I’ve been trying to meditate for years. Well, when I say I’ve been “trying”, I mean that I’ve been thinking I should meditate, occasionally managing it for a day or two and then letting it slide again.

But I’m one of those people (mostly, apparently, women) whose head is filled with constant chatter. I rehash old conversations, I plan new ones, I have imaginary arguments, I write articles and emails. It never stops. And so I know I need to meditate, it’s just so…boring. Isn’t it?

I recently discovered Meditainment, a site where you can listen to or download guided meditations. This appeals to me since I think I’ve got much more of a chance of being swept away in a story than of even attempting to simply “clear” my monkey mind.

If you register with Meditainment, you get a couple of free samples. I had the links, but I hadn’t found the time to listen until, a few nights ago, I awoke at 3:30 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep. I was singing Elton John’s Something About the Way You Look Tonight (in my head), and thinking of many of the writing jobs I had to do. So I got up and put on the Secret Garden meditation.

It took me a little while to stop thinking about life in general and start concentrating on the meditation, but before too long I was walking on the grass barefoot and listening to the babbling waterfalls. The music and the voice of the narrator are soothing without being (as can sometimes happen in guided meditations) twee or irritating.

The relaxation element was slightly spoiled by the advert 2 minutes from the end—”remember you are listening to a free meditation which will finish shortly. To hear the full meditation, you need to join”—but even so, I certainly found myself more relaxed, Elton had stopped his serenade and I was able to return to bed and sleep.

I’ll definitely be signing up for unlimited site access (US$79). The meditations are also available on CD and DVD.

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Photo courtesy of Hydroxi