A guide to meditation

The in-the-moment guide to personal peace and the art of meditation

To some people, meditation is a scary word. It conjures up images of dark rooms where you must sit alone for hours and delve into your innermost thoughts. Or it means twisting your body into strange, pretzel-like shapes and chanting out-of-this-world mantras. But the truth is, meditation can be whatever you want it to be, as long as it allows your mind some quiet time.

'We all have hectic schedules - whether you're a mum, student or have a tough job - and we rush around all day from one commitment to the next without taking a break,' says Simon Low, the director of yoga and health and one of the founders of Triyoga in London's Primrose Hill. The truth is that finding space for oneself becomes very difficult as life becomes one constant demand after another.

Low says that because we also have to be 'on duty' around-the-clock thanks to email, faxes and mobile phones, looking for a private, quiet moment is everyone's quest. Unfortunately, many people's idea of this 'moment' consists of watching TV, reading a book or even having dinner with friends, which are all stimulating activities. The upshot: you may enjoy doing these things, but you won't achieve real calm. 'The wonderful thing about meditation is that it can be defined as anything that gives your mind time to stop and be still,' says Low. As more and more people are realising - even by default during a Pilates class or walking in the park - you need this mental break in order to function optimally in everything else you do.

So, once you accept that having this peaceful time can be rejuvenating and help you perform all your other daily tasks that much more efficiently, why is it so tough to commit to?