How I Found Deep Peace with One Simple Phrase

Many years ago, I realized I had managed to find deep peace during my daily meditation sessions, but that peace was not extending into my day-to-day life. Then, for my book, The Enlightenment Project, I interviewed over 60 spiritual teachers–ranging from Deepak Chopra to the Dalai Lama. Sometimes, one of these teachers would suggest a simple phrase I could focus on while doing the “stuff” of daily life. By thinking of these phrases periodically during my day, I found I could often “tune-in” to deep peace while engaged in activity. These phrases became a way for me to feel the peace of meditation–even while driving, talking, or doing email.

The Phrase That Stays

When interviewing renowned spiritual teachers, I was surprised at how often my interviewees mentioned the value of gratitude in connecting with higher consciousness. I took this information and tucked it away in my mind until a friend of mine, named Fred, returned from India. The moment I saw Fred, I knew something in him had changed. He looked intensely happy and loving. I asked him, “What changed for you in India?” He mentioned that his guru had given him a magical mantra for feeling overwhelming gratitude. Of course, I asked him what this mantra was, but Fred told me I’d have to go to India to get it directly from his guru.

Well, I always like to know cutting-edge methods, so I flew all the way to India to ask this guru about his amazing mantra. After a couple of days of flying, taking rickshaws, and waiting to see the guru, I finally got a chance to…