Patrick Whiteside - The Little Book Of Happiness: Your Guide to a Better Life

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Epub ISBN: 9781473552487 Version 1.0 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Rider, an imprint of Ebury Publishing, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA Rider is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com Copyright Larry Culliford 1998
Cover design: Two Associates Larry Culliford has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 First published by Rider in 1998 This edition published in 2018 www.penguin.co.uk A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 9781846045615 Soon after publication, this book helped someone facing heartbreak, making it easier to cope with the unexpected loss of her baby. It is extremely rewarding for an author to hear how their work can help in times of need, and I am grateful to the lady concerned for sharing her story. The Little Book of Happiness has proven an enduringly popular read. Some people have said they take from it a daily meditation.

Others prefer dipping in and out. The recommended approach, though, involves going through it page by page, allowing themes to develop and reinforce one another, like ocean waves building and cascading onto a welcoming beach. Simply let the ideas wash repeatedly over you, in a process as joyful and refreshing as a dip in cool waters on a hot day. Maybe they will help you too. Larry Culliford (Patrick Whiteside) EVERYONE WANTS TO BE HAPPY! Everyone wants to be happy Think about that. Everyone! Be confident! Using this book, you are going to teach yourself something.

Now Take a full breath! If you are going to teach yourself something, it is best not to be in a hurry. Be patient Take it slowly Give yourself a proper chance. So Everyone wants to be happy. EVERYONE! What next? Getting what you want makes you happy. Knowing what you want, thats the hard part (WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS HAPPINESS ITSELF!) Clear your mind And you will be happy. Sit quietly for a while, Undistracted Every day.

Be confident! Believe in happiness You deserve it. You dont have to make someone else happy To deserve happiness for yourself. As a matter of fact You cannot make anyone else happy. You cannot make anyone else happy, but you might be able to show them how to find happiness for themselves. Be happy and people will learn from you. Teach yourself to find happiness And you will set an example.

You cannot make someone else happy, but you can help them in the right direction With generosity, for example. Share your happiness! Share your happiness Give away a smile. Give away another one. Give away a million smiles. Be generous! Give away a million smiles a day. Remember, everyone wants to be happy.

Do not expect to feel happy all the time. Happiness comes and goes. Happiness comes and goes. Let it come Let it go. Ask yourself as often as you like, (as often as you remember): Amy I happy? If the answer is, Yes, enjoy the moment! If the answer is, No, relax. Be patient Be confident! Happiness will surely return.

Do not trouble yourself with reasons for happiness or unhappiness It takes great skill to discover such reasons without becoming unhappy. Do not trouble yourself with reasons for happiness or unhappiness It takes great skill and wisdom to discover such reasons. You may not yet be ready Even so, be confident! Be confident! Be patient! Do not trouble yourself. Stay in the moment! THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE. Stay in the moment! Happiness can only exist in the present In the here and the now of your life. Happiness only exists in the present moment, and in the very place where you are.

This is a beautiful and simple idea. Happiness only exists in the present moment, When you grasp this When you accept this When you embrace this Your life will change for the better. Now, it is time to sit quietly to reflect for a moment Undistracted. Take a rest! Sometimes thinking leaves us bewildered. Let the bewilderment pass Pause. Take a break Let your mind work by itself.

Contentment is a calm, deep and more lasting form of happiness. Teach yourself to stay right in the moment And you will enjoy contentment. Admittedly, this takes skill and practice. When the focus of your mind strays, This is bewilderment The start of confusion, calm and happiness clouded out. Happiness and calm go together. When the focus of your mind strays from the here and now Happiness and calm are obscured.

Human experience begins in the mind. Human experience dwells in the mind. What of the world outside the mind? There is no world outside the mind. We experience the world with our minds. What of the body? What of the brain? These are at one with our minds. So to be happy Learn to use your mind differently.

Teach yourself how to let your mind dwell in the present. Teach yourself how to let your mind dwell in each moment undistracted, calm, focused, happy. How? To teach yourself how to let your mind dwell in each moment You can use your breath, or your heartbeat, as an anchor. Practice And you will be happy. Sit quietly for a while, undistracted Every day. Use whatever you can, whatever pleases you, to bring the mind back to itself A pleasant sound, a tinkling bell.

A pleasant smell, perfume. A pleasant sight, a rainbow, or your beloved. Use whatever pleases you A pleasant taste, the salt of sweat or tears, A pleasant touch, tree bark, a childs hand. Use your senses. Use whatever you can a stretch, a game, a jog, a jig, a smile, a wave, a hug Use your actions. Now, again Take a rest! Ask yourself, On what does my happiness depend? Notice how your thoughts become troubled.

When your thoughts start to lose focus, When your thoughts become troubled, Take a rest For the moment, Let the question go. When you are able to reflect on the question calmly Ask if your happiness seems to depend on the thoughts, feelings, words or actions of others. Of course it does Your happiness does seem to depend on the thoughts, feelings, words and actions of others But that is an illusion. Happiness depends On a mind that is clear. Happiness depends on a mind that is clear That is all. That is all.

That is all! Happiness depends on a clear mind Like the still, reflecting surface of a lake, A lake on which there is no ripple of hatred, And not a breath of desire. That is all When even worldly pleasures stir the surface a little How much more so does anger? Does your mind grow troubled, reading and reflecting on this? Why not again, take a rest? Let the bewilderment pass. There is really nothing for you to learn That your mind does not already know. It knows how to be happy. Like you, it wants to be happy and calm. This is a mystery Which no-one need unravel.

Be confident Be patient Accept the mystery. Accept the mystery! Simply dwell in the present moment And be happy. A person can have pain and stay happy Is this a paradox? Is it not another mystery? A person can have pain and stay happy You can have pain and stay happy. It takes patience, admittedly, and great skill. Others have achieved this. So, be confident What it takes is self-mastery This is a skill worth acquiring.