May - June 2026
The Journal of Yoga Science as Holistic Mind/Body/Spirit Medicine Celebrating 30 Years of Service (1996-2026)
americanmeditation.org
A new book exploring the deeper meaning of the Declaration’s most enduring ideals on its 250th anniversary. Coming May 26.
Why They Can Never Be Taken From You
Leonard Perlmutter (Ram
Lev)
with Jenness Cortez Perlmutter
Founders of The American Meditation Institute
By Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev)
As we approach the upcoming celebration of the Declaration of Independence, we feel a natural inclination to reflect—not only on our nation’s history, but on the enduring principles that have guided it.
Among these, few are more familiar than the affirmation of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Yet familiarity does not always bring clarity. These words are often repeated, but less often examined.
In this May– June issue of “Transformation,” we take the opportunity to look more closely. The lead essay, “Rethinking Life, Liberty, and Happiness,” explores these foundational ideals from the perspective of Yoga Science. It suggests that beyond their political and social significance, these principles may point to something far more essential—something that can be understood through direct observation and experience. In addition, this issue includes “The Discipline of Inner Freedom in Uncertain Times,”
an essay that addresses a question many are facing today: how to maintain clarity and steadiness when external conditions appear to be unsettled or threatening.
Together, these reflections are offered not as conclusions, but as invitations—to observe more carefully, to inquire more deeply, and to consider what it means to live with understanding.
At a time when much attention is directed outward, it may be worthwhile to also look within.
In 2026, our nation observes the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—a document that has shaped not only the course of American history, but also the ideals by which countless individuals have sought to live.
At the heart of this Declaration is a simple yet profound statement: that all human beings are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, among them Life, Liberty , and the pursuit of Happiness.
These words are familiar. They have been repeated, celebrated, and defended for generations. Yet familiarity does not always bring understanding. Even now, a question remains:
What do these principles truly mean?
Are Life, Liberty, and Happiness conditions to be secured through circumstance?
Are they rights to be granted or protected by external authority?
Or do they point to something more fundamental—something that must be recognized within?
These questions are not abstract. They arise naturally in times of uncertainty, when external conditions appear unstable and the search for clarity becomes more immediate.
In such times, the human being turns, consciously or unconsciously, toward that which is lasting. The desire to live fully, to be free, and to experience enduring contentment is not new. It is universal. It has guided human inquiry across cultures and centuries.
The newly released book, “LiFe LiBeRTY HaPPiNess,” offers a reconsideration of these ideals through the lens of Yoga Science. It suggests that these cherished principles are not merely political
aspirations, but reflections of a deeper reality—one that exists within every individual.
From this perspective:
Life is not simply biological existence, but the recognition of an underlying continuity that remains unchanged through all conditions.
Liberty is not only freedom from external constraint, but the capacity to think, choose, and act with clarity rather than compulsion.
Happiness is not dependent upon circumstance, but arises from a state of inner balance and understanding.
These are not concepts to be accepted on belief. They are observations to be examined and verified through direct experience.
When viewed in this way, the Declaration of Independence can be appreciated at two levels. At the societal level, it affirms the importance of protecting human dignity and freedom. At a deeper level, it reflects an intuitive recognition of truths that cannot be granted or taken away, because they are inherent in the nature of the Self.
This distinction is essential.
If Life, Liberty, and Happiness are sought only in external conditions, they will always appear uncertain and incomplete. Circumstances change. Conditions fluctuate. What is gained can be lost.
But if these same principles are understood as expressions of our Essential Nature, then the direction of inquiry shifts. The search moves inward—not in withdrawal from life, but in order to understand life more clearly.
This inward understanding does not remove us from the responsibilities of daily life. On the contrary, it allows us to engage more skillfully, with greater clarity and less confusion. It provides a foundation from which action can arise with steadiness rather than reactivity.
At a time when the meaning of freedom is widely discussed, and the pursuit of happiness often misunderstood, it is both appropriate and necessary to reconsider the foundations upon which these ideals rest.
The 250th anniversary of the Declaration offers such an opportunity. It invites not only remembrance, but reflection.
What do we mean by Life?
What do we mean by Liberty? What do we mean by Happiness?
And perhaps more importantly: Have we understood them fully?
The exploration of these questions is not limited to any one
moment in history. It is ongoing. It is personal. And it is available to anyone willing to observe, inquire, and understand.
In this spirit, L i F e L i B e RTY HaPPiNess is offered—not as a conclusion, but as a beginning.
BY LEONARD PERLMUTTER (RAM LEV)
In times of uncertainty, the natural tendency of the human mind is to look outward for stability.
We look to changing circumstances, institutions, and personalities in the hope that they will provide the security, clarity, and direction we seek. Yet history, and our own personal experience,
continually remind us that the outer world is subject to constant and inevitable change.
From the perspective of Yoga Science, this moment invites us to consider a deeper truth: Lasting freedom cannot be secured externally unless it is first established within.
Before we attempt to correct, influence, or respond to the world around us, we must first govern the instrument through which we perceive it—the mind. If the mind is restless, reactive, or clouded by fear, then our perception will be distorted, and our actions—no matter how wellintentioned—will lack clarity and effectiveness.
This is why Yoga Science places such great emphasis on the disciplined training of attention. Attention directs energy.
Where our attention goes, our energy follows. And where our energy flows, our experience— and ultimately our destiny—is shaped.
In uncertain times this principle becomes even more important. The mind is easily drawn toward distraction, agitation, and division. The ego and senses find such conditions attractive, for scattered attention becomes its playground.
But a scattered mind cannot perceive truth clearly. Only a steady mind, guided by discrimination—your Conscience—can distinguish between what is helpful
and what is harmful, between preya (that which is immediately pleasant) and shreya (that which is ultimately beneficial).
Inner freedom begins when we consciously choose to free ourselves from our own mental house of bondage.
This bondage is not imposed from outside. It is created and sustained by unexamined habits of thought, word, and action.
Every habit that diminishes clarity, weakens willpower, or disturbs inner balance becomes a form of limitation.
And yet, every moment also presents an opportunity. The death of each debilitating habit clears the way for a resurrection to higher consciousness.
This is the timeless teaching delivered in both the Passover and Easter stories. Liberation and resurrection are not only historical events—they describe living processes within each of us.
When we choose shreya over preya, when we act with awareness rather than compulsion, when we align with Conscience
rather than ego, we begin to experience a new kind of freedom.
This freedom is not dependent on external conditions. It is stable. It is reliable. It is available here and now.
This inner freedom does not remove us from the world. It prepares us to en g a g e with the world more skillfully. Yoga Science teaches that all life is relationship.
Every thought we think, every word we speak, and every action we take is an expression of relationship—and each carries consequences. No relationship is insignificant.
In times of division and uncertainty, it becomes especially important to recognize that the quality of our relationships reflects the quality of our inner state.
If the mind is disturbed, relationships become reactive. If the mind is clear, relationships become constructive. In every interaction, we are given an opportunity. Will we contribute to confusion—or to clarity? To
division—or to understanding? To harm—or to healing?
The great spiritual traditions teach that each of us is called to become a light. This does not mean withdrawing from life. It means bringing greater awareness, compassion, and skill into every field of action.
To be a light in the world is to think clearly, act responsibly, and respond with understanding. It is to recognize that even in difficult circumstances, we are not powerless.
We always have the ability to choose where we place our attention, how we interpret our experience, and how we respond.
In uncertain times, the most valuable contribution we can make is not to add to the noise, but to cultivate clarity. This requires discipline. It requires practice. It requires a willingness to observe the mind, refine it, and guide it.
Through AMI Meditation©, selfreflection, and the conscious application of Yoga Science principles, we begin to develop one-pointed attention, discrimination, nonattachment, and steady willpower.
These qualities allow us to remain centered even when circumstances challenge us.
The purpose of these teachings is not merely to inform us, but to transform us. Each day offers countless opportunities to practice. Each relationship becomes a field of action. Each challenge becomes an invitation to grow.
When we accept this responsibility, we begin to discover that inner freedom is not something distant or abstract. It’s something we
cultivate, every moment of every day.
In a world of constant change, the discipline of inner freedom becomes essential. By governing the mind, choosing wisely, and honoring the truth that all life is relationship, we can live with greater clarity, creativity, and purpose.
And in doing so, we not only transform our own lives—we contribute to the well-being of all.
Living Purposefully and Dying Gracefully
MONDAYS, 6:30 - 8:30PM ET • JUN 15 - JUL 27 including
OPeNiNg augusT 12 • BY aPPOiNTmeNT
Enriching Every Field of Artistic Expression Through the Time-Tested Science of Creativity
The Jenness Cortez Teaching Museum is a unique educational experience where art and Yoga Science come together to teach creativity, clarity, and conscious living.
Through her paintings and Science of Creativity classes, master artist Jenness Cortez helps you discover how to direct your attention, access inner clarity, and apply the wisdom of your Conscience—so you can think more clearly, act more skillfully, and create more meaningfully in every area of your life.
Whether your field is art, music, writing, leadership, business, innovation, or daily living, the same inner principles apply. Here, art becomes more than something to admire. It becomes a teacher.
At the Cortez Teaching Museum, you will learn how disciplined attention awakens creativity—not only in artistic expression, but in the way you think, choose, and live. Because in truth: Every one of us is an artist. Whether you are a student of Yoga Science, a practicing artist, or simply seeking a reliable way to access your own creativity, you are invited to explore how the principles that guide Jenness’s work can inspire and energize your own life.
Yoga Science & Philosophy–WEEK 1
Learn to expand your creative consciousness
How to use the mind for the best choices
Understanding pain as an agent for healing
Increasing energy, will power & creativity
Antidotes for worry, stress and depression
AMI Meditation®–W EEK 2
Systematic procedure for AMI Meditation®
Diminishing distractions with your Mantra
Learning the one-minute meditation
Building focus and fearlessness
Breathing Techniques–WEEK 3
Breath as Medicine
How breathing irregularities foster dis-ease
Three-part diaphragmatic breath
Derived from his award-winning books: The Heart and Science of Yoga and YOUR CONSCIENCE ® FOUND ATION COURSE – Live on ZOOM & A MI Home Center
Yoga Psychology & Ayurveda–WEEK 4
Coordinate the Four Functions of the Mind to access the power and Inner Wisdom of Your Conscience
Use the power of NOW to build and heal relationships
Ayurvedic Medicine & Nutrition for your health
Easy-Gentle Yoga Exercises–WEEK 5
Yoga stretches to detox the lymph system and benefit your muscles, nerves, joints, glands & internal organs
Physiological benefits of yoga postures
Mind / Body Self-Care Plan–WEEK 6
The healing power of prayer
The practical benefits of contemplation
Creating a therapeutic self-care plan for yourself
Learning to budget your time
Integrating spirituality into daily life
Endorsed by Dean Ornish MD, Bernie Siegel MD, Larry Dossey MD
Ram Lev is an American spiritual teacher, a direct disciple of medical pioneer Swami Rama of the Himalayas, and a living link to the world’s oldest health and wisdom spiritual tradition. A noted educator, philosopher and Yoga Scientist, Ram Lev is the founder of the American Meditation Institute, developer of The Foundation Course curriculum, and originator of National Conscience Month. He is the author of the award-winning books, The Heart and Science of Yoga® and YOUR CONSCIENCE, and the Mind/Body/Spirit Journal, Transformation. A rare and gifted teacher, Ram Lev’s writings and classes are enlivened by his inspiring enthusiasm, vast experience, wisdom, humor and a clear, practical teaching style. Ram Lev has presented courses at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, numerous medical colleges, Kaiser Permanente, the Commonwealth Club of California, the U. S. Military Academy at West Point and The New York Times Yoga Forum with Dean Ornish MD.
• Anyone experiencing stress, uncertainty, anxiety or burnout
• Professionals and caregivers seeking sustainable self-care & mental clarity
• People navigating life transitions: career change, retirement, grief, or new beginnings
• Leaders and changemakers striving to lead with wisdom and purpose
• Students of yoga, meditation, or Ayurveda looking to deepen their understanding
• Physicians, NPs, PAs seeking Continuing Medical Education 18 CME credits
With Ram Lev (Leonard Perlmuttter)
Jun 2 - Jul 7, Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:30pm ET, $795. (6 WKS) Aug 11 - Sep 15, Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:30pm ET, $795. (6 WKS) Sep 27- Nov 1, Sundays 6:30 - 8:30pm ET, $795. (6 WKS)
You are invited to join Jenness Perlmutter & Leonard (Ram Lev)
FREE: Every Sunday 9:30 -11:00am ET GUIDED MEDITATION & SATSANG
AmericanMeditation.org/sunday
LIVE on ZOOM and at the AMI Home Center
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” – Henry David Thoreau
MAY 27: BUDDHA’S BIRTH-DAY STUDY see p. 14
Wednesday, 6:30 -8:30 PM ET Live on ZOOM
JUN 2 - JUL 7: AMI MEDITATION® see p. 12-13
Tues. Nights, 6:30 -8:30 PM ET (6 wks) Live on ZOOM
JUN 15 - JUL 27: SACRED JOURNEY see p. 14
Mon. Nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM ET (6 wks) Live on ZOOM
AUG 10 - SEP 7: GITA/ YOGA PSYCHOLOGY see p. 15
Mon. Nights, 6:30 - 8:30 PM ET (6 wks) Live on ZOOM
American Meditation Institute
Education for Enlightenment® May-June, 2026 • Vol. XXIX No. 4 PO Box 430, Averill Park, NY 12018
©2026 by Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev) and The American Meditation Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, Inc. americanmeditation.org \ Tel. (518) 674-8714 ami@americanmeditation.org
AMI is a tax exempt, non-profit 501(c) 3 educational organization. Donations are fully tax deductible.
LEVEL II: The Compassionate Buddha, as one of the world’s most practical teachers, prescribes the practice of meditation as mind/body medicine. Without esoterica or metaphysics, without appeal to anything magical or superhuman, the Buddha encourages us to experiment with our minds by coordinating its four functions, so we can experience lasting health, happiness and security.
WEDNESDAY, 6:30 - 8:30PM ET, $95. MAY 27 LIVE ON ZOOM & AMI HOME CENTER
Ram Lev (Leonard) and Jenness Perlmutter
The Supreme Reality is beyond name and form, beyond the senses, inexhaustible, without beginning, without end, beyond time, space, and causality–Eternal and Immutable. Those who realize the Supreme within are forever free from the jaws of death.
Get up! Wake up! Seek the guidance of an Illumined teacher and realize the answer To life’s most important questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What happens in death? How should I live now? Katha Upanishad
Level II: To understand the purpose of life, we must try to understand the relationship between life and death. The two are partners––each providing a context for the other. Death is not the end, but merely a pause in an eternal journey. When both birth and death are understood and accepted, we see how our human life fits into the eternal journey of the soul, the fear of death subsides and life can be lived more skillfully and joyfully. Based on the ancient Katha Upanishad, this course reveals how to organize your life in practical, commonsensical ways that lead to expansion and growth. Every AMI student is encouraged to attend!
Required text: Sacred Journey, by Swami Rama
MONDAYS, 6:30 - 8:30PM ET, $150. JUN 15 - JUL 27 including Insight Night (7 WKS) LIVE ON ZOOM & AMI HOME CENTER
How to Practice Meditation-in-Action
Amy Laskowitz (Ananda Mata)
Prerequisite: Foundation Course for Life
Level II: In the AMI Meditation® Foundation Course, you learned that your thoughts are your most valuable asset. The Yoga Science Lab® will help you examine your thoughts and expand your ability to focus your attention. The techniques learned in seated AMI Meditation® are applied in every duty and responsibility throughout the day. This process is called Meditation-in-Action. As you experiment with the Truth reflected by your Conscience, you’ll develop decisionmaking skills that will enhance your confidence in all relationships. As you have already learned, to experience real freedom you must be centered in the present moment, know who you are, and follow your Inner Wisdom. The Yoga Science Lab® can help you achieve that freedom!
SUNDAYS, 6:30PM -8:30 PM ET, $75. (2 WKS)
SEP 13 & 20
LIVE ON ZOOM
Leonard (Ram Lev) and Jenness (Devi)
Level II: In continuous six week installments this course presents the profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita as a handbook on the science of life and the art of living. If you are seeking a manual or guide for the supreme task of living a fulfilling and purposeful life in the world today, this ongoing study will provide you the practical wisdom, tools, meaning, courage and confidence you need. Each week Leonard and Jenness will teach you how to reduce stress and enhance your health and creative abilities, while offering you a fresh, positive perspective on all your personal and business relationships. This course provides the practical blueprint to resolve all of life’s challenges.
MONDAYS, 6:30 - 8:30 PM ET, $150. (6 WKS)
AUG 10 - SEP 7
LIVE ON ZOOM & AMI HOME CENTER
“My appeal to every caregiver would be to love yourself. Express the same compassion to yourself, as you would for those you care for. And look in the mirror and ask yourself: ‘Are you happy?’ ‘Are you thriving?’ And if not, why is that? AMI’s Foundation Course for Life is news to use! It is the antidote to so many of our day-to-day challenges.”
Mark Pettus MD
“Just as food satisfies hunger, your teaching has filled my need to nourish the soul.”
Judy Murgitroyde
“On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this course a 10. On a scale of A to F, I’d give it an A+.
On a scale of bad to good, I would give it a Great!”
Wendy Dodge
“Phenomenal course! Leonard is an excellent teacher and now a friend. This experience was so enlightening in comparison to the usual medical courses which are packed with data, but often not very useful. This experience has actually changed my life!”
Larry Iannarone MD
For More Information See Pages 12 & 13
“When we learn to rely on the faultless wisdom of the Conscience, perception becomes accurate, decisions become wise, and life becomes more joyful, healthy, harmonious and rewarding.”
Ram Lev (Leonard Perlmutter)
OPENINg AUgUST 12 • BY APPOINTMENT
Enriching Every Field of Artistic Expression Through the Time-Tested Science of Creativity
An Artist’s Course for Creative Insight With Jenness Cortez & Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev)
A Six-Week Course for Every Kind of Creator Because every one of us is an Artist!
Rooted in the time-tested principles of Yoga Science, this course reveals how creativity develops through the integration of the ego, senses, unconscious and Conscience. When these forces are understood and harmonized, creative insight can be received, trusted, and skillfully expressed. This new course integrates the proven tools of the American Meditation Institute’s Foundation Course for Life to enable you to transform the energy of your thoughts, words, and actions into clarity, creativity, and steady confidence.
When the mind is aligned with Conscience, our ENERGY becomes steady, our WILLPOWER becomes reliable, and our growing CREATIVITY becomes the gifts we offer to the world. – Jenness Cortez
Why They Can Never Be Taken From You
a Quote from the New Book
by Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev)
a Living Realization
“The Declaration of Independence affirms that Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness are unalienable rights.Yoga Science shows us how to realize them. Through disciplined practice, the mind becomes a transparent instrument, and the truth that was always present becomes unmistakably clear.”
