Meditation made easy

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health, most types of meditation have four elements in common:

1. A quiet location. Meditation is usually practiced in a quiet place with as few distractions as possible.
2. A specific, comfortable posture. Depending on the type being practiced, meditation can be done while sitting, lying down, standing, walking, or in other positions.
3. A focus of attention. Focusing one's attention is usually a part of meditation.
4. An open attitude. Having an open attitude during meditation means letting distractions come and go naturally without judging them.

A simple guide to meditation:

• Don't eat too heavily or too lightly before meditating.
• Do a few simple stretching exercises to make the body comfortable.
• Sit in a comfortable position in a quiet place.
• Relax the body by doing a few deep breathing exercises. Feel yourself relaxing.
• Tweak the body to make sure you're comfortable and can sit still.
• Think of a calming word or phrase. If your thoughts keep moving, pull your mind back to the phrase.