It can take just a few minutes or up to an hour or more depending on the mental and emotional state you were in when you started to meditate. It if for this reason that a chanting meditation is generally the most effortless. If it wanders practice gently bring your mind back to the chant.

So if you find you are still having thoughts during meditation it shouldn't be a disappointment at all.

The mental cleanse is one of the greatest rewards of the meditation practice. It is this cleansing process that presents solutions and answers to dilemmas. Consuming situations flow through our conscious mind from our subconscious mind as we come into a enhanced mental balance.

Meditation is simple, natural, effortless and easily adapts to your personal state of awareness. This process teaches you to relax, let go to worries, cares and find peace. As you train your mind to focus relaxation occurs, the breath regulates naturally and the systems of the body come into a greater balance allowing the bodys systems to come into greater balance.

It can be as simple as chanting "God, God, God", "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus", "Har, Har Har", Sat Nam, Sat Nam, Sat Nam" or any other chant that refects your spiritual sacred space. When you chant you chant in an even tone at your own pace. The breathe should be even and will take care of itself. In meditation the focus is that the browpoint - the center point between the eyebrows generally speaking. Start with 11 minutes, when you are comfortable increase to 31 minutes and increase gradually as you are ready. 11 minutes is easy to do and works well with even a hectic schedule. You can do 11 minutes when you are active and add time when you have the time.

The goal of this article is not to promote any one style of meditation or group but to allow the practitioner to find a comfort zone within their sacred space.

Focus the senses and allow that focus to calm the mind. Try a chanting meditation preferably with a mudra (scared hand position like the position you put your hands in to say grace or say Amen) to focus on and perhaps eye candy in the form of a mandala (sacred eye candy). Burn a little incense or create a sweet smell.

Focus your mind on the breath. If you can control the breath you can control the mind. Think about it. Excited you breath quickly. A slow deep even breath can make a huge difference in your mental state.

Meditation allows the breath and the mind to calm and heal your body mind and spirit. It is a peaceful center point within the mind that is ever expanding conciousness.

What are the goals of meditation? Simply put peace and union with the divine within and without. In prayer we talk to the creator and the creative forces. In meditation we strive to allow the universe within and without to take the practitioner to an elevated state of awareness or consciousness.

Connecting - the sound current is an expanded radio like frequency or vibration that is both transmitted and received. It is the "Word" or prana that fills creation and resonates through all things. This sound current frequency is utilized while listening to the universe or chanting. It fills the practitioner with new and effective input. It finds the unstruck sound. Mantra makes a path between the seen and unseen world.

I traced the basics of meditation in this brief explanation and a few common meditation exercises to explore are given. This article is a work in progress.

It is helpful when meditating to do light physical exercise before meditating. Yoga warm ups or light stretching would also be very helpful and are my personal preference.

The reasons exercise is helpful in meditation preparation is another article. I know people who have successfully prepare for meditation with aerobics, running, walking, mountain climbing and exercise programs on TV geared to their age group and fitness level. Even a few stretches are helpful. Please take into account your age and fitness level before exercising.