Look around the Internet, or the new age section of any bookstore, and meditation appears to be pretty complicated. There are thousands of books and audio tapes devoted to the subject, dozens upon dozens of different meditation techniques (and quite a few people who will charge you a nice sum to teach them to you). The truth is that learning how to meditate is pretty simple - it's the actual practice of meditation that is difficult. And no book can help you with that.

But why learn meditation at all? What good is it, sitting quietly with your eyes shut once or twice a day? In fact, who wants to sit around with his or her eyes shut anyhow! There are lots of great reasons to meditate. Meditation is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your mind. For one thing, it gives the mind a much-needed rest. Our bodies get rest when we sleep, but our minds don't always have the same luxury, especially if we fall asleep when something's eating away at us. Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling more exhausted than when you went to bed? That's because your mind didn't get enough rest. You may have had a series of disturbing dreams, caused by problems that are bouncing around your subconscious. That can cause a lot of tension. Meditation also helps relieve stress. Medical studies have proven that people who take up the practice of meditation reduce their stress levels. If you want to cultivate patience, tolerance and a sense of joy, meditation can help you with that. If you are searching for enlightenment, meditation is a necessity. If you just want to stop feeling so grumpy and uptight all day, meditation will help you with that, too.

If you've been practicing nearly any style of Hatha Yoga for any length of time, you already know something about meditation. What do you think the Corpse Pose (Shavasana) is? Hopefully you haven't been just laying there, waiting for the teacher to end the class! Properly performed, Shavasana takes you into the realm of meditation. If you practice at home, try a little experiment - after you're done with the poses, finish your Yoga session without Shavasana, then the next time you practice, do practice Shavasana at the end. Unless you've had a really bad day, the practice that includes Shavasana will be far more refreshing.

Next page >> Why Is Meditation So Great Anyhow? >> Page 1, 2, 3

Feature Index