I have heard it said that prayer is asking for help and meditation is receiving the answer. If thats the case, we are much better askers than listeners. Everybody has prayed, but few listen. That, however, is beginning to change. Meditation-the process of stilling the mind-has busted out of the closet its been hiding in for the last thirty years.
As far as I can tell, its rise in popularity is due to three things:

1. Information. Scientific studies “proving” the benefits of meditation with respect to our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing are making their way into mainstream media. Transcendental Meditation, for instance, is the most widely practiced and scientifically studied form of meditation with over 600 studies to date.

2. Desperation. Ive always thought desperation was highly underrated. It has been a driving force for drastic change in my life on more than one occasion. When were desperate, we are willing to try just about anything to surmount our problems-whether it be stress, illness, or general life malaise.

3. Increased awareness. There is a rise in the collective unconscious moving toward all things spiritual. In other words, meditation is trendy. We can only hope its a trend that sticks. After all, it was in vogue in the 60s and 70s but definitely kooky through the 80s and 90s.

We see and hear about meditation everywhere now, not just in spiritual circles. Commercials are jumping on the bandwagon-using meditation to convince us to buy stuff we dont need. Theres so much wrong with that, I dont even know where to begin. I recently saw a commercial for yogurt that featured a woman sitting in the lotus position immersed in meditation. Wow, you mean if I spend money on eating dairy Ill become enlightened? Oh, dont get me started….

Some medical doctors now prescribe meditation for their patients, and Fortune 500 companies offer meditation respite programs for their employees, even professional sports teams are participating in various techniques. These corporations and athletes may not be looking for peace as much as to cure ailments, produce happier employees, make larger profits or get wins, but whatever the case, they have learned what the wisest among us have known for centuries-meditation makes us better.

When I was initiated into the Transcendental Meditation program, meditation was not commonplace. I learned the technique, but I wasnt quite sure why I was doing it. I was only seven. I did know two things. 1. It somehow felt meaningful and 2. My family were the only meditators on the block-maybe even the whole city. Meditation embarrassed me. I told my friends it was just about “relaxing.”

Meditation is about relaxing, but it is much more than that. In quietness, we reconnect with our Source. Call that God, truth, love, universal consciousness, or your higher self. It doesnt matter. But in those moments something magical happens. We transform.

Quieting the mind redirects our worldly focus within. Through this process, we reach deep levels of heightened awareness. The attainment of this awareness is very important because it reminds us of what is true. Truth is not found in the world. Truth is within. The world gives us a false identity; we look within when we want to know what is real.

In those moments we break free from the onerous chains of false ideas imposed upon us by ourselves, others, and society-even television commercials. The more we are reminded of that truth, the more freely we demonstrate it in the world. We become different; as a result, our life becomes different.

David Lynch is a good example. You know, the enigmatic filmmaker of Twin Peaks fame and movies like Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Hes different, for sure. And his creativity is beyond. Mr. Lynch has been practicing Transcendental Meditation for over thirty years. We get an insightful glimpse into his world through his short and immensely enjoyable book Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity. As he says, meditation is a key to life, peace, and creativity.

I dont believe we can achieve anything truly innovative, interesting, creative, worthwhile or meaningful without first going within. In stillness, our mind expands. We tap in to a well of infinite possibilities. Everything is realigned, giving us a proper perspective. When we come back to this world, we cant help but make better choices because we are in our right mind. And by the way, meditation as I speak of it here is only one way to accomplish that.

Although we access what I like to think of as our natural state in meditation, it doesnt come easily. First, you have to want it, and not many do. Second, you must place the quest for truth above all else, and only a few are willing. Third, it takes practice, which nobody has time for.

Stilling your mind feels counter-intuitive. We are taught to go out and make it happen. Take the bull by its horns. Be the fastest, the quickest. Get up and get going. The world doesnt teach us to stop and meditate-unless theyre trying to sell us something. (Insert nasty dairy product commercial.) This world is a world of ego, and the egos edict is Seek and do not find. Its the opposite of truths motto: Go within and find.

If you are looking to quiet your mind, here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years. By the way, these tips are based on a mantra (word) style meditation, which I find to be the easiest.

Pick a time when you will not be disturbed and turn off the phone.

Find a comfortable place to sit. Always sit up. Otherwise, you will fall asleep.

Take a few deep breaths and with each exhale sink deeper down into relaxation.

After a minute or so, introduce a mantra or word such as “peace” “love” or the universal mantra “om.” (“Amen” is actually a mantra as well.)

Repeat the mantra in a friendly, relaxed way. You can expect other thoughts to interfere, thats just what your ego and your conscious mind does. Dont fight them, dont favor them, dont try to ignore them, dont hope they go away, dont get frustrated, dont judge yourself, just gently bring your mind back to repeating your chosen mantra-word.

When you get antsy-pants and want to open your eyes, hang on and meditate for another minute or two. I find thats when I go the deepest.

When youre ready to stop, gently bring yourself back into the room.

Your smallest attempts will change you. Every effort is meaningful. Try at first to meditate for just five minutes a day. A Course in Miracles tells us that five minutes of a stilled mind will save you thousands of years. Begin there. Then extend that practice to as much as twenty minutes.

I think its better to be consistent for a shorter amount of time-five minutes every day-rather than longer durations less frequently, like twenty minutes twice a week.

Then forget about it until the next meditation. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder, along with Guru Dev, of Transcendental Meditation, says meditating is like taking a bath. When you take a shower in the morning you dont keep thinking about the shower throughout the day. You have done it, youre clean, now you are free to move forward and focus on other things.

Stilling your mind can be frustrating at first. The ego will constantly interfere, proclaiming your efforts a waste of time. The ego thrives on chaos. When you make any attempt to loosen its stranglehold, it will offer all kinds of distractions. Taking out the trash becomes all-important. Do not be discouraged. Starting anything new is difficult at first. Quieting the mind is no different. Its like building a muscle that has atrophied.

With time, you will see and feel the results. With consistency, meditation moves from being a chore to a gift you give yourself.

The Quiet Mind written by Cynthia Morgan