Contents Preface Introduction Part I Happiness: The Most Plausible Human Desire Background Happiness: The Default Setting for Every Human Happiness can't be Bought or Acquired; Happiness as a Roadblock to Creativity; Understanding Real Happiness; Levels of Happiness; Transient vs Enduring Happiness; Happiness and Misconceptions Peace and Tranquility: Foundation for Happiness Understanding Internal Peace; Impact of Peace on Thoughts; Plight of Modern Day Karma Yogis Ashta Aishwarya Personal Achievements; Obtaining Right Wisdom and Knowledge /35; Wellbeing of Spouse, Children, and Immediate Family; Sound Physical and Mental Health; Money and Material Wealth; Company of Real Friends; Security, Safety, and Freedom; Pursuing Passions; Important Takeaways Decoding Critical Quotients and their Link to Happiness Physical Intelligence (PQ); Intellectual Quotient (IQ); Emotional Intelligence (EQ); Spiritual Intelligence (SQ); Conclusion Emotions — Unique Interrelation of Body and Mind Emotions Explained; Working of Emotions; Emotions and Medical Solutions; Comments on Major Emotions Contemporary Tools for a Fulfilled Life Contemporary Tools; Training the Mind before Regulating its Working; Restrain Selfish Motives; Access Your Compassion and Gentleness; Holding on Morality and Ethics with Rock solid Firmness; Investing Energy in Relationships, Duties and Purpose; Simplifying Life by Shunning Complications Ancient Indian Tools for a Fulfilled Life Ancient Indian System being more than Hindu, Buddhist or Jain Systems; Ancient Social Structures Designed for Fulfillment; Life Divided in Four Stages – Ashram Vyavastha; Society Divided in Four Classes – Varna Vyavastha; Life Dedicated for Four Aims – Purushartha Human Happiness and Role Play by Religions Exploring Real Purpose of Life Modern-day Dilemma and Aim of Human Life; Seeing through the Immediate; Overcoming Fear of Death; True Realization of Real Purpose of Life Part II Developing Understanding of Spirituality Spirituality, General Understanding When is Someone Ready for the Spiritual Quest?; Laying the Foundation for Spiritual Seeking; When to Initiate Spiritual Seeking Spirituality v/s Common Concepts in Life Spirituality vis-à-vis Religions; Spirituality vis-à-vis Morality and Ethics; Spirituality vis-à-vis Materialism; Spirituality vis-à-vis Sex; Spirituality vis-à-vis Career or Occupation; Spirituality vis-à-vis Family Life; Spirituality vis-à-vis Physical Health; Spirituality vis-à-vis Pains and Pleasures; Spirituality vis-à-vis Sciences; Spirituality vis-à-vis Self-improvement; Spirituality vis-à-vis Popular Yoga; Conclusions from Comparisons Interpreting Signs of Spiritual Awakening The Need for Seeking being the Real Call of the Day Part III Spiritual Evolution and Practice Stages of Pre-Spiritual Evolution Pre Contemplation; Serious Contemplation; Initiating Preparations; Action Initiation; Operational Stage; Initial Success Spirituality vis-à-vis Traditional Concepts Religions and Spirituality; Buddhist Spirituality; Christian Spirituality; Islamic Spirituality; Hinduism and Spirituality; Quintessential Spirituality being the Essence of Hinduism; Devotion and Spirituality Samkhya: The Philosophical Connect ofSpirituality Yoga: The Science of Practising SpiritualityY The Raja Yoga; Yoga and Spirituality Meditation: The Art of Practising Spirituality Meditation and Its Modern Uses; Meditation: What it is Not; Preparing the Mind for Proper Meditation; Techniques for Practising Meditation; Practical Tips for Effective Meditation Part IV Understanding Self before Self Realisation Understanding Self: The Foundation for Spirituality Definitions of Self; Classifying Self; Physical and Mental Self (Ego); Observing or Witnessing Self; Role of Human Mind as Only Instrument; Barriers to Self-awareness; Practising Self-Awareness; Steps Suggested for Sharpening Self-awareness; Practical Tips for Enhancing Self-awareness; Emotions and Rational Minds – Part of Awareness Finding Real Truth Using Self-awareness Clear Truth Necessitating Clear Eye and Willing Mind; How to Move Away from Ready-made Truth; Relative Truth or Absolute Truth; Difference between Guided and Self-explored Truth; Role of Scriptures in Seeking Truth; Finding Truth – Fighting Your Fire, Alone; Practical Tools for Seeking Truth Tools for Spiritual Practice “Dama” – Self Restraint; “Dana” – Self Sacrifice; “Daya” – Compassion for All; “Aacharan” – Cementing Ethical and Moral Behaviour; “Samvedna” – Empathy Practising Practical Spirituality Spending Time in Solitude; Focus on Breath; Daily Sadhana; Practising Yoga, Pranayam and other Absorbing Activities; Reading… but with Patience, Attention and Gratitude ; Aligning with Interest Groups; Stepping out of the Comfort Zones; Practising Renunciation, the Art of Willful Sacrifice; Invigorating ‘Sankalpa’, Determined Willpower; Purifying Ethical and Moral Self; Getting Habitual of Sinking all Known Systems/Methods; Ending Duality of ‘Observer’ and ‘Observed’; Stopping Passing Judgement on Every Issue; Going Beyond Others Tell, Write or Speak; Accepting Realities of Life; Suspending Mourning the Past or Restlessness for Future; Discontinuing Comparisons with All Others; Listening More and Speaking Less; Relying Only on Self-Experienced Truth Spiritual Realization Stages of Spiritual Realization; Majority of Populace Happily Ignorant; Stages of Spiritual Realisation The Theoritical Aspects of Self-Realization Soul’s Surrender, the Key for Traditional Self-realization; Traditions of Self-realization; “Nirvana”, the Buddhist Self-realization; “Moksha”, the Vedic Self-realization Understanding Real and Practical Self-realization Fallacy in Traditional Approach to Self-realization; True Realization being Similar to Death Annexure: Questions and Answers Bibliography Index