We humans

3 questions that turn a trip – even a day trip! – into a life-changing one 

One of the keys to a life-changing journey is taking the time afterwards to unpack your experiences, and not just your suitcases. Celebrated travel writer Pico Iyer explains how.

Want to be happy? Slow down. | ideas.ted.com
We humans

Want to be happy? Slow down

In this free-wheeling discussion at TED Global in October 2014, Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard talked with journalist and writer Pico Iyer about how to spend time meaningfully.

The Art of Stillness in the Japanese Wilderness. Photo: Iwan Baan
Arts + Design

The art of stillness in the Japanese wilderness

A lyrical meditation on flying halfway across the world to stand still and find peace within.

Why we need a secular sabbath by Pico Iyer. Photo: Eydis Einarsdottir
We humans

Why we need to slow down our lives

As technology accelerates our lives, many of us feel an urgent need to slow down. One seductive solution: A secular sabbath. Pico Iyer makes the case, in this meditative excerpt from his new TED Book, The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere