Instead of concluding misery from life’s inherent difficulties, choose to live that truth in joy. This transforms the situation by accepting it as it is, rather than expecting it to be otherwise.
When upset or caught in personal dramas, take a breath and question why you’re buying into a limited point of view. Release yourself to the vastness of circumstances and let go of the idea that the world should conform to your desires, fostering a sense of living in an endless space.
To address global problems, cultivate a different way of thinking about who we are and what the world is, moving beyond small-scale viewpoints. Use human imagination to create a bigger perspective and understand our profound connection to each other.
Understand that being alive is inherently hopeful because an unknown future is embedded in every moment. Despair is a cognitive error based on thinking you know what will happen and misunderstanding life’s hopeful nature.
Recognize that living within a limited, atomized view of self is an error. The goal is to become your true self by merging with all life’s circumstances moment after moment, realizing that your self is constantly changing in relation to everything around you.
Allow yourself to feel grief and sorrow when conditions warrant it, understanding that sorrow is the flip side of love and a natural human feeling. Avoid habitual despair, which is a cognitive error of believing you know the future and misunderstanding life’s inherent hopefulness.
Engage in Zazen meditation by sitting, breathing, paying attention to the body, and allowing thoughts to come and go without attachment. This practice is understood as a religious commitment to realizing one’s human life is more than it seems, fostering a sense of devotion and purpose.
Develop confidence in your meditation practice and its context over time through consistent practice, listening to teachings, and reflecting on them with your whole body, mind, and feelings. This confidence grows from personal experience, similar to how one trusts other beneficial activities.
Recognize that conventional ideas of time (e.g., moments lasting a specific duration) are mental constructs for functioning in the material world, but not necessarily true in physical reality. This realization can lead to feeling your life on a larger scope, beyond limiting concepts.
When you notice yourself becoming self-defensive, reflect on the larger context of existence (e.g., the ‘pale blue dot’ perspective). This broader view makes it harder to be petty or unkind and helps you recognize the ridiculousness of self-defensiveness.
Actively participate in spiritual disciplines or programs that foster a larger vision of self and the world, recognizing that this expansion of heart requires ongoing effort. This commitment helps to broaden one’s perspective and connection to others.
Instead of succumbing to despair, commit your energy to doing what is good, whether it’s cleaning your house, helping a friend, or engaging in community action. This practical engagement is beneficial regardless of larger outcomes.
For parents and grandparents, recognize a special obligation to raise children with maximum love, fostering strong and loving hearts. This prepares them to appreciate life’s poignancy, do good things for others, and navigate future challenges.
Use language with care and attention, considering if what you say is true, useful, and timely, especially regarding profanity. Notice if your speech makes others uncomfortable or feels wrong, and adjust accordingly.
If you are an ‘overthinker,’ consider writing down all your thoughts or to-do list items before meditating. This can make the meditation experience less ’enervating’ by addressing the desire to remember seemingly important things.
Understand that a core purpose of meditation is to learn to relate more skillfully to your thoughts, allowing them to come and go without firmly grabbing onto them. This practice helps to reduce being ‘owned’ by every random thought, leading to calming, concentration, and insight.
While apps are valuable for accessibility and scaling teacher impact, recognize the enormous benefit of learning from a teacher in person. Being around experienced teachers can be deeply inspiring and offers a different dimension to practice.
Give a subscription to the 10% Happier app as a gift at a 40% discount by visiting 10percent.com/gift. This offers the ‘gift of sanity’ to others, providing access to guided meditations and teachings.