THE BEGINNERS’ GUIDE TO all day calm

If the very idea of meditating makes you feel tense… Relax! Our no-nonsense advice is an easy way to create more serenity in your life

Meditation seems to offer us everything we want on a plate – less anxiety and more control. But if the concept of sitting in silence with nothing but your mind for company makes you want to run screaming for the hills, you’re not alone. Switching off the mental chatter may seem impossible – and frankly, who has time to sit and do nothing? But we’ve investigated this growing trend and, far from being a weird gimmick, it seems that meditation really can change your life. And no, we’re not basing this simply on the anecdotal evidence of shaven-headed monks in robes (although they do know a thing or two about meditation), but also on cold, hard scientific facts.

There are many forms of meditation, but we’re choosing to concentrate on

mindfulness, a secular take on the centuries-old tradition of contemplation found in practices such as Buddhism. US meditation teacher Jon Kabat-zinn is a pioneer of mindfulness and defines it as: ‘Awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally. It’s about knowing what is on your mind.’

And the benefits reach way beyond simply feeling calmer. ‘It teaches you to understand your own mind and deal with difficulties,’ explains mindfulness expert Rohan Gunatillake. ‘Whether it’s an overly busy mind, a harsh inner critic or a struggle with anxiety, mindfulness can help you tackle these difficulties because, while we can’t always change what life throws up for us, we can change how we relate to it.’

So are you ready to increase your peace? Here’s how…