Eastern cultures have developed the science of consciousness to a high degree; Western cultures have developed the science of the natural world, including the human body, to a high degree. Each culture needs what the other has to offer. In the West, having produced abundant material comforts, we should be freed to turn our attention inward, refining consciousness, deepening our awareness. But we are so enthralled by our cleverness, so invested in our technology, so obsessed with money and power, that we continue to ignore our spiritual development. Instead of being liberated from material necessity by our inventions, we have been enslaved by them. We lead hectic, unhealthy, scattered lives. We eat too much, travel too much, buy too much, take in too many trivial sensations. By slowing down, restraining our appetites, and focusing our attention, we can gain a sense of wholeness, and learn to savor every moment. Such restraint will bring spiritual as well as ecological benefits, and it will make possible a more just distribution of the world’s goods.