10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works

Harris likes to have scientific backup for his beliefs about meditation. In your opinion, does scientific backing make meditation a more legitimate tool? Support your argument with examples from the text and real-world research.

How do the practical self-help tools in the book (i.e., meditation, knowing what triggers the monkey mind, metta, RAIN, etc.) help tame the “voice” one might have in one’s head? Does one technique seem more effective than the others? If so, why?

After meeting Haggard, how does Harris feel about hypocrisy and faith? What causes him to see religion and those who believe in it in a new light?

What is the difference between the teachings of Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra? Do you agree with Harris’s opinion that they are self-promoters rather than true teachers? Why or why not?

How do Mark Epstein’s ideas differ from Tolle’s and why do they seem more satisfying to Harris?

How does Harris’s profession as a nationally recognized broadcaster aid him in his mindfulness journey?

Do you think that Harris could have been more compassionate to Paris Hilton during the interview in which she walked out? Why or why not?

In the United States, being aggressive on the job is often praised. How does Harris suggest one might balance getting ahead with “letting go?”