The joy of what Buddhists call "nature mind" is not exclusive to yoga and surfing. But what makes yoga and surfing both appealing, and what makes them complement each other so well, is that they are both conducive to the experience of nature mind.

Researchers studied the stress-reducing effects of a resort vacation, compared to the effects of that same vacation with meditation added. The results show that while both are beneficial, a meditation retreat can offer longer-lasting peace than a vacation without yoga and meditation.

“I believe in science,” says the luchador in the film, Nacho Libre (which was filmed in Oaxaca). But I believe in something more too. One thing that strikes me regarding the secular approach to contentment and joy is the seeming lack of attention and research to an alternative route – via meditation, spirituality, or however one would like to describe love. Williams does address this, in a particularly poetic chapter about the power of awe.