183. Better Life Vault: How to be *Really* Happy: Stephanie Harrison [reads] ‘The Way of the Bodhisattva’

Stephanie Harrison reading from Śāntideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva and discussing the pursuit of happiness.

Today, we're pulling one of our best episodes from the vaults, featuring the brilliant Stephanie Harrison.

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Christmastime in Australia is in mid-summer. The Northern hemisphere traditions of ugly sweaters, roasted meats and roaring fires really just don’t vibe there. We’ve even got a Christmas carol about Santa’s sleigh being pulled along by kangaroos, rather than reindeer. Many years ago, on a hot Christmas day, my family packed a picnic and headed for Tidbinbilla, the nature reserve about an hour’s drive away. When we arrived, we laid out all the food, hung up some wind chimes, and set up a table and chairs in the middle of a river. Sitting there, eating my mum’s plum pudding with the water flowing by waist-deep, with my family - I knew I was happy.

Of course, happiness is elusive. The stories and expectations we’ve internalised about the requirements to achieve happiness are mostly illusions. Stephanie Harrison is a champion for a wiser path to happiness, or as she calls it, The New Happy.

Stephanie reads two pages from ‘The Way of the Bodhisattva’ by Śāntideva. [reading begins at 12:40]

Hear us discuss:

The reluctance to give back to others: “The path to experiencing fulfilment and well-being is the ways in which we relate to other people.” [16:15]
The process of learning to serve. [20:06]
Transcending ‘The Eye.’ [24:48]
Is happiness always a spiritual practice?: “Spirituality is about helping us to be human.” [27:28]
Self-care and self-renewal. [34:35]

Get access to full transcripts and the past episodes at www.MBS.works/podcast.

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Resources:

Stephanie Harrison | LinkedIn | The New Happy

Śāntideva | The Way of the Bodhisattva