People often cry around me. It’s a good thing. — Recently I realized that all throughout my life, people have been crying in my presence. Not just close family and friends, but people I barely know. Strangers seated next to me on long flights. Tough guys who normally shove emotions down. …

And how to tell a true healer from a drug dealer — In the last decade, Google searches for “ayahuasca” have quadrupled. And it’s no surprise since ancient plant medicine has found its way into modern culture. Jim Carrey has tried it. So have many other celebrities and creative types. Ayahuasca ceremonies have starred in movies like Wanderlust and While We’re Young. …

Maybe you were meant to meet but not meant to be — Last summer my good friend set me up with a guy. As I got to know him, the crazy coincidences kept stacking up. Manhattan has 214 numbered streets. We had lived on the same exact one for years, two blocks apart. We took classes at the same yoga studio. …

For five years I chased happiness around the world. The answer surprised me. Here is the plot of most movies and books involving travel: Person’s life sucks. Person takes a long trip to somewhere exotic. Person’s life improves greatly. …

My boyfriend bought a hippie hostel in Mexico, and now it’s home — A day in the life Our alarm goes off at 7 AM. The sun has just peaked over the mountains. We put on comfy pants, grab some blankets and head to the outdoor terrace for group meditation. I play a daily game of Whack-a-Mole with my chatty mind, trying to vanquish thoughts the moment they…

The ancient Greeks worshipped a memorable roster of deities. Apollo, god of the sun. Dionysus, god of wine. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. Tales of these immortal beings helped demystify natural phenomena like why the sun rises or how we fall in love. A few millennia later, we have…

Surprisingly simple ways to ease your travels, from a full-time nomad — 1. Boil eggs in a kettle Whether you’re staying in a budget hotel or a fancy resort, there is usually a kettle in the room, because caffeine is a universal language. Need a quick breakfast or a pre-workout energy boost? I’ve successfully used this trick dozens of times (admittedly never pre-workout). Get some eggs from a…

It’s not all snoring and sex I travel about six months a year. Sometimes I stay in dorms to be more social and save a few Mexican pesos, Sri Lankan rupees or, on this particular day, Portuguese euros (like regular euros, but now you know where I am.) Hostels have…

Scuba diving is a surprisingly foolproof form of meditation — By now we have all heard about the benefits of this super ancient, suddenly trendy activity called meditating. Most of us have tried it to see what the fuss was about. Okay, it does kind of work. But it also feels like work. So we don’t do it with any…