by Lesley Mason

Created on: March 18, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2008

Learning meditation is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. It requires no special equipment; it can be done anywhere at any time and by absolutely anyone: no matter your age, spiritual beliefs or physical fitness.

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

It is the art of being relaxed but focussed. Despite its Eastern roots, it is not a specifically religious or spiritual practice.

You do not need to chant Om or contemplate the Buddha. You can focus on an aspect of your own faith or on some everyday object. The focus is merely a point to fix the agitated mind upon. When your thoughts wander, you need a point to bring them back to.

You do not need to sit in the lotus position favoured by practitioners of yogic meditation.

The ability to meditate at will wherever you happen to be comes with practice. For the beginner, it is better to find a specific time & place to meditate - and to commit to it.

To begin your meditation practice, you need
* Time: a minimum of 20 minutes
* A quiet space
* An object of focus: a real object such as a candle flame or a stone or a flower; an idea such as a mantra or the simple process of breathing

You can sit or lie down, but be sure that you are comfortable and loose:
* Westerners often find the eastern cross-legged position uncomfortable and if sitting on the floor a meditation cushion will raise the body slightly, easing the blood flow through the legs.
* If you sit in a chair (yes that is allowed!) - keep your back straight - supported if necessary - your limbs uncrossed
* If you lie, use a low cushion to support your head

Place your full attention on the chosen object and let everything else go. As the mind wanders, gently bring it back.

Never force anything. Never criticise yourself for wandering. Let whatever thoughts enter your mind go, and come back to the focus.

It's as simple as that.

GUIDED MEDITATION

Because we're not naturally attuned to sitting still and just being', it's often helpful for beginners to take part in a guided meditation, in which a speaker will lead your thoughts.

Input meditation' and your home town into your search engine to find group sessions near you. These may be faith based, Christian as well as Buddhist or Brahman, or faith-free for those seeking the mental & physical well-being without a spiritual dimension.

If you prefer solitude: search for "meditation tapes" to find audio tapes or CDs - my favourites are those from Ram Dass (see http://ramdasstapes.org/audiobook/index.htm) and Mitakuye Oyasin, a series of Native

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