      A ritual that I perform every day is to close my eyes and take 10 deepbreaths. I attempt to clear my mind of all thoughts and focus on the soundof my breathing. Any thoughts that pass through my consciousness areallowed to drift by. I never fight to keep thoughts from my consciousness;I simply don't focus or expand on these thoughts. I let them drift by likeclouds in the sky on a warm breezy spring day. I picture myself on a beachin the Bahamas, with my feet in the wet sand by the edge of the sea, thesun shining down gently upon me. Blue waters, green palms, and a fewscantily clad native women off in the distance.