Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons took a seat on The Couch last week to discuss his new book, Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple. During his interview, Simmons spoke about the power of meditation and how meditating for just 20 minutes each morning can bring about happiness and better mental and physical health. It’s easy to do, Simmons said, “just sit down, repeat the mantra, and don’t move until the alarm goes off.” Although it may be hard at first, the mind will settle, Simmons said.

His self-proclaimed easy-to-read book also covers mindful eating, compassion, and more. During the interview, Simmons talks about his daughters continued dedication to clearing her mind through meditation, how meditation transcends religious boundaries — it is, after all, good for everyone — and about the state of mindfulness and meditation in the world of Hip-Hop, an industry that sometimes looks at meditation and other forms of self-betterment as too soft.

Regardless of age, race, and religion, meditation has shown vast health benefits. As time passes in a meditative state, thoughts begin to be seen from more of an outsider’s perspective, Simmons says, allowing us to see “that they don’t have much importance” in the bigger picture of being happy in life. Studies have linked meditation to lower levels of anxiety and depression, less pain among arthritis and asthma patients, and reducing the urge to smoke, among many other benefits.