What would a monk do in this moment? When you’re making a decision, when you’re having an argument, when you’re planning your weekend, when you’re scared or upset or angry or lost, ask this question. You’ll find the answer 99 percent of the time. And eventually, when you’ve uncovered your real self, you won’t even need to ask yourself what a monk w

TRY THIS: TWO DEATH MEDITATIONS To imagine your own death gives you a bird’s-eye view of your life. Try a death meditation whenever you are questioning whether or not to do something—to make a significant change, learn a new skill, take a trip. I recommend that you always do a death meditation at the beginning of a new year, to inspire new paths in

The first sign that you’re doing it right is that you’ll miss it if you take a break. You only miss a person when you don’t see them. When you eat every day, you don’t think much about nourishment and fuel, but if you don’t eat for a day, you quickly notice the power of food. The same is true for meditation—you have to develop a practice before you

Find a comfortable position—sitting in a chair, sitting upright with a cushion, or lying down. Close your eyes and lower your gaze. Bring your awareness to calm, balance, ease, stillness, and peace. It is natural for the chatter and clutter to be busy in your mind. Whenever your mind wanders, just gently and softly bring it back to calm, balance, e

Life is not going to go your way. You have to go your way and take life with you.

LOKAH SAMASTAH SUKHINO BHAVANTU “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” This mantra, popularized by Jivamukti yoga, is a beautiful reminder to look beyond ourselves and to remember our place in the universe.

The oldest, most common, and most sacred mantra is Om. In Vedic texts the sound is given many shades of meaning, from infinite knowledge to the essence of everything that exists to the whole Veda. Om also is called pranava, whose meaning can be described as “the sound by which the Lord is praised.” In chanting, om comprises three syllables—A-U-M. I

The problems that some of us face are mental—anxiety, depression, loneliness—whereas for many of the people in need of service the greatest challenges are more basic—food, clothing, shelter. We can heal our mental challenges by helping them with their physical needs. Service, therefore, is a reciprocal exchange. You’re not saving anyone by helping

We have seen that happiness and gratitude spread through communities. The same is true for service. When you serve, you mention it to your friends. You might bring someone else with you. Someone joins you, and they tell two friends. When you participate in service, you do your part to spread the value of service in our culture.