Benefits of Meditation: How to Start Your Own Practice
Mindfulness meditation has been practiced as part of the
Buddhist philosophy to promote peace and reduce suffering. In
the West, the benefits of meditation focus more on relaxation
techniques and meditation's ability to ease physical pain,
reduce stress, create a sense of well being and, for some
people, further their spiritual development.  Types of
Meditation Beginners may find themselves confused by the variety
of meditation techniques to choose from. If you're new to
meditation, it may help to remember that there is no right or
wrong way to meditate. No matter what philosophy provides the
basis for a meditation technique, the overall objective is the
same: to quiet the mind and silence the inner chatter we carry
on with as we move through our days.  Meditation teaches us to
quiet our minds in several ways:    • Breath awareness   •
Focusing attention on a single thought, image or sound   •
Repetition of a mantra   • Observing thought patterns   • Wal