When I tell people I practice meditation, many of them say, "I tried meditation and I just couldn't get my mind to stop." What if you didn't have to stop thinking? The mind is a thought factory. (Congratulations to anyone who can make their factory grind to a halt.) What if it was just a matter of giving the mind better quality material to work with, so the thoughts produced are rich, calm and insightful?

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That's where guided meditation is so helpful. You can just listen, follow the high-quality thoughts suggested, and enjoy the ride to greater serenity, clarity and compassion.

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The two biggest obstacles for both beginner and experienced meditators are distraction and sleepiness. If you find yourself getting distracted, gently redirect your mind back to the present and to the meditation commentary. If you find yourself getting sleepy, open your eyes and softly rest your gaze somewhere that's not distracting. Meditating lying down can be beautifully relaxing. Just check that you're not too tired before you start, otherwise you might be snoring in no time.