In this week’s quote from Gandhi, we explore a simple definition of happiness—not dependent on external circumstances— that is rooted in a sense of integrity. Living in alignment with our values allows us to tend our inner garden, providing us with resilience to life’s hardships and the root of a strong practice of nonviolence.

Veronica goes on to share some deep wisdom from one of her teachers: “When you do not live the truth that you have understood, that same truth will become a poison.” So we discover that as integrity can become the foundation for happiness, lack of integrity can eat away at us. The tension between who we really are and who we appear to be in the world can split us apart, moving us farther away from the meaning, connection, significance, loving and being loved that sustain us.