In TEA: The Recipe For Stress-Free Living, Ratanjit Sondhe, an entrepreneur, polymer technologist and educator on spirituality, presents a fable in which a wise monk from Kathmandu meets with some stressed-out young North Americans over tea to tell them that the answer to their plight lies in the three letters of the drink they are sharing:

T is for truth: You must move beyond your perceived sense of reality -- which has been tainted by fear, greed, insecurities and ego -- to understand the real truth, that we are all an integral part of One Universe. That will overpower your self-serving bad habits and help lead you toward peace with yourself and others.

E is for erroneous expectations: Our lives are filled with self-serving expectations that lead to frustrations when they can't be met. Instead of focusing on the future, we must focus on the present, which will encourage creativity, joy and positive energy.

A is for acceptance: We must stop being upset at the unexpected but learn to go with the flow, believing everything will turn out for the better.

The monk adds that the tea must be brewed with uncontaminated water that consists of gratefulness for every living moment, and in a cup of compassion that is with us at all times. Add to that unconditional love, and you have his recipe for more blissful living.