1. Create a quiet environment: phone onto silent, TV/stereo/computer off, low lighting (e.g. main light off, table lamp on).

2. Sit comfortably: cross-legged is best, but any sitting-up position is ok. You can lean back on something or, better still, sit with your back straight.

3. Set an alarm to vibrate-only or to be a very low volume (the idea is for the alarm to be very gentle). Set it for 15 minutes. [If that is too long a time, do 10 minutes or 5 minutes.]

4. Now… Relax. Try to keep your body still until the timer goes off. Relax your shoulders. Smile. Notice your in-breaths and out-breaths. Breathe slowly and deeply down into your abdomen, filling your whole lungs with air. Notice the thoughts flowing through your mind, but just allow them to flow and try to keep your body still. Keep smiling. Now simply wait for the timer to go off to signal the end of the meditation session. And keep smiling.

I find that the more your body is still, the more your mind can become still and calm. I recommend doing this meditation daily, at whatever time you can fit it in. Soon after waking up; just after getting home from work or just before bed can be good times for it. If you do it daily, you should start to notice some benefits in your daily life after approximately two weeks.

One bonus thing that can help is to repeat a positive phrase in your mind with each breath. Such positive phrases could be like “Thank you God”, “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better”, “Peace and love”, “I am safe”, “I am healthy” or “I am peaceful”, that kind of thing.

There are many different ways to meditate and I recommend trying various methods. The instructions above are a brief summary of how I like to meditate, but, of course, everyone is different and unique.

Enjoy!