'The Four-Way Path': 'Ikigai' authors' upcoming book delves into Indian way of happiness

New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) After popularising Japanese concept of 'Ikigai' — your reason for being — across the world through their bestselling titles, authors Héctor García and Francesc Miralles are now coming out with a new book, "The Four-Way Path: The Indian Secret to a Life of Happiness and Purpose", inspired by ancient Indian wisdom.

The book, scheduled to release on August 29, digs into some of the oldest spiritual practices to explain how the four 'Purusharthas' — artha (wealth), kama (desire), dharma (righteousness) and moksha (liberation) — can awaken your purpose, free you from stress and fear, and find lasting peace.

It is published by Penguin Random House.

"Many mindfulness practices popular in the West, like yoga and meditation, originate in India... India is the future of the world. The current CEOs of Microsoft and Google, among other multinationals, come from this culture full of brilliant mathematicians, programmers, and engineers.

"In these pages, we will find out. It is hard not to be impressed by the fount of endless riches that is India. Our mission was to write a short, fresh, illuminating book that provides answers to today's challenges in the wake of the pandemic's ravages," reads the introduction of the book translated by Charlotte Whittle.

How can we leave suffering behind and start to lead a fulfilling existence? What ways do we have of awakening all the dormant creative energy inside us? or Can we make the law of karma work in our favor in our daily lives? are among the questions that the book seeks to answer by turning to "humanity's best teachers in the art of happiness and personal fulfillment".

"From thousand-year-old wise men to modern figures like Ramana Maharshi and Jiddu Krishnamurti, India, according to the book, offers a wealth of inspiration to help us break through when we are stuck, develop all our capacities, and become fully realized," it added.

The book's foreword is written by author and senior politician Shashi Tharoor.

"I commend their book for delving so accessibly into the complex cultural and spiritual traditions of India, and distilling from them guides for living that should be valuable to everyone with an open mind and a willingness to learn from the wisdom of the ancients," Tharoor writes in his praise for the book. PTI MG MAH MAH