The ability to meditate successfully is a very unique skill that will help you better weather the storms of life.

The end goal of meditation is to do whatever helps slow your mind down, in order to achieve a peaceful, positive state of mind and body.

With the high stress of life many people find that their mind is constantly racing. They cannot stop from thinking even during time away from work or school, when they'd like to be relaxing. Subsequently, they may also feel associated physical tension in their bodies. In this case, the mind and the body are very closely connected to the stress response.

The physical act of meditating by closing one's eyes and slowing down the speed of internal thoughts - especially worrisome thinking - results in a physiological response that is well documented in the scientific literature.

There is a common misunderstanding that during meditation the mind should never engage in processing thoughts. It is okay in meditation for the mind to move into many different directions, while at the same time attempting to return to a centered, relaxed state of mind.

In meditation, it is difficult, if not impossible, for most people to become devoid of all mental thoughts, so what we want to do is fill the mind with those thoughts that induce positive feelings of peace, relaxation or happiness.

I suggest people simply start off meditation by practicing twice a day for 5 - 10 minutes, and explore what it's like to meditate. The stress reduction and mental peace starts to become a highly desirable state. After all, it's great to let go of the worries of life!