Many people would like to meditate, but are reluctant because they think that it is too complicated, that they don't have time to sit and chant or go to a center to learn meditation. The good news is ... you don't have to. There are some very simple techniques that you can use to achieve a very successful state of meditation.

Through the use of deep breathing, relaxing music, color therapy and creative visualization you can bring about harmony and balance in your life.

Let's start with simple relaxation through deep breathing and music. Find some favorite relaxing music, it may be classical or ambient, whatever you enjoy. Begin by breathing deeply, right from your abdomen. Fill your lungs completely. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. As you breathe out say to yourself, "Relax, I'm going to let myself ... relax now." Release all the tension and stress that has built up in your body through the day. "I'm letting go of all my problems. My mind is quiet, my thoughts are clearing, my mind is clear. I'm letting go completely. All I'm going to do is …relax now".

Focus your mind on each part of your body in turn from your toes up, and imagine that part of your body relaxing…letting go. This is the simplest form of meditation and takes only a few minutes to do every day or whenever you need to de-stress.

Another technique useful in meditation is using sunlight.

Using the focus of the sun imagine its rays pouring down over you, washing through your body, gently relaxing every part of your being. Release yourself into this wonderful feeling of light permeating everything around you. In your mind, focus on cleansing and purification.

Creative visualization can be very beneficial too in meditation. You can put yourself in any situation in life. Whatever you imagine becomes your meditation and perhaps your reality if you put enough energy into it. Open to what you feel you would like to imagine each time you meditate. Allow yourself to step into another world, a world free of all the restrictions you may experience in your everyday life. It may be a wonderful beach scene, with blue skies and seas, or a beautiful rain forest. Feel the happiness and contentment of the scene. Feel free and open to joy.

With the tools I have outlined, it is easy to choose the purpose of the meditation. Relaxation may be all you wish to achieve, but you can also learn to control pain, improve your health and find focus with any kind of problem you may be having. Meditation can release a migraine or tension headache, or any kind of physical pain you may be experiencing. Pain becomes a problem because we use a lot of energy fighting it, tiring the body, and therefore increasing your vulnerability to stress. Using deep breathing and relaxing music, bring your focus to the pain and its position in your body.

Imagine a lovely golden ray of light (blue or icy green light work well too with pain and healing) flowing through your body, in particular that part of your body experiencing pain. Imagine you can see the light dispersing the pain, washing it away. Water can play the same function. See yourself floating in and out with the tide, and as you do feel the pain releasing.

Another visualization to use for pain is to imagine yourself in a snow-field. See the part of the body causing trouble and feel the cold penetrating that part of the body. The rest of your body is cocooned in a thick thermal blanket. Let the cold snow numb the pain in that part of your body. Feel it becoming more and more numb, the pain being released completely .

You may wish to go a step further with meditation and look at problem areas in your life. Bring each problem to focus one at a time and look at them.

Release the emotion attached. Emotions can restrict your ability to resolve problems. We go into pain and anguish, failing to see the problem realistically. Like creating a battle plan, look at how you might resolve the problem. Using creative visualization see yourself resolving the problem, see it having a positive outcome for all involved. Imagine the golden ray of light expanding your understanding of the problem and allowing you to solve it.

If you are going into an anxiety or panic attack see yourself floating freely in space. Cocooned in a bubble of blue light bring your focus onto your body. See it and feel it relaxing the whole of your body. Breath deeply and slowly. Allow yourself to release the fear.