In 1991, deep in the Arizona desert, an unprecedented experiment quietly began—one that captured the imagination of the world and, in time, revealed a powerful lesson about humanity’s relationship with nature.
Eight people—four men and four women—were sealed inside a massive glass-and-steel structure known as Biosphere 2. Inside this enclosed world were recreated ecosystems meant to mirror Earth itself: a tropical rainforest, an ocean with coral reef, a desert, savanna, wetlands, farmland, and living quarters. For two full years, the inhabitants were to live completely self-sufficiently, growing their own food, recycling their air and water, and surviving without outside assistance.
The ambition was breathtaking. Biosphere 2 was envisioned as a blueprint for the future—an experiment to test whether humans could survive in closed ecosystems, potentially paving the way for space travel and the colonization of other planets. Behind this vision stood oil tycoon Edward Bass, who invested nearly $200 million into the project. It was, at once, a serious scientific endeavor and a meticulously choreographed public spectacle, drawing intense global attention from scientists, media, and the public alike.
Yet as the months passed, the experiment revealed something far more profound than plans for Mars.
Despite advanced engineering, cutting-edge technology, and idealistic human determination, the biosphere began to falter. Oxygen levels dropped unexpectedly. Crops failed. Certain species flourished too aggressively while others vanished. Tiny imbalances multiplied into serious problems. Even the soil—something often overlooked—absorbed oxygen in ways scientists had not fully anticipated.
What became clear was this: Earth’s ecological system is far more complex, delicate, and interconnected than human intelligence can fully replicate or control.
Biosphere 2 did not fail because of a lack of effort or intelligence. It faltered because nature is not a machine that can be perfectly engineered. It is a living, breathing system shaped by countless relationships that have evolved over billions of years. When humans attempt to dominate or redesign nature without deep humility, unforeseen consequences inevitably arise.
Looking back today, Biosphere 2 feels less like a rehearsal for escaping Earth and more like a gentle warning.
Rather than asking how we can leave this planet, perhaps the deeper question is how we can live more respectfully upon it. The experiment reminds us that technology, no matter how advanced, cannot replace the wisdom embedded in natural laws. Human ambition, when detached from reverence, can easily turn into overconfidence.
We are not masters of Earth—we are tenants.
To live well on this planet requires humility: listening to nature rather than overriding it, cooperating with ecological rhythms rather than forcing outcomes, and recognizing that every action ripples through an intricate web of life. True progress is not measured by how much we can control, but by how well we can coexist.
More than three decades later, Biosphere 2 still stands in the Arizona desert, now used for research and education. Its greatest contribution may not be scientific data alone, but the quiet reminder it offers to humanity:
Respect nature. Honor complexity. Live humbly. And follow the laws of the Earth that has always sustained us.
Siler City, NC – On Wednesday evening the “Walk for Peace” monks stopped for the day at Jordan-Matthews High School. This was an opportunity for one of the monks to speak to the crowd gathered at the football here. Below is a summary of the lessons he hoped to teach.
We fight a battle every day, but the enemy isn’t external. It’s the relentless hum of our own minds—the constant wandering to past regrets and future anxieties, the endless scroll of digital distractions, and the crushing pressure to always be doing more. In this unwinnable war for a quiet mind, we often feel like we’re losing ground.
But what if the pursuit of peace wasn’t an epic battle at all? What if it was simply a series of small, counter-intuitive shifts in perspective? In a recent talk, a monk shared a path to peace that doesn’t require struggle, but instead invites awareness and acceptance. This post shares the four most surprising and impactful lessons from that talk—practical wisdom that can be applied to your life, starting right now.
1. To Connect With Your Kids, Stop Trying to Fix Them
As parents, our deepest instinct is to protect and guide. We want the best for our children, so we try to fix their mistakes and teach them the “right” way. But the monk pointed out a painful paradox: the more we try to “fix” or “change” them, the more we inadvertently build a “war” between us, pushing them further away.
His surprising solution was to shift our role entirely: stop trying to teach and start sharing. By approaching a child as a friend, we transform the dynamic from a top-down lecture into a shared conversation. This shift is the key to getting them to listen, and more profoundly, it creates the safety for the ultimate connection. The monk explained that when children see you as a friend, “whenever obstacle when they run into trouble they will come back to you and lean on your shoulder and cry and ask for help… that is when your chance come to teach them.”
unless you make friend with them you see them as your friends not mother not the father but a friend A friends means the different way of talk, different way of teaching, sharing… and that is when they listen.
In a world of high-pressure, achievement-oriented parenting, this advice is a radical act of trust. It asks us to let go of micromanagement and have faith that building a foundation of friendship is the most effective way to stay connected, especially when our kids are more influenced by peers and technology than ever before.
2. The Enemy of Peace Isn’t Chaos—It’s Multitasking
The monk observed that in our modern world, a distracted, wandering mind has become the “normal” condition. Very few people, he noted, can truly focus. He then offered a memorable metaphor for the primary source of this distraction: our smartphones.
And now that we all all have our lovers along with us every single second, you know who is your lover is your cellphone…
His solution is profoundly simple yet radically counter-cultural: stop multitasking. He framed this not as a mere productivity hack, but as the fundamental practice for purifying the mind. Without concentration on a single task, he explained, there can be no real peace.
This advice directly challenges the modern glorification of being busy. We multitask because we treat busyness as a proxy for importance and self-worth. To single-task is therefore an act of rebellion against the “cult of productivity.” It’s a way to reclaim our presence and discover that true effectiveness and inner calm are found not in doing more, but in giving our full attention to one thing at a time. This practice of single-pointed concentration is the very tool we need for the next lesson: dealing with the internal chaos of our own minds.
3. Don’t Fight Your Anxious Thoughts. Just Look at Them.
When we try to find a moment of quiet, the mind inevitably rebels. Thoughts of the past and worries about the future “pop up” and disrupt our focus. But the monk’s wisdom extends beyond just anxious thoughts—it applies to every distraction, internal and external. The itch on your nose, the sound of a distant siren, a sudden memory—our common reaction is to fight these intrusions and scold ourselves for getting distracted.
The monk’s instruction is to do the exact opposite. The goal is not to create a blank, empty mind. The practice is to simply add awareness to your breath, and when any thought, sound, or physical sensation appears, you acknowledge it without judgment. You observe it for a moment, and then gently guide your attention back to your breathing.
When that thought pop up, instead of trying to eliminate or push it away, just acknowledge it, observe that thought and then come back to this breathing.
He warned that this requires immense patience because “we will fail over and over.” This insight is liberating. It reframes “failure” as a completely normal and expected part of the process. Each time you notice your mind has wandered and you gently bring it back, you are succeeding.
4. Learn to Shed Your Leaves Like a Tree
To illustrate the art of letting go, the monk shared a powerful analogy from nature. In the autumn, trees shed their leaves. They don’t do this because they are weak; they do it as a brilliant survival strategy to conserve energy through the winter, preparing for new growth in the spring.
He explained that humans, however, often do the opposite. We spend our lives collecting and holding onto our mental “trash”—bad habits, unhappy memories, stress, and anxiety. We cling to these dead leaves until we are completely overwhelmed by their weight.
We have collected all kind of trash in our mind. Bad habit, unhappy thing, undesirable, all those things happening in our life that we suffered. We collected it so many and we recorded in here and we didn’t know how to let it go. We don’t know how to shut it off just like those trees.
This metaphor recasts “letting go” not as a passive act of giving up, but as an active, wise process of conserving our vital energy. In a world facing an epidemic of burnout, this lesson becomes a crucial survival strategy. It teaches us to release what no longer serves us in order to preserve our strength for what truly matters—for the new growth that awaits.
Peace is a Practice, Not a Destination
The war for a quiet mind ends the moment you stop fighting. As the monk’s lessons reveal, peace is not a distant state you arrive at, but the result of small, conscious actions. It’s found in the choice to single-task, the gentle observation of a thought, and the courage to let go of control—both in our own minds and in our relationships. Becoming a friend to our children and a non-judgmental observer of our thoughts are both practices in releasing the need to fix everything. Single-tasking is the foundation that makes this awareness possible.
He offered a simple starting point: each morning, write down the statement, “Today is going to be my peaceful day,” and live with that intention. But he also added a note of urgency. Many of us say we will do it “later,” but, as he warned, “that later that moment never comes.”
Don’t wait. Peace is a daily practice, and the work begins now. Looking at the “leaves” you’ve been carrying, what is just one you can choose to let go of today?
It is fairly easy to see that society defines us by our relationship status, with those being in committed relationships having more status than those who are single. Friends, family, culture, society, TV, and, even Facebook posts, all tell us that we should be part of a couple.
If I’m honest, I have to admit that I bought into this hook, line and sinker; from the age of fourteen on, there was always a guy in my life. Like most people, having a relationship was of utmost importance, and, as a result, I often compromised other areas of my life. If I wasn’t in some sort of relationship, I felt empty inside, which only reinforced the hunt for Mr. Right.
I was on a perpetual roller coaster ride of seeking, finding, questioning and ultimately, letting go. There was a great deal of heartache and pain on the downside of this endless relationship ride, resulting in two failed marriages, and I don’t know how many “dead-end” relationships.
Sacred Singlehood
Biologically, we need partnership in order to procreate and keep the species going, but with 7 billion people on the planet, I don’t believe this is still the motivation for “needing to be” in a relationship. If we are truthful, our drive to be in relationships is more about personal habit, societal pressure and, yes, the dreaded fear of being alone topping this list.
Many of us even stay in relationships, well past their expiration date, because we think that we won’t find someone “better” and because we are growing older, we are even more afraid to risk being alone.
About ten years ago, I did something I thought I would never do. After a tumultuous break-up, I made a conscious choice to be single. At first, it was quite difficult being single; my relationship-addicted mind still searched for potential partners, but the greater part of me said, “No, not now.” It took me about a year to make peace with being single but even longer to discover the treasures of what I have come to call “Sacred Singlehood.”
Now, this isn’t an advertisement to choose singlehood over couple-hood. I certainly don’t know what is best for anyone, other than myself, but, this is an invitation to give yourself permission to consider who you might be (or become) all by yourself – without a partner.
What if it was okay to be alone, and, at least, for a little while, you gave up the search?
Whether you are experiencing a break-up, thinking about ending a relationship, or searching for that new one, consider that the relationship that you most desire, and the one that can bring you the most joy and fulfillment is with yourself.
Maybe you want a good reason for being single; well, how about two?
Being Single: Reason #1
Become Empowered, Explore Opportunities and Create an Amazing Life!
If you go from being in a relationship to mourning the end of a relationship to looking for a new relationship, where is the time and space for self-exploration?
Having the courage to be single allows you to create sacred space where you get to know yourself and you become your own best friend; from this space of growing confidence and security, you can go past your comfort zone, explore new ideas, travel to interesting places, create masterpieces, develop spiritual connection, take care of your body and mind, and maybe, even heal or strengthen relationships with your children, siblings, parents or friends.
Imagine giving yourself the time and space for emotional, mental, physical and spiritual healing or alignment. This might mean healing beliefs that don’t support you, claiming your unconditional worth and stepping into your intrinsic power. How wise and powerful might you become on a solo journey?
I can’t tell you what would have unfolded in these past ten years, if I had been in a relationship, but, I can tell you that during these sacred years, I experienced tremendous personal growth, spiritual awakening and creative inspiration that resulted in the publishing of several books. As I uncovered who I really am, and I discovered my self-made place in the world, I fell in love with me. Equally as important, my relationship with each of children drastically improved; because there was no longer someone else in the mix trying to influence my radical parenting style, I was free to parent in my own unique way. For this reason alone, my choice to be single was phenomenal.
When you give yourself the gift of being single, it can be the most sacred experience of your life.
Being Single: Reason #2
Meet Your Soul Mate by becoming the perfect partner for your perfect partner.
What if you took the time to really get to know yourself in order to become the person who can attract your ideal mate? Consider that any partner that you attract before you grow into your best self is very different than the partner you will attract from your highest and best self. Mr. Right can’t show up, if you are not yet Ms. Right and vice versa.
Law of Attraction Maybe we keep meeting the “wrong person” because we don’t measure up to our wants and desires in a partner. In other words, if you desire a partner who is open, honest and communicative, you must be open, honest and communicative. If you desire a partner who is in great shape, spontaneous and adventurous, you must be in great shape, spontaneous and adventurous.
In the quest for your perfect partner, you must be his/her perfect partner. This means that in order to attract your ideal mate, you must really know yourself and be true to your dreams and desires.
It is helpful to make a list of the qualities and attributes that you desire in a partner and rate yourself accordingly. If you don’t score high in each of those same qualities/attributes, according to the law of attraction, you are not yet a perfect match.
In order for the law of attraction to work in relationships, you must become that which you desire in another. Instead of jumping into a new relationship, imagine taking the time to develop these desired qualities and attributes, so that you can become the perfect partner for your perfect partner.
Heal Emotional Wounds If you keep ending up in relationships where you feel abandoned, misunderstood or unappreciated, chances are, there are some emotional wounds that require healing. If you want to be in an emotionally healthy relationship, you must be emotionally healthy. Being single offers you the time and energy required to heal past wounds, allowing you to align with an emotionally healthy partner.
Afraid of Being Alone I am going to guess that your perfect partner isn’t afraid of being alone, so, if you want to meet him/her, it is probably necessary to heal any fears of being alone – because, no doubt, you will attract potential partners who align with your fears. This means that if you are afraid of being alone, you will attract someone who is also afraid of being alone, or you will attract someone who will trigger your fear of being alone. If you do not want to attract a relationship based on this fear, it is essential that you fearlessly embrace singlehood.
Filling that Empty Space Many of us desire a partner to fill the empty space, but it never works because the only one who can ever fill your empty space is you. Being single allows you the opportunity to find yourself and experience fulfillment. Once you fill that space with yourself, you will be a perfect match for a man/woman who is whole, conscious and empowered.
The Desire for Love Okay, it’s normal to desire a relationship so that we feel loved, but, oftentimes, our relationships leave us feeling unloved. If you want to experience love in a relationship, it is important to take time alone in order to learn to love yourself unconditionally. Your unconditional self-love has the power to attract a partner who also loves him/herself unconditionally and together you can experience unconditional love for each other. This is the foundation for the loving relationship you seek.
Whether you are looking to find yourself or you are seeking a soul mate, being single may hold the answers.
The Point of Sacred Singlehood
The point of Sacred Singlehood is not to be single forever, unless that is what you choose, but, rather to become the highest version of you, who is emotionally secure, confident and free to express uninhibited authenticity, and, then, if you choose to share your life with another, you can attract your ideal partner, who is also consciously authentic, and together you can experience an enlightened paradigm of partnership that is truly amazing.
There is something so beautiful and transformative about being single, and, if I had missed it, I might have missed myself entirely. I am so grateful to my past self for making the courageous decision, and sticking to it.
Whatever your reasons to explore being single, Sacred Singlehood offers a Golden Opportunity where you can become the Real You and create the life you most desire.
About the Author:
As a Conscious Creation Coach since 1997, Nanice teaches mastery level manifestation skills, and, as a result, her powerful coaching style is often referred to as the “Nanice Effect.” Bridging the gap from imagination to realization, Nanice coaches people to live their true dreams. Nanice is the author of several inspirational books including, “Is There a White Elephant in Your Way? – a comprehensive guidebook to awakening and self-empowerment.” Sign up for Nanice’s Free 7 Part Awakening Series. To find out more, please visit www.Nanice.com.
There are moments in life when, despite our best intentions and most sincere efforts, things still feel profoundly unfair. Right and wrong seem reversed. The ground beneath us shifts, and our inner balance begins to tilt toward chaos. In those moments, our first instinct is often to react—to defend, to argue, to strike back.
Before you do, pause.
Take a breath. Return to your body. Listen to what is happening beneath the noise.
When we step into conflict fueled by “righteous anger,” wounded pride, or a desire for revenge, we rarely restore balance. More often, we simply exchange one form of turmoil for another. Peace quietly slips away.
Holding onto resentment or remaining lodged in the role of the victim keeps us circling the same pain, replaying the same arguments, long after the moment has passed. Whether we choose to walk away with a clear conscience or feel called to stand up for what feels just, one truth remains: every action—and every silence—creates ripples. They shape who we are becoming and touch the lives of those around us.
At first glance, the phrase Peaceful Warrior seems contradictory. Yet a life rooted in peace and integrity demands precisely this paradox.
To be peaceful does not mean to be passive. To be a warrior does not mean to be aggressive.
True strength lies in seeing beyond illusion and surface drama. It lies in choosing awareness over reflex, clarity over emotional momentum. A Peaceful Warrior does not drift from one reaction to the next; they choose their response with care.
Such a warrior knows how to step back and observe themselves in the heat of the moment. They are capable of decisive action, but their actions are guided by wisdom and oriented toward the greater good. Only genuine courage allows us to respond from the heart, rather than from outdated conditioning and habitual fear.
The next time you find yourself facing opposition, remember this: you can remain present. You can maintain your inner edge without surrendering to fear or hostility. You can stand firmly without hardening your heart.
You can be a Peaceful Warrior.
When life confronts us with injustice, it becomes a quiet test of our spiritual maturity. These reflections may help illuminate the path:
1. Discern Reaction from Response A reaction is automatic—rooted in survival, memory, and past wounds. A response is conscious, grounded in the present moment. When you feel that surge of heat in your chest, pause and ask: Is this my deeper wisdom speaking, or is it my ego defending its image?
2. Release Attachment to Outcomes The Bhagavad Gita teaches action without attachment to results. Spiritually, this means doing what is right not for victory or validation, but because it aligns with truth. When the need to “win” dissolves, a quieter, more enduring power emerges—one that cannot be taken from you.
3. Receive the Mirror Those who unsettle us most often reveal where we are still tender or unhealed. This does not excuse harmful behavior, but it offers insight. Let the discomfort become a question: What within me is asking for strength, clarity, or compassion?
Recently, I watched a short video that stayed with me far longer than I expected.
The scene took place in a small shop in Pakistan. A robber walked in, grabbed money and a phone, and prepared to leave. Sitting beside the shop owner was a little girl. She looked at the robber calmly, without screaming or hiding, and gently offered him the lollipop she was holding.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to stop.
The robber froze. He looked at the child, then slowly put the money and phone back down. Before leaving, he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.
I don’t know whether the girl acted out of fear, nervousness, or pure instinct. But her simple, innocent gesture touched something deeply human in him. Perhaps, in that fleeting moment, his life took a different turn.
What moved me most was this realization: Even those who appear hardened or dangerous may still carry a seed of kindness within them. And sometimes, it only takes the smallest act to awaken it.
A single lollipop opened a door in the human heart.
Lately, I’ve been noticing more and more of these quiet sparks of goodness appearing around the world.
In the United States, a group of Buddhist monks has been walking on foot, praying for peace. Without slogans or confrontation, they offer presence, humility, and sincerity. Their journey has inspired many people to reflect on peace in a deeper way, and countless strangers have stepped forward to support them.
Guided by the teachings of Namo Dorje Chang Buddha III, and with deep respect for the great mercy and loving-kindness through which Buddhas and Bodhisattvas benefit all living beings, the World Buddhism Association Headquarters (W.B.A.H.), Holy Miracles Temple (at Pasadena CA) and Sanger Mission sincerely to carry out Charitable Acts to Benefit Our Community Together: 2026 Food and Goods Drive, to collectively plant goodness. All donations will be sent to support local food banks, homeless shelters, and animal shelters in the Los Angeles area.
I also read about Jon Stewart, who announced an extraordinary donation of $116 million to help address homelessness across the United States—providing housing and dignity to people who have long been forgotten by society. It was a reminder that compassion, when paired with courage, can bring real and lasting change.
And then there is the story that expanded my sense of hope even further.
Johan Eliasch, a Swedish billionaire, acquired approximately 400,000 acres of the Amazon rainforest by purchasing the company that held its logging rights. Instead of continuing operations for profit, he immediately halted all logging activities.
Just like that, the chainsaws stopped.
That vast stretch of forest was allowed to remain intact—continuing to absorb carbon, protect biodiversity, and sustain one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems. His action demonstrated something profound: that private ownership, when guided by conscience, can become a powerful force for environmental protection.
This act of kindness may not be immediately seen by everyone, yet it will have a profound impact on the Earth’s ecological balance—and it is, in its own quiet way, safeguarding a future our children and grandchildren will still be able to breathe in.
From a child offering a lollipop… to a monk walking for peace… to a philanthropist sheltering the homeless… to a forest saved from destruction—
These acts may differ in scale, but they arise from the same source: the human longing to protect, to heal, and to do what is right.
In Buddhist teachings, compassion is not passive emotion—it is action. It is wisdom expressed through kindness.
As a new year begins, I sincerely hope we will witness more of these compassionate and righteous choices—choices that quietly warm the world.
May we walk together, letting kindness extinguish the fires of war, allowing love to dissolve hatred and conflict, and using compassion to heal sorrow, fear, and pain.
The world does not change all at once. But every gentle act—no matter how small—adds light.
And sometimes, that light begins with something as simple as a child’s open hand.
You might not realize it, but this is the true power of prayer—it’s not just asking for blessings; it is awakening an internal system within you that says, “I can keep going.”
Every sincere moment of prayer leaves an imprint on the mind. This is not spiritual poetry or wishful thinking; it is a pattern repeatedly observed through MRI scans, neuroimaging, and psychological research. Each second spent in focused, quiet prayer is an opportunity to “turn on a light” in the brain—helping us become steadier, clearer, and more resilient.
Scientists were once skeptical. But the evidence surprised them.
When a person enters a state of deep, focused prayer, activity in the prefrontal cortex increases. This is the part of the brain responsible for attention, judgment, emotional regulation, and self-control—the “driver’s seat” of the mind. Prayer helps us return to that seat, especially when life feels overwhelming.
At the same time, activity in the amygdala—the brain’s alarm system—tends to decrease. This region governs fear, anxiety, and the fight-or-flight response. When it is overstimulated, we feel tense, reactive, and out of control. Prayer appears to gently quiet this system, creating inner space to breathe, reflect, and choose more wisely.
This is not merely a mental effect—it is a physical response of the nervous system.
Research also suggests that heartfelt prayer—prayer infused with sincerity and emotion—is especially powerful. Compared to mechanical repetition, it more strongly activates brain regions associated with language, empathy, connection, and self-awareness, including the temporoparietal junction, anterior cingulate cortex, and medial prefrontal cortex. These areas shape how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to life itself.
In simple terms, honest prayer becomes a process of emotional clearing and inner reorganization.
When practiced regularly, these brain responses do something remarkable: they form new neural pathways. Like carving a well-worn trail through a forest, prayer creates a reliable inner path—a place of stability we can return to during moments of fear, grief, or confusion. The more often we walk this path, the easier it becomes to find our way back to calm.
Prayer is not the same as meditation. While both reduce stress and sharpen focus, prayer carries an added element: relationship. Prayer involves trust, dialogue, and the felt sense that we are not alone. This activates neural systems related to connection, attachment, and belonging—deep human needs that meditation alone does not always engage.
This may explain why, at the edge of emotional collapse, a simple, sincere prayer can sometimes bring someone back from the brink. The problem may not disappear—but the mind, heart, and body momentarily realign. A quiet strength returns. I can get through this.
What Prayer Does—Inside and Out
Activates the Prefrontal Cortex Strengthens clarity, emotional balance, and self-control.
Calms the Amygdala Lowers fear and stress responses, restoring inner quiet.
Builds Emotional Resilience Repeated prayer forms neural pathways that support stability over time.
Fosters Connection and Trust Engages social and emotional brain systems through relationship and sincerity.
Sincere prayer may be one of the most gentle, natural, and powerful “built-in reset systems” we possess.
So when was the last time you prayed—not out of habit, but from the heart? Have you ever noticed how your body softened afterward, how tension quietly released?
That wasn’t imagination. That was your mind and nervous system responding to something deeply human—and deeply real.
We spend so much of our lives chasing happiness. We look for it in career promotions, new gadgets, or the perfect vacation. Yet the joy we seek often feels fleeting. What if the real secret sauce to a happy life isn’t something you buy or achieve—but something you give?
In her widely shared TEDx talk, “How to Be Happy Every Day: It Will Change the World,” Jacqueline Way offers a beautifully simple, yet world-altering insight: doing one small good deed each day can transform your brain, your life, and ultimately, the world.
The Science Behind the “Helper’s High”
Jacqueline’s message isn’t just uplifting—it’s grounded in science. When we perform acts of kindness, our bodies respond in powerful ways.
Giving triggers the release of a natural blend of “happiness chemicals”:
Dopamine, which creates feelings of reward and joy
Oxytocin, often called the “love hormone,” which reduces stress and supports heart health
Serotonin, which stabilizes mood and promotes a sense of calm and well-being
In other words, when you give, you’re not just helping someone else—you are literally rewiring your brain for happiness.
At the heart of Jacqueline Way’s message is a practice so simple it’s easy to overlook:
Do one little good thing every day.
It doesn’t need to be dramatic or time-consuming. A good deed might look like:
Offering a sincere smile or kind word
Helping a neighbor with a small task
Picking up litter along your path
Donating items you no longer use
Listening fully to someone who needs to be heard
What matters most is intention. When kindness becomes a daily habit rather than an occasional gesture, happiness stops being accidental—it becomes natural.
A single act of kindness never ends with the giver. It travels outward. One person’s generosity inspires another. Slowly and quietly, hearts soften, trust grows, and perspectives shift.
Jacqueline Way reminds us that changing the world doesn’t require grand gestures or heroic efforts. It begins with ordinary people choosing compassion in everyday moments. When kindness becomes a way of life, happiness expands—not only within us, but all around us.
How to Start Your Own Happiness Practice
If you’re longing for more joy and connection, you don’t have to wait for the “right” moment. You can begin today. Here are three simple ways to practice the daily give:
1. Look for the Micro-Give Kindness doesn’t require money or planning. Hold the door open, write a thoughtful message, or leave a positive review for a local business.
2. Make It a Family Habit Inspired by Jacqueline and her son, turn giving into a shared ritual. Ask at dinner, “What was your give today?” It nurtures empathy and helps everyone focus on the good.
3. Notice the Shift Pause and observe how you feel after giving. That warmth in your chest? That quiet lift in your mood? That’s happiness growing in real time.
Jacqueline Way reminds us that we are not powerless in the face of the world’s challenges. Each of us carries the ability to make life kinder, lighter, and more meaningful—one day at a time.
When you choose to give, you stop chasing happiness and start creating it.
And when enough of us do that, every day, the world truly begins to change.
The Buddhist monks from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, who are undertaking a 2,300 mile pilgrimage of Walk for Peace, arrive for a welcome ceremony at Hong Kong City Mall in Houston Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images
In a world that often feels rushed, divided, and relentlessly loud, there is something quietly revolutionary about the act of walking.
Recently, a group of Buddhist monks began a long, demanding pilgrimage across the United States. Their mission is simple yet profound: to promote peace. Their journey began in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26. Since then, they have faced the literal “wear and tear” of the road, including a harrowing incident where two monks were injured after a truck struck their escort vehicle.
Yet, they did not stop.
With perseverance and a calm, unshakable resolve, the group of two dozen monks has reached Georgia. They are still moving, one step at a time, toward their final destination in Washington, D.C. Their pace is slow, deliberate, and intentional—and that may be exactly what our world needs right now.
Buddhism has a long history of “engaged mindfulness”—the idea that compassion isn’t just felt in meditation, but lived in the world. These monks are not just praying for peace; they are embodying it.
As they navigate highways and back roads, they offer a living reminder that peace isn’t a destination we reach once and for all. It is a practice. It is something we choose moment by moment, breath by breath, step by step.
Watching their progress brings me back to a book I read nearly 30 years ago: Peace Pilgrim.
I remember being deeply moved by her story—how she walked across countries carrying almost nothing, guided by the conviction that peace begins within the individual. At the time, I wished I could have met her in person, just to thank her for the way her simplicity and courage planted a seed in my heart.
Though she is gone, her spirit feels remarkably present today. I see her legacy in the orange robes of these monks as they crest the hills of the American South.
Monks rest at Hong Kong City Mall in Houston Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
Igniting Kindness, One Heart at a Time
There is something profoundly moving about a walking pilgrimage in the age of instant communication. There are no hashtags here. No viral outrage. Just human beings placing one foot in front of the other, trusting that their presence alone can soften the world.
And it works.
Along the way, the “ordinary” world reacts. Drivers slow down. Strangers stop to ask questions. People offer water, a meal, or a simple smile. In these small, unscripted exchanges, something gentle is awakened. We are reminded that beneath our political and social differences, we all share a basic human longing for safety, understanding, and harmony.
The monks may be the ones doing the walking, but the kindness they ignite along the way belongs to all of us. As they recently shared on their Facebook page:
“We do not walk alone. We walk together with every person whose heart has opened to peace, whose spirit has chosen kindness, whose daily life has become a garden where understanding grows.”
A group of Buddhist Monks and several hundred local community members take part in the Walk for Peace in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday December 23, 2025. The Monks are walking from Texas to Washington, D.C. to promote peace and compassion.
Most of us cannot drop everything to walk across a continent. But all of us can “walk for peace” in the geography of our own lives.
We can pause before we react in anger.
We can choose compassion over the reflex of judgment.
We can listen more deeply than we speak.
Watching these monks continue their journey despite injury and uncertainty reminds me that peace isn’t achieved through grand, sweeping gestures. It is built patiently through humility and love.
Step by step.
May their walk remind us to slow down, to soften our hearts, and to keep moving—together—toward a more peaceful world.
Did you know that your brain may need you to take a walk even more than your body does?
We often think of walking as something we do for physical fitness—burning calories, loosening stiff muscles. Yet neuroscience now confirms something ancient wisdom has always known: when the body moves gently and steadily, the mind awakens.
Regular walking—nothing intense, just consistent and mindful steps—nourishes the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. With increased blood flow and oxygen, this delicate region doesn’t merely function better; over time, it can actually grow stronger, softening the slow erosion of age.
Decades of MRI research reveal that people who engage in moderate movement—brisk walking, cycling, climbing stairs—experience measurable growth in the hippocampus. An average increase of just two percent may sound small, but in the language of the brain, it is profound. It can offset one to two years of natural cognitive aging.
In simple terms: thirty minutes of walking a day gently turns back the clock for the mind.
But beyond the science, something quieter is taking place.
When we walk, the brain relaxes its grip. A subtle nourishment—BDNF, often called the brain’s “fertilizer”—is released, protecting existing neural pathways and encouraging new connections to form. Thoughts become clearer. Memory steadies. Emotions settle into a more balanced rhythm.
This is why walking feels different from sitting.
As the body moves, the mind loosens. As the breath finds its rhythm, thoughts begin to untangle.
Walking brings the brain into a rare state—awake, yet unforced. It is here that insights arise without being pursued, where worries soften and lose their sharp edges.
Many people sense this intuitively, without knowing the science. They think more clearly when they walk. They feel calmer. They see situations with greater perspective.
Stillness has its place. But too much stillness, without movement, becomes stagnation.
Long hours of sitting dull not only the body, but also memory, emotional resilience, and mental clarity. The mind grows heavy, foggy, restless. Gentle movement restores what stillness alone cannot.
And the beauty of walking is its simplicity.
No gym. No equipment. No performance.
Just steps.
A short walk in the morning light. A few mindful minutes between tasks. A slow walk beneath trees. Choosing stairs over elevators. Sun on the face. Breath in motion.
These small, ordinary moments—when repeated—quietly care for the brain and the heart.
Walking is not exercise in the usual sense. It is a form of listening.
With each step, the mind is gently awakened. With each step, inner noise softens.
You may not be going anywhere special. Yet something within you becomes clearer, lighter, more alive.
So today, walk.
Not to achieve. Not to improve.
Just to return— to the simple intelligence of movement, and to a mind that remembers how to be at ease.
I have always loved being close to nature, and one of my greatest joys is walking through the forest. Living in Santa Cruz, I am surrounded by beautiful woods and mountain trails. Each time I wander beneath the trees and along winding paths, I arrive at the end feeling lighter, calmer, and deeply refreshed—as if my body and mind have been fully recharged.
I once came across an interesting idea: Mountains are places where we gain energy, which is why after hiking, we often feel alert and invigorated. Water, on the other hand, carries energy away. This may explain why spending long hours by the ocean or a lake can leave us feeling tired. Yet water also washes away emotional heaviness. When we feel sad, restless, or overwhelmed, a walk by the sea often brings a sense of release and ease.
Energy is constantly flowing through nature. We are simply quiet participants, allowing the natural world to gently adjust our inner frequency.
Discovering “Forest Bathing”
Recently, I was delighted to learn that the Japanese have a word that perfectly describes this healing experience: forest bathing.
In Japanese, it is called shinrin-yoku:
Shinrin means forest
Yoku means bathing
Together, shinrin-yoku means “bathing in the forest,” or allowing our entire being to absorb the atmosphere of the woods. As early as 1982, Japan officially incorporated forest bathing into its national public health program as a form of preventive and therapeutic care.
Suddenly, I realized that every breath I took in the forest had always been quietly nourishing me.
Japanese researchers have conducted extensive studies on forest bathing and found remarkable benefits for overall well-being. Research shows that forest bathing can:
Reduce stress
Strengthen the immune system
Lower blood pressure
Support recovery after illness or injury
Improve mood and concentration
For me personally, its most immediate effect is simple yet profound—it quickly lowers stress and brings my heart back to a place of calm.
Forest bathing is very different from running or brisk walking. It is not about exercise or distance; it is about presence. The key is to slow down and fully engage all your senses:
Touch the bark of trees—rough or smooth
Watch sunlight dance through layers of leaves
Breathe in the scent of earth and greenery
Listen to the wind moving through branches
Find a place to sit and feel your connection with the ground
In the past, most of my hikes were intense, goal-driven, almost like completing a task. Since practicing forest bathing, I now schedule at least one slow, mindful walk each week. By slowing down, I have discovered beauty I once overlooked—and I can’t help but smile at how much I missed before.
There is a subtle yet powerful presence in the forest. It does not announce itself, yet it gently soothes the heart.
Perhaps it is the oxygen released by the trees. Perhaps it is the steady, unhurried rhythm of the forest. Or perhaps it is simply that, among the trees, we can finally hear our own breath again.
When we walk in the forest, there is nothing we need to accomplish. Nothing to force. Nature naturally helps our hearts soften, open, and grow brighter.
If you feel tired, anxious, or lost in the busyness of everyday life, I invite you to find a nearby mountain trail and give yourself the gift of forest bathing.
Let nature, in its quiet way, remind you: You are doing your best—and you deserve to be healed. 🌲
Peace LiLy 