People turn to meditation for a variety of reasons. Many are drawn to it because they want to learn to relax and eliminate unnecessary stress and tension in their lives.

The effect of meditation can be like taking a holiday, when you return, you are refreshed and re-acquainted with yourself and you have a new perspective on your life and problems. But unlike expensive holidays, meditation costs nothing and needs only a few minutes of your time every day.

Think of the stream of thoughts that endlessly flows through your head all the time you are awake. When you are alone, and your mind is not focused on any particular activity or task, these thoughts will tend to dart in all directions, more or less randomly.

The truth is, many of these thoughts will be unconstructive or anxious; they will be tinged with various emotional responses, as if someone had emptied bottles of dye into the stream of your consciousness; they will probably keep you tense or even make you stressed.

Meditation puts us closer in touch with our minds as well as our bodies and helps us to understand our unconscious motives and desires - it enables us to identify negative thoughts and emotions and to work through and eliminate those feelings that are unhelpful to us. Once we discover the unconscious forces operating in our inner lives, we can make changes for the better.

The practical and physical benefits of meditation are well recognized. Correct breathing, good posture and deep relaxation encourage the body to function more efficiently and can help relieve problems such as insomnia, high blood pressure and low energy levels.

Meditate in a spirit of open-mindedness and you will find that you have a clearer understanding of how your body works and who you are. You will probably start to feel more relaxed, and be able to concentrate better. You may even see your problems in a clearer perspective.

In connecting with the reality at the deeper levels of your mind, you will burn off the haze of illusion. You will see what it is to be human, and therefore come to appreciate other people more. You will see the connectedness of all life.

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