If we just all sit criss-cross-applesauce-style and chant “Ommmmm,” the economy will improve, peace will reign, and the world will be a better place! Via Eric Zimmerman at The Hill:

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) says he’s found a cost effective way to address chronic pain, stress, and other illnesses: meditation.

Ryan is urging policymakers to consider adding “mindfulness education”–learning to reduce one’s own stress level–to healthcare reform legislation.

“Every day, I meditate for at least 45 minutes before leaving home in the morning,” Ryan wrote on his website. “I find it makes me a better listener, and my concentration is sharper. I get less distracted when I’m reading. It’s like you see through the clutter of life and can penetrate to what’s really going on.”

At a hearing last week, Ryan asked HHS Secretary Kathleen [Sebelius] to keep in mind the positive effects of mindfulness when re-working the nation’s healthcare system…

…”I think it’s a prevention strategy that I know has the potential of paying huge dividends,” Sebelius said.