Live a better life: Meditate

If you want to reduce your stress levels, lower your blood pressure, sleep better, give up smoking or just generally improve your happiness and wellbeing, the answer might just lie in meditating for 15-20 minutes every day. As old as recorded human history, meditation is intended to induce a state of heightened mental awareness and inner peace that brings mental, physical and spiritual benefits.

Indian and Buddhist meditation practices were well-established in Europe and America when in the Sixties the Indian Maharishi Mahesh yogi introduced transcendental meditation (TM) to the West. Thanks to all the publicity it attracted scientists soon began to research its health benefits. It was found that the brain became more alert and the body more relaxed during TM.

There are various different types of meditation: some focus on the breath or on an object such as a candle, others are more active, such as t'ai chi. If you take classes, the teacher may introduce you to Buddhist ideas, but you don't have to belong to this or any other faith to practise meditation.

Whichever approach you choose, it is advised that you set aside more or less the same time every day to meditate.

SE1 TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTRE A number of meditation practices are taught here, using a range of methods including visualisation, mantra recitation and Tibetan chanting. But the most common is the mindfulness of breathing, which is designed to promote clarity and peace of mind. A six-week beginners course costs £30. The centre also runs yoga, martial arts and t'ai chi classes. There is an on-site library and tearoom. Carlisle Lane, SE1 (020-7928 5447). www.samye.org/ london.

NW1 TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION CENTRE TM is a simple technique in which you are taught how to tap effortlessly into the mind's natural tendency to be still and quiet. To begin with you will be invited to an introductory meeting, with no commitment on your part, to hear what it's all about. After that, it takes four days to learn the technique, followed by four or five sessions to address the questions that come up during the first months of practice. The four-day course and follow-ups cost £1,280. 24 Linhope Street, NW1 (020-7402 3451). There are five TM teaching centres around London. To find the one nearest you call 08705 143 733 or visit www.transcendental-meditation.org.uk.

NW1 CHALK FARM Tricia Corob uses a synthesis of several traditions, including Sufi and Buddhist, to teach you how to exchange stress and anxiety for feeling centred and at peace. Her classes run on the second Saturday of every month. A block of eight costs £68. For details call Tricia on 020-7722 3341.

NW8 TAO MEDITATION WITH QI GONG At Violet Hill Studios you'll learn how to stop living on adrenaline, release emotional blockages and boost your energy levels with this slow, moving meditation. It uses sound, colour and visualisation to rebalance the elements in the body and keep your organs fit and healthy. By boosting your energy levels or chi, enthusiasts say it can help to reverse the ageing process. Women's classes run Mon 7pm-9pm while men's classes are on Wed 7pm-9pm. A one-off class costs £15, or £72 for a block of six that you can take at any time. A range of other workshops and therapies is also available. Violet Hill Studios, 6 Violet Hill, NW8 (020-7624 6101). www.violethillstudios.com.

N1 THE YOGA THERAPY CENTRE Sandeep Mehta will be holding a one-day Zen meditation workshop. Come with an open mind, he says, but be prepared to be awakened and for your ego to be touched and challenged. Sat 30 Nov, 10am-4.30pm, 90-92 Pentonville Road, N1 (020-7689 3040). www.yogatherapy.org. £40, concs £30.

ACROSS LONDON PRIMORDIAL SOUND MEDITATION Developed by the stars' favourite alternative health guru, Deepak Chopra, primordial sound meditation is a silent mantra meditation. The mantras are based on the vibrational sounds made by the earth as it spins on its axis and when you join a workshop, the earth's vibrational sound at the time you were born becomes your mantra - which will have a natural soothing effect on your nervous system, claims course leader Jo Pickering who was specially trained by Chopra. Improved sleep, lower blood pressure and more energy are just a few of the benefits of the practice. The workshops run over a weekend, from 10am to around 1pm on both days. For details call 0116 259 9211 or visit www.retreat-co.co.uk and click on meditation.