Most of us lead busy, fast-paced lives. We have too much to do and too little time, and may be dealing with career pressures, family difficulties, or financial problems on top of everything else. Doctors have known for some time that there is a direct link between stress and a variety of health problems including headaches, stomach problems, heart problems, skin conditions, and high blood pressure, as well as depression and anxiety. While we can't eliminate all stress from our lives, we can take steps to reduce its effects, and meditation is a wonderful way for you to calm down and regain your balance.

Meditation has been used for centuries as a way for people to reflect, relax and connect with their inner selves, but it is not some mysterious ancient art that requires years of study. At some time in your life, you have probably experienced a meditative state, a feeling of peace and serenity, simply by walking through the woods, or enjoying a beautiful piece of music. With just a little practice, you can achieve that peaceful state whenever you wish, and feel refreshed and ready to take on life's challenges.

Try to Meditate Daily
Pick a time that works for you. If you have children, wait until they are in school or napping. Many people meditate in the morning as a relaxing way to start the day, while others like to meditate before bed. The time of day is not important, nor is the amount of time you spend meditating. Twenty to thirty minutes is good, but even if you can only spare 5 or 10 minutes you will still benefit from it.

Meditation Basics
Choose a quiet place with few distractions. If you like, you can light incense or a scented candle, but it isn't necessary. Some people find it helpful to listen to relaxing music or nature sounds while meditating; others prefer complete silence. You can sit cross-legged on the floor, or sit in a chair with your back supported. The important thing is that you are comfortable. Place one hand on each thigh, or cup your right hand under your left in your lap. You do not have to stay still to meditate! It's ok to move or scratch an itch! Don't feel that you have to shut out the world completely to get the benefits of meditation. If the phone rings, or there is some other brief interruption, just take care of it, then go back to meditating.


Breathing
Keep your spine straight, but not stiff, as this allows you to breathe deeply. Breathing deeply helps you to relax and concentrate because more oxygen is getting into the bloodstream. And deep breathing actually slows your heart rate. When you have found a comfortable position, begin focusing on breathing deeply. Follow each breath as it enters your nose, goes down into your lungs, and then out your nose again. Feel it on your upper lip as you exhale. Breathe in to the count of 4, and exhale to the count of 4. Feel the muscles in your body beginning to relax.

Don't be concerned if you find it difficult to relax in the beginning. Trying too hard to relax can be stressful in itself! You may find yourself thinking about work, or all the things you need to take care of that day. If so, just acknowledge the thoughts that come into your head, but then let them go and focus again on your breathing. You may also want to start with shorter periods of meditation and work up to longer sessions.

Visualize
Visualization is a great tool to help you relax. Imagine yourself in a place that you find peaceful, for example, the beach. Think about the sounds you would hear there: the cries of the seagulls, and the sound of the waves on the shore. Imagine how the sun feels on your skin, and the smell of the salt air. You might choose to visualize being in the woods, or in the mountains. Whatever you choose, imagine every detail as if you are actually there.

Meditation is only one of the ways to reduce the stress in our lives. Eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep and exercise are also very important. Take a look at your lifestyle and decide whether you need to make other changes, but try meditation, too. It is a great way to relax and reduce the negative effects of stress, and you will feel the difference immediately.

By: Louann Vertrees
Louann Vertrees is an entrepreneur and freelance proofreader and editor. She has also worked as an English teacher and counselor, and holds a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Among her many interests are Eastern philosophy and holistic health care and disease prevention. Visit her website at http://azproofreader.com

Sixty hour work weeks, deadlines, and difficult customers can all cause us to become strained and stressed. Stress can increase blood pressure, raise cholesterol, and in severe cases cause ulcers and other intestinal problems.

One way to avoid these potential problems is to find ways to reduce stress while at work. If your employer provides you with an on site work out area and equipment then a thirty minute work out, perhaps at lunch would be one way to reduce stress and improve your overall health. For those that do not have access to such facilities, here are some suggestions.

Controlled Breathing Meditation

A simple meditation technique that can be learned quickly and used almost anywhere is the controlled breathing meditation. Follow these steps:

Find a quiet and comfortable place where you can meditate. Make sure that you will not be disturbed. This technique can be performed either sitting down or lying down.

Get comfortable. Loosen any tight clothing and do not to cross your arms or legs as this may cause you to move during the exercise. It's ok to move, but less is better.

Once in a comfortable position, take a deep breath, inhaling slowly but steadily from the bottom of your lungs. Hold the breath in for the count of two and then release it. Repeat this deep breathing two more time.

Now breathe normally and start to shift your attention to your breath. Notice that your breathing is deeper and steady. Pay attention to your body as it relaxes. Imagine that with every "in" breath; you pull in fresh energy and that with every "out" breath; you release your stress.

Don't worry about doing it right or how you should be feeling. Every time you practice this meditation technique, it may be different. Go with the flow of the experience. Practice makes perfect.

Music Meditation

When meditating one of the simplest ways to control your breathing and relax your mind is to listen to music. At work you will probably want to utilize a personal music device like a mp3 player or PDA with head phones.

For optimum health and to release the most alpha waves our pulse rate whilst resting should be between 60 and 110 beats per minute.Listening to something with a slower beat or a similar beat to our desired resting rate will effectively bring your body and mind to relax and imitate the desired rate quicker than if simply sitting in a quietened room.If used correctly, music can enhance the experience and also quicken the effects of meditation.

Some people do prefer to practice in a silent room without distractions but there are others who prefer to meditate with music.The more you practice how to meditate, the more you will be able to deal with things that would have bothered you in the past. This simple meditation exercise has allowed me to reduce stress and aggression from my life.

Guided Meditation

Guided meditation involves music and someone either in a classroom environment or via a recording coaching you on your meditative journey. There are many recordings available that will guide you on a meditation. Utilizing your personal dvd player and a quiet area, an effective stress relieving and relaxing meditation can be achieved.

Although you may not think of work as conducive to meditation remember this. The more relaxed and the less stress you feel, the healthier and happier you will be at work. Healthier and happier employees are more productive, absent less, and cost medical insurance program less.

Rod is an online researcher and marketing professional. His blog Relaxation Techniques 101 is devoted to the art of relaxation and meditation.

By: Rod Berglund
http://relaxationtechnieques101.blogspot.co

Submitted by:
Josh Truegood
International Issues from Knowledge Is Power

I was told if I learned how to meditate – I would reap all kinds of wonderful benefits! I would feel more centered – I would be more clear – I would have less stress -- I would have more focus...

OK I thought – let’s do it! So to the bookstore I went... Wow lots of books on meditation!

I ended up buying several of them and started to read. Some of this information sounded like it was for the gurus up on the mountain tops!

They were talking about how to position my body, how to position my eyes… Where my hands should be…Some said I should say a mantra – others said I should alternate breathing from each nostril…

This did not sound like it was going to be easy! I was not at all comfortable with these body positions. Now – I am aware some people like this and do these positions easily… but for me – I felt like I was twisting into a pretzel!

Remembering mantras and which nostril I was suppose to breathe with next – making sure my feet were on the floor and my back rigid and all the while I had a gazillion thoughts running around in my head.

None of this was relaxing to me – My head was even more full of thoughts – trying to remember what I was and wasn’t supposed to do. How was I ever going to find this meditative state of quieting the mind? I was ready to give up on meditation!

Then 2 things happened for me – I bought a tape program on meditating – I don’t even remember that name of it – but it said I should listen to this tape and I would reach a meditative state. It didn’t tell me how to sit or how to breathe – it just told me to get comfortable and listen.

At about the same time I read an article by Deepak Chopra. He was talking about meditation and he said that all of us will get thoughts that come into our heads while we meditate. Then he said – in between those thoughts are gaps – they are there whether we realize them or not – and those gaps are meditation. I liked what Deepak said – the message to me was that the gaps, the meditative state was/is there even if I was not aware of it. Then I popped in that tape I bought – and for the first time I actually had some relief – it only lasted a few minutes – but as Deepak said – it was there!

That is when I decided I did not need someone else’s techniques – I did not need to sit in a special position. What I needed to do was find what worked best for me… I wanted something simple and flexible. It’s now years later and I meditate on a fairly regular basis. When I say fairly regular – what I mean is I do not have a stringent schedule of meditation. Most mornings I do meditate but there are those days that I don’t. It isn’t a big deal.

I don’t have that tape anymore – but I do usually listen to a cd with soft music or nature sounds – I always sit in my comfortable reclining chair – and I do direct my attention to my breathing. So when I start having a thought – I gently redirect myself back to my breathing.

This simple way to meditate has brought me many benefits. I am calmer now – I do not have as many thoughts at one time running through my head – it is easier for me to quiet all of my thoughts. I feel that meditating has truly given me balance and the ability of focus. I am much more in tune with my own inner guidance. I feel clear and calm and balanced.

While I was very skeptical at first – after I realized I could find my own form of meditation – this whole process became easy and enjoyable.

If you want to learn how to meditate – I would highly recommend getting some information from others and trying some techniques that you learn. Then you can make a decision of what works for you – what feels comfortable for you.

When you find your own personal meditation practice – your rewards will be great as you tap into your own inner voice.

By: Ellie Walsh
Meditation is one of the Secrets of utilizing the Law of Attraction. Learn how to Deliberately Create Your Life - Visit Living the Law of Attraction ~~ http://LivingTheLawOfAttraction.com

Work is piling up. Your boss is on your back. Your co-worker is whistling 'Dixie,' and an unhappy client just sent you a nasty e-mail. You're feeling short tempered, anxious, and tense - and you're getting caught in a downward spiral of stress. At times, it becomes unbearable and the pressure has you feeling like you're going to explode!

Is it possible to de-stress in the workplace?

Alleviate tension, calm your mind and make your life easier through meditation. Shirley Cosson, from Seven Minute Meditation, believes, "Meditation will help you relax and rejuvenate, increase your energy, clear your thinking and improve your emotional stability. All you need is a strong desire to improve your life and a willingness to practice simple meditation."

Here's how you can take a few moments to meditate while you're at the office, or anytime you're feeling stressed:

Find a place to sit comfortably. Let your body relax. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, say to yourself, "I am calm, serene and relaxed." Repeat this mantra a few times. Let the chatter in your mind gradually fade away, and feel yourself entering a relaxed state. Let each body part release any tension; relax your toes, ankles, knees, hips, stomach, elbows, shoulders, chest, throat, wrists, finger tips, lips, eyes. Enjoy the feeling for a few minutes.

Thank yourself for taking a break and slowly return to being alert to your environment.

When you meditate, your brain waves move to a calmer, happier place.

The personal advantages of meditation are endless. Inner peace, mental calmness and relaxation all happen through meditation. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with.

You're "calm, serene and relaxed."

Inner Peace.

By: Anna Goldstein
http://selfinthecity.com/sc/home.aspx is an online lifestyle magazine to live a hip, healthy and balanced life. Get all the tips you need to "Live Joyously." Sign up for your free weekly quick tips e-mail.

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There is an old saying, "laughter is the best medicine". Why not treat yourself to some laughter? Visit our jokes index and relax with some jokes, humor and humerous anecdotes.

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