These guided meditations will give you a way to start, and if you want to pursue meditation further, you can seek out a meditation teacher. You can meditate for any length of time you choose, from a few minutes to a half hour or more. At first, try it for a short time and then gradually increase the duration as you practice more. It's best to practice sitting in a quiet place, and you can review the section called Posture and breath awareness before you start.

What is stress?

Stress comes from thinking that we are not able to deal with what is at hand, whether it's a task, a person or a situation. We feel an urgency, a demand with no easy solution. Typically the mind becomes agitated, spinning thoughts and feelings at a fast pace. The body is stimulated in the flight or fight response, which increases muscular tension and speeds up the rhythm of the heartbeat and the breath.

Stress can easily become a vicious cycle, compounding itself. The techniques offered in this program will help to stop the cycle and alleviate the stress.