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It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.

cover of May Cause Happiness - child reaching up to the sun by Helen Siegl

Through his books,  talks, and writings on this website, Br. David has shared the blessings of the thankful heart with millions. With this uncommon journal, he invites us to find greater depth and joy amid our daily challenges and burdens.

These visually inspiring pages invite us to spark our own thankfulness when feeling weary or numb, transform our “dismissible” moments into fresh delights, dance with both the light and dark we encounter, and merge with the stream of the natural world.

“The mystic is not a special kind of human being,” writes Br. David, “rather, every human being is a special kind of mystic.” No matter how ordinary we might feel, May Cause Happiness opens portals to the extraordinary within and all around us to be revisited again and again.

Purchase a copy of this book, published by our friends at Sounds True, from your local independent bookseller, Sounds True or Amazon


Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB
Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

Brother David Steindl-Rast — author, scholar, and Benedictine monk — is beloved the world over for his enduring message about gratefulness as the true source of lasting happiness. Known to many as the “grandfather of gratitude,” Br. David has been a source of inspiration and spiritual friendship to countless leaders and luminaries around the world including Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, and more. He has been one of the most important figures in the modern interfaith dialogue movement, and has taught with thought-leaders such as Eckhart Tolle, Jack Kornfield, and Roshi Joan Halifax. His wisdom has been featured in recent interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Krista Tippett, and Tami Simon and his TED talk has been viewed almost 10,000,000 times. Learn more about Br. David here.

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