Om

Meditation is said to be good for your brain. "The researchers report that those who meditated for about 30 minutes a day for eight weeks had measurable changes in gray-matter density in parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress."

Part of AA's suggestions are that you pray and meditate. It's tough, at first, to quiet your brain down, but you're not looking for a perfectly silent brain. In meditation, it's all about sitting quietly and noticing what your body is doing. Concentrating on the breathe, breathing in and out slowly.

There are a ton of guided meditation links and podcasts out there. Some are as simple as listening to rain drops fall or ocean waves. Others are people discussing aspects of life and asking you to relax as you follow along. One of the people I like for meditating is Tara Brach for meditating. She's funny, and tells some good stories. I also like listening to American Indian drums. I haven't found a good website yet, but there are some podcasts out there.

Meditation is a great way to just calm down when you're too far up. Of course, that's the hardest thing to do when you're agitated; stop and be calm. I know I have tons of trouble just getting myself to sit still sometimes. But you can do it. It's good to develop a practice, even if it's just 5 minutes in your car listening to your breathing before you get out and go to work. Or standing in line somewhere, just breath slowly and clean your mind. Meditating doesn't mean you have to have candles lit and a comfortable mat to lie on, though that helps.