| As the many benefits of meditation become | | | | had studied meditation in India and he was a great |
| known, more and more people are trying to find | | | | help to me as well. |
| a meditation guide. The National Institute of | | | | It doesn't matter if your meditation guide is a |
| Health's study on complementary and alternative | | | | friend or a stranger as long as he or she is |
| medicine, and mind-body techniques, has shown | | | | experienced, non-judgmental, and willing to help |
| that meditation is one safe way that a person | | | | you learn how to meditate with your highest and |
| can relax, heal, and find peace of mind in a | | | | best interest as the goal. Speaking of your highest |
| stressful world. Here in Studio City, California, | | | | and best interest, that introduces the most |
| where I am a meditation guide, many of the | | | | important question a meditation guide can ask |
| people who attend yoga studios like Angel City | | | | you. What is your goal? |
| Yoga, where I teach meditation groups, are | | | | Some people say, almost apologetically, "I only |
| enhancing their yoga with meditation. Both Yoga | | | | want to relax." That is fine if that is what you |
| and meditation are considered complementary to | | | | want and your reason for meditation. There is |
| each other. | | | | nothing wrong with meditating to relax. That deep |
| If you want to learn how to meditate, it is not | | | | relaxation that you feel during meditation is one of |
| absolutely necessary to find a meditation guide. | | | | the benefits and helps to restore your body and |
| There are books, DVDs, and CDS on the subject | | | | allow it to heal and function properly. While |
| of meditation. But for some people, having a | | | | meditation is often thought of as a spiritual or |
| teacher shortens the learning process, and since | | | | religious act, it doesn't have to be. Once again, it |
| the idea is to relax and enjoy the meditation | | | | depends upon what the person who is meditating |
| experience, anything that makes it even more | | | | wants and how he or she chooses to use the |
| peaceful and less stressful is a plus. It depends | | | | experience. |
| upon the individual. Some people like the idea of | | | | The best way to find a meditation guide is to find |
| learning on their own and others like some help | | | | one who will allow you to pursue whatever goals |
| along the way. | | | | you may have, from relaxation to spiritual |
| Since I am a meditation guide, I am naturally | | | | growth, to other personal self management and |
| biased in favor of having a guide. My own | | | | improvement goals. As I often say, meditation |
| experience with meditation started in 1978 with | | | | classes should be student-centered, because the |
| Siddha Yoga. That was how many people were | | | | classes are for the students, not the personal |
| introduced to meditation. My guru was my | | | | agenda of the meditation guide. |
| meditation guide, though I also had a friend who | | | | |