deepen, and to grow. And isn't that what great literature does: awaken us to the possibilities offered in each moment? Happiness is Overrated belongs with Ram Dass's Be Here Now, Bo Lozoff's We're All Doing Time, and Eknath Easwaran's The Mantram on that most important shelf in any personal librarythe one labeled 'Books that changed my life.

In this enlightening guide, Buddhist teacher Lu lays out lessons on finding value in every emotion. The author skillfully distills Buddhist psychology down to graspable spiritual principles and delivers them in a compassionate tone, making for easy reading and lessons readers will be able to apply to their lives. This deceptively brief entry has insight to spare.

Cuong Lu's poetic and simple teachings can lead one to immediate peace. Meditation is in between each word and the application of that meditation is in his teaching stories. In this sweet and gentle text, Lu makes it clear that happiness is overrated when the joy in our lives is giving and receiving. This book is truly a gift.

An insightful, inspiring, uplifting guide for building a meaningful life and living it to the fullest. Written in an engaging and easy-to-understand style, what makes this book stand out from the crowd is its incredibly practical approach. It's full of simple but powerful practices that anybody can do to enrich and enhance their life, moment by moment.

Cuong Lu's simple, down-to-earth teachingsrooted in a unique blending of the Yogachara teaching of Consciousness-Only and the Vietnamese Zen discipline of mindfulnessreveal the profound depth of Buddhadharma. A lay dharma heir to the late Thich Nhat Hanh, whose wisdom lingers throughout this small gem of a book, Cuong offers 30 refreshing contemplative prompts at the end of each chapter, inviting you to inquire into what he calls the 'raw mind' of innate freedom and connection. This is a wonderful guide for all those interested in mindfulness and meditation.