If you are interested in learning to meditate, but don’t know how to get started, go to Dr. Tara Brach’s website for help. It offers her free weekly podcasts that will guide you through the process. Tara Brach is a psychologist and a buddhist, who after college spent 10 years in an ashram studying yoga and meditation. She has a pleasant voice and her podcasts are full of stories, funny anecdotes and short poems that are sure to inspire you.
My wife and I recently attended Tara Brach’s workshop on “Radical Acceptance” at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. There were frequent sessions of guided meditation as well as exercises and Q & A sessions. Many participants had listened to her podcasts for years and came to hear her in person. One of the questions was, how do you maintain a regular meditation practice? Tara’s answer was to meditate daily. If you do not have time for a 20 or 30-minute session, do it for a minute or two. I would also recommend reading books such as Living Fully by Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche, Mindfulness by Joseph Goldstein, Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh, and Tara’s two excellent books, Radical Acceptance and True Refuge.
Meditation can bring you relief of anxiety, migraine headaches, and many medical conditions that are made worse by stress. It can also make your life more enjoyable.
