During the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, it's often difficult to find those quiet moments for yourself. However, to stay truly balanced spiritually and emotionally, it is important to spend at least a couple moments each day in meditation. Studies have shown that those who meditate on a regular basis encounter fewer chronic illnesses and less stress. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, finding time for prayer and meditation is an important part of connecting with Source.

There are various techniques you can incorporate in your daily meditation. The goal is to balance yourself so that afterwards you will feel connected, energized, cleansed, and rejuvenated.

Busy schedules and demanding course work contribute to stress. Special circumstances such as a particularly critical exam or a schedule that seems to become more and more overwhelming may heighten stress. Such circumstances suggest a need for special techniques that help to reestablish mental calm and clear thinking. Visualizing a relaxed state is one such technique. Visualization exercises involve creating soothing mental pictures or visual images to rethink the reality of an experience. If, for instance, your stomach begins to tighten every time you think about going to the computer lab, it may help to rethink the experience, substituting soothing images to eliminate the stressful feeling.

Virtually all visualization exercises start with attention to breathing. Relaxation is established by consciously breathing in a steady inhale, exhale, inhale fashion. Attention to this normally unconscious action, plus slowed breathing itself, produces a more relaxed feeling. Within that relaxed state, a visual image is created of a calm, safe, and comfortable setting. Frequently, people like to visualize their favorite spot under a shade tree, on the beach, by a quiet stream, perhaps in a favorite park. The good feelings of this special place, its atmosphere, are then transferred to the stressful situation in order to reestablish a sense of calm. This is especially important to the study process since a relaxed sense of self contributes to clear thinking and active learning.

If you find yourself feeling tense and anxious-muscles tight or stomach queasy-and unable to concentrate fully, try the following exercise. It may take you some time, but with practice it's an effective tool.

Find a quiet place to lie down and relax. Close your eyes and begin by breathing consciously-slowly and steadily. Repeat to yourself, "Inhale. Exhale. Relax. Inhale. Exhale. Relax." Steadily increase your attention to breathing and forget the source of your tension and anxiety. Feel yourself relax.

With this fully comfortable and totally relaxed feeling, refocus your attention back to the circumstances of your stress, back to your place in the study process. Visualize yourself once again at study - now fully relaxed. In this fully relaxed state, you are now confident that you can resolve your problems, fulfill your goals, and achieve success. The sense of relaxation and self-confidence will allow you a true opportunity for success. Now open your eyes, feel your relaxed state, realize your sense of awareness, and begin to go about your business relaxed and with renewed self-confidence.

This visualization exercise takes about 10 to 15 minutes and should be practiced until it becomes easy to use. Take time to create vivid images of peaceful places to transfer the relaxed state of that environment to situations that create stress. Remember that this exercise is useful not only as a response to stress but also as a preventive measure, offering the benefits of a relaxed, confident self.