In the class, we share a practice of Joanna Macy‘s called Open Sentences.  Participants work in pairs, taking turns completing a sentence read by the facilitator.  One such sentence is “What I really need in my life is………”.   Often people state the basics such as food, clothing, shelter, clean air and water; those are what I think of first.  Others mention their loved ones, their home, their books, etc.  The simple act of stating the answer out loud rather than just thinking it makes it more real, more conscious. For me, it’s a way to realize what I have deep gratitude for. What do you truly NEED in your life?  Give it some thought, then say it out loud.