May 14, 2013-- Matthieu Ricard, an author with a PhD in cell genetics, is also a Buddhist monk who serves as the Dalai Lama's French interpreter. In this interview, Matthieu speaks to us about his book, "Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill." He explores how individuals tend to spend considerable time and energy pursuing external circumstances in the hopes of attaining happiness, but explains that those states are constantly changing and individuals often have little control over them. He shares his approach to cultivating the right inner conditions instead and how to develop the skills needed to attain more stable happiness. He also delves into the physical and psychological effects of meditation. (52800 reads)