WHY meditate? On one level, meditation is a tool. It can help combat stress, fosters physical health, helps with chronic pain, can make you sleep better, feel happier, be more peaceful, as well as be present.

But on a deeper level, meditation is a doorway into the unknown. It can help us get a sense of the mystery of who we are.

When you start meditating, you will notice how unruly the mind is. I remember being quite shocked by this! I noticed that my mind was all over the place.

Profound thoughts about my past or future jostled with mundane thought clips about what groceries I needed to buy.

Some time afterwards I would come too and notice that I had spend 15 minutes running a painful memory over and over. It was like sitting in a crazy cinema!

So, if you're starting out with meditation, please don't beat yourself up about your wild mind. It is a natural condition. In time you will learn to work kindly with the barrage of thoughts and you will some clarity and peacefulness.

Here are some simple tips on how to start meditating. Maybe those of you who already practise meditation could please add your comments of what has worked for you.

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A psychotherapist, Zen master and an author, Mary Jaksch lists helping people be happy as her passion in life. Through her blog, Mary chronicles her experience of a Zen lifestyle and gives spiritual advice. We bring you select few of Mary's insightful works.

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