That is all there is to it. If you practice twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening, you will soon be able to clear your mind and silence nagging thoughts for longer and longer periods. Strive for ten minutes after the first week, twenty minutes after the first month and longer periods as you deem fit.

Ten to twenty minutes is long enough to reap all the benefits of meditation, but longer periods can extend these benefits and make for good preparation before a stressful interview, meeting, date, or what have you.

After a little practice, you can consider yourself skilled in the art of meditation. You may choose to augment your practice by finding other positions to meditate in or incorporating different breathing techniques. Whatever you do, you can be sure that meditation will make a positive impact on your mental and physical health, all without growing a long, white beard or moving to a cave.