I will link to Pema Chodron's CD's. She doesn't have DVDs but her teachings and awareness are amazing. You can watch her on you tube to get a sample and see if you like what she has to say and the way she says it. Also you can watch a Bill Moyers interview with her that is wonderful. There are many folks out there that are teaching meditation. Many have saccharine/medicated sounding recordings :) The thing I love most about Pema is her real take on things...down to earth and very helpful and insightful.

Please let me know if you want more info and feel free to email. My DH and I hold retreats and attend them as well and have quite a few years between us of meditation. c

Here is a link that might be useful: Pema Chodron

Thanks Trailrunner. I have heard good things of Pema Chodron. I actually have two of her books. I'm concerned tho that she may be a bit advanced for me. I am a total beginner.

Yeah, there are alot of tapes out there. And while I'm not looking for saccharine, I'm also not looking for heavy philosophical/religious either. I'm really just looking for a nonpharmacological way to calm down when I need to and focus when I want to.

I found a tape for walking meditation that I may order. It says it is good for people that have a hard time sitting still. That would be me. :)

No I wouldn't think of her as advanced. Down to earth is more how I feel about her. As far as "teaching" meditation perhaps her CD's aren't best for that. I know that Annie posted a link to the guided meditations that several have used. I will post a link below also to excellent guided meditations from a wonderful group based in Redwood CA. DH has attended retreat there and was impressed and uses their meditations and dharma talks as well.

As far as not being able to sit still,the first lesson in meditation is not to beat yourself up about it. If you can only sit quietly with your eyes closed and focus on your breathing for 5 minutes then that is OK. Any amount to start with is good. There is no advice that is more sound than to just try. I will say that getting to the point where you can sit still is very important for many reasons. It is really hard to go in to all of it here but it is something that you will want to try and do...start as I said with only 5 minutes...walking meditation is good too but ultimately you will want to be able to sit mindfully for short periods.

Here is a link to guided meditations and look at the dharma talks as well..they are titled so that you can pick out topics that pertain to the issues you have expressed . Please keep in touch...c

here are the talks listed according to topic:

http://www.audiodharma.org

Here is a link that might be useful: guided meditations and podcasts

I've often recommended meditation oasis podcasts which are available for free. There are other podcasts on line for free too.

TR is right that even 5 minutes to start is helpful. It is a practice so you will get better at it over time.

Also, I think it's important to set your expectations. People think the goal is to erase all thoughts and then when they can't do it, they've failed. Instead with mindful meditation, the goal is to become aware of the now...not re-live the past or pre-live the future, but just be aware of what's happening now....what you hear, smell, feel...focus on your breath as a way of staying connected with the now. When your mind wanders, and it will, then just gently bring it back. Whatever happens during meditation is supposed...there's no right or wrong.

You might benefit from watching this lecture which includes a meditation led by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He has done a lot of work on mindfulness based stress reduction and has worked with many patients with chronic pain.

You might also sign up for the Chopra Center newsletter. Several times throughout the year, they run a free 21-day meditation challenge which is to encourage you to develop a habit of daily meditation. They will email you a new meditation every day. They are usually 15 min in length and are slightly more prescriptive....the last set was very nice on creating abundance in your life. They also sell them as a CD set if you're interested.

Another place with free podcasts that is supposed to help you learn to meditate is the meditation podcast that is supposed to be helpful if listened on earphones.

Here is a link that might be useful: Meditation oasis podcasts

Re meditation and yoga, long meditations can be stressful on the body, so yoga can help strengthen the body to improve your meditation practice. Much of yoga, like meditation, involves breathing so they complement each other in that way. But you need not do yoga to meditate. Meditation can be done either sitting or lying down. Walking meditations are nice and are good if you are extremely stressed (I find walking a labyrinth and extremely meditative process as you have to focus on each step) but it is not the same deep relaxation that can be achieved with sitting or lying down.

There are so many good things that come out of a meditation practice, but one of them is waiting....anytime you're stuck in an airport or a doctor's office, rather than getting irritated and frustrated, you can simply take advantage of the opportunity to close your eyes and relax.

Thank you both, Trailrunner and Annie, for providing links to podcasts and the rest. Today has been one of those running around like mad without a second to spare. I'm hoping to be able to spend some quiet time later tonight and perhaps tomorrow morning taking a serious look at the resources you have linked to.

Many thanks.