Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands

Trying—and failing—can be a path to happiness too. 

Leela loves to do yoga. She could do all sorts of poses, but there was one pose she couldn’t do. Every time Leela tried to do a headstand…KERPLUNK!

This book explores the themes of acceptance, resilience, and self-compassion and offers the message that just because we may experience a failure does not mean that we are a failure. Written as a counterpoint to the message of The Little Engine that Could, Happiness Doesn’t Come from Headstands is a story about a girl who tries her best, but still falls down. Through the process she learns that happiness is not determined by external achievement. Even in the face of failure, peace can be found if we accept that we cannot do everything and focus on our experience.

Tamara Levitt has been dedicated to spiritual practice for the past twenty years through yoga and Buddhist practice. A writer, teacher, actor, composer, and musician, she has taught music and theatre to children and volunteered extensively in children’s organizations. She is the founder of Begin Within Productions, which creates and develops media to empower individuals to find “calm within the chaos” in their everyday lives, and offers speaking and consultation services on mindfulness and personal growth. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.