Many people see meditation as boring, useless, silly or a spiritual ritual that does not apply to their own beliefs. But in reality, meditation can actually be very beneficial to anyone who tries it. Even my uncle who is a tattooed biker emphasizes the importance of meditating regularly.

First of all, meditation is a contemplative exercise to help you be more mindful about your thoughts and body. It can be used to relax, learn why you’re stressed and eliminate it, balance anxious or tired energy, help you feel less annoyed about that driver who cut you off on the highway, keep you from spiraling into a panic when you think about exams, and more.

Some of the physical benefits of meditation include regulating your breathing that is probably too shallow due to society imposing a sedentary lifestyle on you, improving your posture that has been ruined by those horrible little desks in classrooms, and even lowering your resting heart rate.

When you meditate, you relax your muscles, sit with your legs crossed, have your arms resting on your legs with your palms facing up, tilt your pelvis forward and align it with your spine and head, close your eyes, clear your mind, and breathe deeply. Set a timer so you don’t sit there longer than you intend, especially if you have other things to do later. If you think you might fall asleep, play soft music. The alarm will also help keep you from dozing off.

Clearing your mind can be difficult, especially when the chaos of life makes you feel like you're drowning, but there are helpful methods that don't rely on Charles Xavier infiltrating your mind.

One common method is to imagine you are at a beach, and the waves are coming in to touch your feet, then to match the rhythm of the waves with your breath. My favorite method is to vaguely picture a flower that you find pleasing, and imagine it opening and closing its petals as you breathe in and out. Another method is to imagine all of your thoughts and distractions going through a funnel one by one until none remain.

If you have trouble sleeping at night, meditate in bed until you fall asleep or before you go to bed to help you calm your mind.

Start with meditating for one or two minutes, then five, 10, 12, 15, 20 or even more. Start alone in a fairly quiet place. Even if you can’t seem to find the time to sit quietly for a few minutes, you can still meditate while walking in public, sitting at your desk or in other places surrounded by distractions. It can be more difficult, but find any opportunity you can to relax your body and mind.

Meditation isn’t just helpful to those who are spiritual, but to everyone else, too. The fast-paced lifestyle most of us lead makes finding time to relax difficult but all the more imperative.