Meditation is like a mental shower, a cleansing of all the crazed thoughts and hurt feelings. If you need some more peace in your life, here are my favorite online meditation resources.

“Meditation is not just for relaxation; its primary purpose is to develop the capacity to respond skillfully and gracefully to life’s difficulties as well as its joys.” — Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche

One thing: you don’t have to be good at "clearing your mind" to start a meditation practice. That’s why you begin. Clearing your mind isn't even the goal. Returning to the present moment when you notice you're lost in thought (again and again) is the real practice.

6 of My Favorite Meditation Resources

1. Gabby Bernstein

Gabby Bernstein is one of my favorite people to follow for spiritual guidance in the modern world. Visit her website for meditation videos galore.

2. Sounds True

Sounds True, created by Tami Simon, hosts a free Mindfulness and Meditation Summit; you can listen to it for free while it’s happening or purchase packages after the event has ended for all of the videos and meditations on replay. There’s also a store where you can purchase meditation DVDs, CDs, and courses from a variety of teachers.

3. davidji

davidji’s voice is always a soothing and friendly addition to my day, plus I appreciate that he’s an internationally recognized stress-management expert and trainer. He offers free guided meditations on his website, an abundance of videos, articles, and education, and guided meditation packages.

Meditation isn't about clearing the mind. It's about witnessing a thought coming and going, and remembering that it's not you.

4. Sharon Salzberg

Sharon Salzberg’s meditation style is down to earth and completely accessible to those new to the practice; she remains a wealth of inspiration as I continue my own. She offers her free 28-day Real Happiness Challenge in February.

5. Hay House

Hay House offers a nice selection of meditation albums from popular teachers and authors. I also enjoy listening to their podcast; there’s always a calming meditation I haven’t heard yet (or like to hear again) and it’s a great way to sample different teachers’ methods and styles.

6. Chopra Center Meditation

I’ve participated in Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra’s free 21-day meditation experiences for the last few years, and I always enjoy them. They begin with a brief introduction to that day’s mantra and message, followed by a beautiful soundscape.

. . .

Tell me:

What’s your favorite reason and way to meditate?

Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I’d love to know!

With love,

Jen

P.S. Get a whole chapter of meditations (and another one of visualization) in my book Sleep Rituals. It's more than just a book about sleep. I bet you'll find a lot more than you expected...