This is the inspiring lesson of Beethoven's Opus 131: It mirrors the nonstop demand of life to have us make music of what we're given, not knowing what will happen. Inevitably, having to play seven movements without pause, the instruments will go out of tune.

While I wouldn't wish an addiction on anyone else, walking through this storm has taught me a very important lesson: The more you choose to respect yourself, the easier that choice becomes over time.

There are numerous benefits to lightening up, for ourselves (both physically and emotionally), and for the world at large. And lightening up doesn't mean you turn a blind eye to issues that need to be dealt with.

Usually on feature films, the mandate to the still photographer is to photograph only the actors and key filmmakers, but not extras and certainly n...

We sometimes approach spiritual practice with a sense -- conscious or otherwise -- that it will allow us to transcend our lives. Perhaps we hope that by becoming awakened we will have the power to become detached from our experiences of pain, grief, or heartbreak.

How we treat others should be a choice that reflects our character -- not a reaction to other people's character. So, I choose to be kind because my kindness will define me. Not my parents. Not my relationships. Not my sexuality. Not my work. But my kindness.

When we sit with a large cup of wanting, it takes a lot to feel filled up. It can make it harder to experience gratitude for what we have when it's being measured as less than what we're hoping for.

We are here to love the light out of each other. It's not something we can plan or build, only ready ourselves for. My wife Susan is one who sees the light in my darkness. This is what relationship that endures can do. This reflection explores such grace.

Even scientists are proving clinically what meditators and spiritual teachers have been saying for time immemorial -- meditation improves the quality of one's life and can be a key element to greater physical as well as mental health.

One of the wonders and rewards for being open to life is that we chance, through our authenticity, to experience the essence of all those who ever lived. When we love completely, we chance to feel everyone who ever loved.

Forgiveness (of both self and others) is the most powerful spiritual tool we have, and it is accessible to all of us. Forgiveness is synonymous with freedom, one of the most important conditions for happiness.

All it takes is one good card. One good card has the potential to win over other good cards. And from that one step, that other foot is so much more likely to follow.

Sometimes that voice within, the inner GPS system that is there for all of us, guiding us and showing us how to create our lives (if we were but quiet enough to hear it) gets shut out because of the constant bombardment of stimuli on our phones, computers and everywhere we look.

If you need to de-stress, you could add some cardio, try meditation — or move to Hawaii. No surprise, that's the least stressful place in the U....

We just carve out a few minutes of our day to take long, deep, fluid inhalations and long, deep, fluid exhalations -- taking our bodies out of "fight or flight" mode -- and if we notice thoughts arising to consciousness we simply guide our attention back to our breaths. This is basic meditation.

Declaring to myself that I would keep no calendar, unplug from my laptop and all obligations, I set forth to discover what the morning would bring and follow the call of my heart.

At 93, my father is failing. He's in between worlds, close to both life and death. We've slipped into a time of presence more than conversation. At times, he surfaces like an old whale, offering bits of this world and the next. This poem comes from that precious time.

Over 300 billion known breaths were taken and there were an estimated several trillion heartbeats. Be on the look out and report all acts of wonder to everybody.

Life has its ups and downs, and it's not unusual that we should feel a need to be comforted when we are more aware of the downs. Because of past programming, though, too often our ways of comforting ourselves are less than ideal, especially in terms of our health.

I set my alarm and 20 minutes later, I was a new me. I didn't even have to think about what I was going to do, I just did the first thing that came naturally. Now, GPS for the Soul has become my daily opportunity for me to check in with me.

Several of the world's big thinkers convened Wednesday on a living room-like stage at Madison's Overture Center to talk global climate change, the nat...

What was the moment you realized you needed to de-stress? When we asked readers this question over Twitter, the responses were more serious and alarmi...

Happiness has many entry points. Some are simple, like appreciation, and others, like forgiveness are more complex. Today, let's look at the letter "F" covering fun, focus and forgiveness.