Meditation is the perfect antidote to the stresses and strains of 21^st century living, says meditation expert Mary Pearson

Working as a teacher in a comprehensive school for many years, Mary Pearson faced challenging and stressful situations on a daily basis. When she learned to meditate, she found it helped her to remain calm and centred in any situation and she was able to cope with whatever life threw at her. She became a meditation teacher and has now been teaching classes for over 15 years.

Mary Pearson's next 'Introduction to Meditation' course at the Isbourne starts on Monday 21st September. Here she explains the benefits of a regular meditation practice and shares tips for meditating in the busy modern world.

Learning to meditate is a skill you can acquire easily and then quickly reap the benefits.

There are many myths about meditation - that it can take years to learn, that you have to sit in the 'lotus position', and that it's some weird hippy practice that has nothing to do with modern life. Well none of this is true!

I learnt to meditate in a weekend and then began to practise every day. It is the daily practice that brings the benefits. As with anything worth learning the rewards come gradually. You didn't learn to drive and then not get a car to use your new skill did you? Well it39;s the same with meditation. Once you have the tools then you can use them to bring peace and calm in an ever increasingly frantic world.

In the frantic world that is 21st century living we face many different challenges and stresses on a daily basis. Meditation can really help you cope so much better with anything life throws at you. I know about stressful jobs - I was a teacher in a comprehensive school for many years. Learning to meditate helped me to remain calm and centred in any situation. It made such a difference to my life that I became a meditation teacher and have been teaching classes now for over 15 years.

The specific benefits a meditation practice will bring you, include:

• The ability to cope calmly in any situation
• Reduced stress and the ability to achieve deep relaxation and a profound state of rest
• Better sleep
• Better concentration
• Improved health
• Better relationships
• Looking and feeling much younger!

There is a wealth of scientific evidence available to support the view that a daily meditation practice is possibly the very best thing you could begin in order to live a much happier, healthier and longer life.

A simple technique you can try is to take five minutes in a quiet place. Close your eyes and slowly begin to repeat the word 'calm' silently over and over. This technique has been shown to help reduce stress and tension, to calm your breathing and your heart rate. The word 'calm' has a profound effect on body, mind and spirit.

What is the best way to learn?

There are many different ways to learn how to meditate. There are lots of books and CDs available, just have a look at Amazon to see how many. However, I believe the best way to learn is to find a teacher and learn in a group setting. This way you can learn the correct posture, breathing techniques and different types of meditation. Look for classes near you, try your local college, or ask your friends if they know of a good teacher.

I have been teaching meditation at the Isbourne since 2001. I was one of their original tutors and now teach introduction to meditation courses there on a regular basis. Teaching meditation is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. To see students come into class looking stressed and drained and then watch them leave at the end of the session looking calm and relaxed is a real joy.

Mary Pearson's next 'Introduction to Meditation' course at the Isbourne starts on Monday 21st September and runs for 5 weeks. You will learn different meditation techniques so you can find the best method for you. This course repeats again from Monday 9th November.

For more information about Mary Pearson's Isbourne meditation courses, visit www.isbourne.org, or contact the Isbourne: 01242 254321; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For information about learning to meditate and her other classes go to www.mary-pearson.co.uk and look at the meditation pages.

To contact Mary call 01242 530684; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it