This week, we honor Andy Puddicombe as our Architect of Change of the Week. Andy is the visionary leader and voice behind Headspace, an app that is bringing guided meditations and mindfulness training to the masses. He is a man who is helping millions of people around the world achieve a clearer, calmer mind.

Maria sat down with Andy on Thursday, January 26, for an Architects of Change conversation at the headquarters of Headspace. The two talked about Andy’s journey from Buddist monk to entrepreneur and how he thinks meditation and mindfulness can help us create a more conscious, caring and compassionate society.

Andy and the folks at Headspace have a mission to improve the health and happiness of the world.

1. Why We Need Meditation Now:  “I think we feel such a sense of busy in our lives and in our minds,” Andy said. “So having a tool to unplug and become more aware of what is going on in the mind, I think it has huge implications. Not just for our own happiness, but for the happiness of those around us in our lives as well.”

2. What Andy Says We Can Do to Calm Down and Get Focused: 1) Meditate and be more mindful in life. 2) Reflect daily on how precious life is. 3) Know that everything is changing all of the time. 4) Think about cause and effect. Examine bad habits or mistakes and change the behavior. 5) Bring a greater sense of acceptance to life. Know that it’s not easy, but don’t resist it. Take away the layer of tension in the mind.

3. How Meditation Can Help Move Humanity Forward: “I think it always comes back to awareness and compassion. The more aware we become in our lives, hopefully, the more compassionate we become in our lives. Not only do we become happier as individuals, but also for the people around us.”