Many secular people stay away from meditation because of its association with religion. In the mindfulness group at the Humanist Community at Harvard, we have carefully secularized meditation practices so that one can gain the benefits of meditation without having to participate in unwanted religious rituals.

Rick Heller is the author of the new book, Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy, based on the meditations he's led at the Humanist Community at Harvard over the last six years.