The Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy is used by the Bhutanese government as guidance, measuring the collective well-being and happiness levels of the general population.

1. T HE GROSS
NAT IONAL HAPPINESS
P HILOSOP HY
Craniosacral Therapy
Educational Trust
Michael Kern

2. MICHAEL KERN2
HAPPINESS
P h i l o s o p h y
Gross National
Defining GNH
GNH values collective happiness levels as the
primary goal of governance. The philosophy
emphasises traditional values and living in har-
mony with nature as the keys to success. There
are four pillars and nine domains of happiness
identified within the GNH philosophy.
MICHAEL KERN
The Gross National Happiness (GNH)
philosophy is used by the Bhutanese
government as guidance, measuring the
collective well-being and happiness levels
of the general population. The term was
first coined in 1972, when the king of
Bhutan told a British journalist that GNH
was more important that GDP.
THE

3. MICHAEL KERN 3
The nine domains of happiness
recognised in the GNH philosophy are
living standards, ecological resilience
and diversity, community vitality, good
governance, cultural resilience and
diversity, education, time use, health,
and psychological well-being.
Four Pillars
The four pillars of GNH are good
governance, promotion and pre-
servation of culture, environmental
conservation, and equitable and
sustainable socio-economic develo-
pment.
Nine Domains of
Happiness
The nine domains of happiness re-
cognised in the GNH philosophy are
living standards, ecological resilien-
ce and diversity, community vitality,
good governance, cultural resilience
and diversity, education, time use,
health, and psychological well-being.

4. The first GNH survey was officially
conducted in Bhutan in 2008, with follow-up
surveys in 2010 and 2015.
MICHAEL KERN