Meditation is considered to be a necessity for living stress free (or controlled stress) life. This page summarizes the benefits very well.

Do you Meditate?

If yes how often and how long?

Note: I don't subscribe to Life Positive magazine. I have given the above link just because the content on the page is sufficient to initiate discussion.

Hi kagashe,

I probably don't meditate per se, but I do do alot of quiet thinking...rj

Only when the lights are on red...

I "meditate", but for me it just involves sitting quietly and thinking everyone once in a while. I count daydreaming as mediating also.

Not really. My mom is really into it tho. She keeps saying I should try it, and I guess I should if it helps relax and get stress off and such. I need that sometimes.

Yes, I meditate - although not as often as I ought to. Meditation is an incredible way to go into the depths of consciousness and the amazing thing is you don't even have to leave home to do it!

Unfortunately, I find computers a major distraction and hindrance to my meditation practise. :-)

So I probably manage it twice to three times per week, but would prefer to do it daily (even for just 5 minutes).

Do you Meditate?

Yes...more often than I can remember, but it is not the complete package for me.

How does one actually meditate and how is it different from relaxing or sleeping? I think I meditate but I'm not really sure.

I do, but have been neglecting it lately. :$
I used to to it once every week day for about 20 minutes. On weekends for about an hour or two.
Haven't done it for about a month now. I think I'll go do that.
/me wanders off to her quiet spot

If you can devote some time please read this page on Wikipedia to get some answers.

You may get confused for your first question "How does one actually meditate?" because there are as many methods as number of faiths in this world multiplied by no of authorities in those faiths. Chose the one which is closest to your liking.

For me, I am from India and we chose a Guru first and then follow the method/s suggested by the Guru. I personally tried the 4 methods and settled on one which I liked.

Relaxing is Meditation if your mind is at rest (meaning there is no thought) which is next to impossible for common man. Relaxing is Meditation if you are watching the thought without any attachment (if you get what I mean by attachment). If you find that you are attached to thought than Relaxing is not Meditation for you.

Sleeping is not Meditation for common man.

Reading your reply in this thread I also feel you need it.

You were doing it every day. Did it help?

It helped some. If I really examine why I stopped doing it, it was the fact that depression seeped in and whispered in my ear that it was pointless. At least I recognize this now and can fix it. I'm going to make it a point to get back into it.

No, unless contemplating your navel while enjoying a martini and a cigar on the deck counts.

However, there is certainly merit to it, to bring balance to your life, and I know several people who do.

Everyday like my life depends on it

Meditation has saved my sanity and made me whole again.

I don't exactly know what meditation is, but I sometimes a day, I sit quietly and think of what happened so far as a whole, and rest my mind. Kinda makes me feel comfortable.

Extreme Coder

I'd like to try to.

Yeah i meditate often. but problem is that i cant do it every day..

What kind of meditation u do ?

Yes, almost every day. It's NOT any sort of classic meditation such as focussing on a single something (point, breath, picture, sound, etc.). Rather, it's a mixture of different techniques which are mostly me exploring some zone of my here and now experience (my body, my mind, my senses, my own consciousness, my experience of being in the physical universe, etc.), or focussing on some idea (other people as centres of consciousness, treating my mind like a temple, etc.). Other focusses I use are positive thinking affirmations which are relevant to my present life. Sometimes I help relaxation of my mind & body with breath awareness.

My aim is to feel good as an immediate effect of the meditation. I use whatever techniques and focusses will help me do that. I add more to the list as I think of them. My list is quite long now!

Well my meditation involves praying to my higher power first and foremost as much as I can...I always feel better later and have a sense of security like no other..as this is one of the many forms of meditation that increased jubilee for me..I exercise too, but not sure it that fits the bill...but that too helps my mind.

Sherri

I meditate at least twice daily. The length varies. I basically meditate until I'm done. At first, it was a difficult habit to develop, but the more I did it, the more I saw I need it, and wanted to. Now, its sort of like hygiene. If I don't brush my teeth, I'll have stinky breath, and if I don't meditate, I'll have a stinky day. I used to think I didn't have time to meditate, now its more like I don't have time not to meditate.