The Theory of Happiness by Albert Einstein

The Theory of Happiness by Albert Einstein

The theory was written down by Einstein for a bellboy on a piece of hotel stationery at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo in 1922. Einstein was there on a lecture tour and had just heard about his Nobel Prize win. Not having any change to tip the bellboy, he wrote down some words of wisdom, prefacing that the piece of writing could be worth more than a tip one day.

"A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness,“ wrote the physicist. This theory has come to be known as the “theory of happiness.”

Even though Albert Einstein might not have been aware of it, he was reflecting on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita given 5000 years before he was alive. The pursuit of success reflects the never-ending desires born from the mind, and constant restless is the expectation that arises from trying to fulfil these desires.

If one can stay calm, and perform one’s duty without any desires or expectations, this is the key to happiness which Krishna talks about in the Bhagavad Gita.

Find out more by attending a talk in the USA (March 20th - April 20th, 2018)