Once the novelty of establishing a meditation practice wears off, we often need to remind ourselves why it is so important to explore the matter of life and death. According to a Buddhist teaching, there are four contemplations that can remind ourselves of the importance of practice: the preciousness of human life, impermanence, the law of cause and effect, and the suffering of the human realm. These four reminders are a touchstone for times when we are caught by boredom and confusion, when we find our old habits calling us back. By connecting with these fundamental truths, we infuse our practice with urgency and reconnect with our fundamental questions. There's no time to waste.