What is meditation? Simply stated, it's a series of exercises and methods used to focus our mind's awareness. Using meditation, we can learn how to reach new levels of peace and tranquility in our daily lives. And using meditation, we can learn how to achieve true anxiety relief.

Yet meditation often goes unused in the war against panic and anxiety because it's often considered too mysterious. People become intimidated by the thought of learning how to meditate because they think of it as some difficult thing only attainable by a monastery monk after years of training. But this is a false assumption.

Meditation is actually quite easy to do. Oh sure, to learn and use advanced meditation techniques takes considerable time and practice, but the truth is that you can begin to learn meditation very quickly. And after just a few short, simple sessions, you can begin to enjoy many of the benefits it holds.

Now, to begin the learning process, I suggest some type of group class. It's great to have an instructor to lead you when you're just starting out. And it's great to have some other classmates to share the experience with. The YWCA or the YMCA are great places to look for your first class. You can also try your local community college or night schools.

If you're the solitary type, you can try using a book on meditation. You'll definitely find lots of them in your local library or bookstore. Books can give you a great overview and general understanding of meditation. Their one drawback though is that you don't get much feedback from a book. But they can get you started very quickly.

DVDs and CDs can also get you started quickly. Most of them have guided sessions so they're like attending an instructor-led class. This gives you a deeper experience and gives you more of a handle on how meditating "feels." Also, each time you listen to a session, you tend to learn and experience something more.

Typically, your first meditation sessions revolve around breathing meditations. These are the simplest to learn and are often the entry level meditations for the beginner. With practice, you can easily progress to body-based and emotion-based meditations. Practice will also strengthen and lengthen your sessions as well. And the more time you spend in meditation, the more peace and calm you experience.

The practice of meditation is a very old and studied art. It's been around for 1,000's of years because it yields real benefits. It's a truly effective method for dealing with stress, anxiety, and even panic attacks. So I'd recommend that you give it a try. After all, it's easy to do, doesn't cost much, and it could mean a great difference in your life.