How to Master Meditation: Advice from Buddhist Monk Matthieu Ricard

Matthieu Ricard is often called the happiest man in the world. At 26, he left France for India to study Buddhism. Today, at 74, he is a close friend of the Dalai Lama and a renowned expert in Buddhist philosophy.

According to Ricard, just 20 minutes a day is enough to train your mind toward greater happiness through meditation.

This was confirmed by a scientific study led by neuroscientist Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin (USA), which found that even short-term meditation improves attention, compassion, and emotional balance.

“We spent 12 years studying how long- and short-term meditation affects focus, empathy, and emotional harmony. The strongest results came from long-term meditators,” Davidson explained.

However, benefits were also seen in people who meditated just 20 minutes a day for three weeks.

Ricard believes meditation is the best workout for the mind:

“With regular mental training, we can reach any level of happiness we want. Like running — if I train, I can run a marathon. Maybe I won’t be an Olympic champion, but the difference between training and not training is clear.”

Matthieu Ricard’s Tips for Practicing Meditation:

• Let your mind act like a mirror. Thoughts appear and disappear like passing reflections. Don’t cling to any of them.

• Learn to calm your mind. You can’t stop thoughts entirely, but you can guide them gently through breathing.

• Focus on your breath and physical sensations — this is mindfulness in action.

• With mindfulness, you begin to cultivate positive emotions and mental clarity.

• Practice is key. A consistent 20-minute session is more effective than occasional 2-minute ones.

• Use meditation to face and release negative emotions. Being aware of negativity helps you manage it better.

• When you feel too busy to meditate, remind yourself of its benefits: calm, clarity, emotional strength. If it makes you feel better, it’s worth those 20 minutes.