Meditate Through the Madness in 6 Easy Steps

Gain peace and improve your health in less than 10 minutes.

Don’t Work Yourself to Death! - Working hard and making money is great, but not when the job takes over your whole life. In order to find balance, it's necessary to create boundaries between work and home. Here's how. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: bilderlounge/Getty Images)

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Reaching Your Zenith - Can meditation make you healthier? Happier? Smarter? Learn more about the practice, its benefits and the easy way to incorporate this little bit of peace into your busy life. By Michelle Mitchum, MPH HHP of The Orange Moon (Photo: bilderlounge/Getty Images)

On Yoga and Satan - “The purpose of such meditation is to empty oneself. … [Satan] is happy to invade the empty vacuum of your soul and possess it."(Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images)

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Happy Medium - Meditation is the practice of concentrated thought upon sound, an object, visualization, breath or movement to increase awareness of the present moment. The technique has been clinically proven to reduce stress, promote relaxation and enhance personal and spiritual growth.    (Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images

Elevate Your Mind! - When’s the last time you got lost in a really good book? Thanks to a fast-paced world of iPhones, Facebook and online news, it may have been a minute. But no worries: delve into these 15 books from our past and present are by and for Black women. They will inspire, empower and educate you. By Kellee Terrell (@kelleent) (Photo: Laura Flugga/Getty Images)

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Origins - Archaeologists in India have discovered texts that date back to 1500 BC documenting meditation as a useful means of gaining and maintaining peace, clarity and a calm perspective.  (Photo: Laura Flugga/Getty Images)

No Surprise - The first enrollment figures for the Affordable Care Act released on Nov. 13 were disappointing but no surprise. According to a Health and Human Services report, 106,185 people have signed up and fewer than 27,000 did so using healthcare.gov. "Everybody knew it was a mess," said Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Marcia Fudge.   (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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Improve Your Health - Studies prove, meditating for at least 15 minutes per day can help improve the health of those suffering from hypertension, high cholesterol and depression by at least 30%.   (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

Why Take Steroids? - According to the Mayo Clinic, some athletes are drawn to anabolic steroids because they may help speed up recovery time after a tough workout by reducing muscle damage. "This enables athletes to work out harder and more frequently without overtraining. In addition, some athletes may like the aggressive feelings they get when they take the drugs," according to the health website. (Photo: Erik Isakson/Getty Images)

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Be Well - It has also been documented that regular meditation helps to increase fertility, brain capacity, reduce the rate of aging and assist in immune function.  (Photo: Erik Isakson/Getty Images)

Photo By Erik Isakson/Getty Images

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Step 1: Getting Started - Make the time to do it. Most practitioners say meditating first thing in the morning helps set the tone for the rest of their day. If you are a beginner, it may be difficult at first, but set a timer for 5-10 minutes and decide when and where. The best time is the time that you can commit to on a regular basis.   (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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Step 1: Getting Started - Make the time to do it. Most practitioners say meditating first thing in the morning helps set the tone for the rest of their day. If you are a beginner, it may be difficult at first, but set a timer for 5-10 minutes and decide when and where. The best time is the time that you can commit to on a regular basis. (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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Step 2: Sacred Space - Create a peaceful and quiet space. We suggest picking a light filled corner of a room and creating an altar with a candle and inspiring photos. These are not necessary, but are beneficial if they help to motivate you. Or simply pull out your yoga mat and face a window. (Photo: REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi /Landov)

"Whatever" Is Most Annoying Word - For the fourth year in a row, Americans say “whatever” is the most annoying word or phrase in conversation. More than 32 percent of people polled by Marist have this view while "like” irritates 21 percent of residents nationally. “You know” came in at 17 percent and 10 percent of respondents would like to see “just sayin’” banned. (Photo: GettyImages)

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Step 3: Silence Is Golden - Make sure your space is as quiet as possible. If you live in a bustling house, apartment or dorm, schedule your practice for when no one is home or go to the most peaceful space you can find.  (Photo: wdstock/Getty Images)

What’s So Great About a Vegan Diet? - Eating a diet that is heavy in fruits and vegetables is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a decreased chance of developing diabetes, lung and colon cancer and even osteoporosis. In fact, vegans live, on average, six to ten years longer than non-vegans. Studies also show that vegans tend to lose weight over time.   Some vegans eschew animal products because they feel it is unethical and inhumane to raise animals for food. And decreasing the demand for meat is a win for the environment, as the cows we raise for meat and milk pass massive amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere.  (Photo: LWA/Larry Williams/Getty Images)

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Step 4: Sit Comfortably - First, make sure to wear clothing that is comfortable for sitting. You don’t want to be distracted by too snug pants or an ill-fitting bra. Then, sit in your quiet space with your back straight (use a cushion for your bum if you feel discomfort) breathe and relax your entire body. (Photo: LWA/Larry Williams/Getty Images)

Relax, Relate, Release - While the holidays are about family, being around them can bring a lot of stress, which can lend to overeating and relying on liquor to calm you down. Give yourself some quiet time away from other people, focus on yourself and don’t let other people stress you out.(Photo: GettyImages)

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Step 5: Focus - Try to silence your mind. There will probably be tons of thoughts racing through your head on what you must do or haven’t done, but for 5-10 minutes, try pushing those things aside. We suggest choosing a positive affirmation to recite to yourself — a single thought or mantra. If that still proves difficult, try focusing on your breath. (Photo: Getty Images)

Not Sweating the Small Stuff - Stable emotional and mental health is such an important part of maintaining overall good health. This year, I am not going to internalize negativity around me: Demanding people, unsupportive “friends,” unnecessary drama and stupidity on social media sites. Instead, I am going to channel that energy into my writing, films, activism and weight loss plan. (Photo: Image Source/Getty Images)

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Step 6: Breathe Deep - Take long deep exaggerated breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. And as often as you need to, check yourself — “How is my posture? Am I relaxed and focused?” — and begin again one breath at a time. (Photo: Image Source/Getty Images)