These 8 points are the distillation of what I've discovered over the past 35 years, to be the essential principles for sustaining a meditation practice, and for making it easy. I give these 8 points to all my beginning students, but whether you are a beginner or a more experienced meditator, I hope they will in some way enhance your meditation practice.

1. Put your expectations aside regarding what is "supposed to" happen in meditation. There is not one specific experience you are supposed to have when you meditate which indicates that it is "working". There are numerous possible experiences, and virtually all of them are ok. That includes experiencing nothing but a lot of thoughts, as thoughts in meditation are one of the ways that stress is released.

2. Put aside the idea of "getting it right". There is really no such thing as right or wrong, successful or unsuccessful meditation.

3. Approach meditation with "relaxed effort". While it is necessary to make some effort to focus, there is no need to try too hard to concentrate or stay focussed.

4. Don't try to make your mind blank, or chase thoughts away. There is no need to try to relax or quiet your mind. If you follow the steps of the meditation method you are using, varying degrees of relaxation and inner peace will occur automatically.

When thoughts arise, rather than resisting them, simply give them the space to come and go... or to linger there, like minor characters on the "stage" of your mind, while your primary object of focus - breath, light, mantra, etc. - remains the central character.

5. Each meditation session will be somewhat different. In some sessions you will feel a little peace and relaxation. Others will be very deep and quiet. Some of your meditations may bring profound insights or interesting phenomena. Others will seem as though nothing is happening except for a bunch of thoughts.

Regardless of what seems to be happening, if you are following the basic guidelines of your method, something valuable is happening each time you meditate. Even if it seems as though nothing is occurring, the meditation is catalyzing positive changes on a level that is deeper than you may be aware of. Before long you will begin noticing these inner changes manifesting in your life.

6. Meditation clears away stored up "stress" and "physical/emotional toxins". If you find that you are releasing accumulated stress or toxins in your meditation - or outside of meditation - be aware that a valuable healing process is occurring, and will pass shortly, leaving you free of these limiting negative energies.

How do you recognize this? You may experience some negativity, according to the type of stress or toxins you are releasing. If it is physically-related, you may feel a bit tired or physically "off". If it is emotionally-related, you may experience some of the feelings or memories associated with the stress you are releasing. If this should occur, it is important to continue with your regular meditation schedule, as this facilitates the release process.

7. You will, at times, find yourself resisting meditation. You may experience this consciously... or you may unconsciously devise a variety of creative ways to avoid meditating. This occurrence is mostly due to an inner force which we all have within us that resists growth and change. You also have a force within you which gently urges you to grow and make positive changes. Try to follow this positive evolutionary force.

8. The less concerned you are about what you experience in your meditation, the easier and better it gets.