Finding Joy: A Practical Spiritual Guide to Happiness »

Searching for happiness in our modern world of stress and struggle is common; finding it is more unusual. This guide explores and explains how to find joy through a time-honored, creative-and surprisingly practical-approach based on the teachings of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah.

Clear, creative, personal, and down-to-earth, Finding Joy introduces the ancient insights of the Jewish mystics, and offers exercises for the soul which bring them into our daily routines.
"Pithy, effective, and remarkable....A good read for those who seek to do good and enjoy happiness."
-Msgr. Tom Hartman, "The God Squad"

"This lovely, simple introduction to Kabbalah...is a singular contribution to tikkun olam, repairing the world."
-American Library Association's Booklist

Publishers Weekly

Schwartz, the spiritual leader of Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield, Mich., asserts that the Jewish mystical tradition can provide the unhappy with a "practical spiritual guide to happiness." Schwartz demonstrates that the Kabbalah teaches that true joy is possible if the true focus of people's lives is spiritual. In each chapter, Schwartz examines some of the reasons that people are unhappy, and he then explores the ways in which people can use the teachings of the Sefirot, or the 10 divine "rays of light," like Chesed (lovingkindness), Hokhmah (wisdom), and Binah (understanding) to attain happiness. Each chapter concludes with a set of weekly spiritual exercises that put into practice the lessons of the chapter. Although many of the lessons Schwartz teaches in this book echo the bromides of much popular spirituality ("If we don't exercise our inner joy, we will not be able to cope with the worst of times"), his focus on the spirituality of the Jewish mystics provides the book with a depth that saves it from being just another superficial spiritual handbook. (Jan.)