Scientists from all over the world define the French Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard as the happiest man on Earth. He got this title because of a study that examined brain waves. It turns out that his are some of the strongest of all the monks.
In fact, he is not a typical monk, but by the will of higher powers, his life flows in a way that makes him find happiness by devoting himself to all things natural. He lives without the modern goods that the modern world has to offer - and is perfectly content with that.
Matthieu Ricard comes from a family of a philosopher and an artist. He was born in 1946 in France. Before monastic life beckoned him, he earned a PhD in molecular genetics. He spent his childhood in Paris. He had the opportunity to study in prestigious educational institutions, where he was taught by prominent and highly recognized teachers. True fame reached him shortly after 1997, when, along with his father, he published the book The Monk and the Philosopher. The book quickly gained a huge following, becoming a bestseller.
Matthieu's attraction to Buddhism, meditation and spirituality in general arose out of the university holidays he spent in India. There he meets monks and teachers who reveal a new world to him. He lays the foundations of a philosophy related to the fact that the human mind can be developed through meditation, leading to a better and happier life. He holds the French Order of Merit for his charitable humanitarian work in Asia.
Today, Matthieu Ricard travels the world, visiting various monasteries where he preaches his lessons for a happy life. He receives invitations to speak at well-known forums to a large audience who seek satisfaction in their own lives and for whom the monk is a ray of hope.
Ricard's permanent home is a Shechen monastery in Nepal. The monk has established a routine that he follows effortlessly - simply because it gives him pleasure. In the morning, the day begins with the sunrise and admiring the first rays of the sun. His home is a room - a corner where the monk feels protected and happy. He doesn't allow cameras in there, as he defines his home as the place where he can escape from the world when he feels the need to.
He is a vegetarian, he eats naturally, mainly with fruit and vegetables. Matthew practices several meditation methods that he has been developing for over 50 years. His routine included getting ready for bed as soon as it got dark outside. The monk goes to bed around 9-10 pm every night.
For a wholesome and happy life he gives several tips that each of us can follow.
1. Don't stress and take actions to solve your problems. Your situation and problems will not improve if you spend your time worrying rather than planning to cope;
2. Enjoy what is happening to you in the present;
3. Laugh heartily and surround yourself with cheerful and positive people;
4. Look for simplicity and peace in the things around you;
5. Happiness is achieved with effort and own work. Don't ask others to make you happy, but look for what makes you smile;
6. Always rethink your words and actions so you don't regret them later;
7. Good and bad are not absolute values. They are defined depending on the point of view of each one of us;
8. Happiness is not related to objects, it comes from spiritual contentment;
9. Meditation is the best way to calm our mind and turn away the negative;
10. Don't try to change the world, but try to change your perspective;
11. Don't complain, but find the good in what life offers you;
12. Distinguish between religion and spirituality. Spirituality drives us to be better, and religion is a matter of choice;
13. Seek to enrich your mind, not your appearance;
14. Don't let circumstances affect your happiness;
15. We can be truly happy only when we throw away negative emotions from ourselves such as hatred, envy and jealousy;
16. Remember, there are two kinds of madmen: some do not know that they will have to die and others have forgotten that they live;
17. Accepting that we are mortal is like an incentive to be even more diligent, more concentrated, helps us not to waste time in unnecessary distractions;
18. Change your attitude towards animals. They are not raw food, which should be eaten, but living beings who should not be deliberately subjected to suffering;
19. Do not cling to the past, because it will not return;
20. True freedom will come once you are freed from the ego;
21. The constant struggle to change our emotions will eventually help us change our character;
22. Confidence is equal to our expectations of reality;
23. Your life will not be in order if your emotions are not in order;
24. The most direct way to happiness is by helping others.
