Meditation is not new. It has been practised in various forms for hundreds of years. In recent decades, meditation has been recognised in the medical and scientific worlds as a highly effective tool in reducing stress and improving health as it helps people find balance in their professional and personal lives. You may find the following resources useful.

• www-mbmi.org The website of the Mind-Body Medicine Institute (the Benson-Henry Institute) at Massachusetts University provides good research material on the benefits of meditation
• www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070 - Mayo Clinic site on meditation and its benefits
• www.umassmed.edu/content.aspx?id=41252 - University of Massachusetts Medicine School, Centre for Mindfulness (the Centre founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues)
• www.tm.org - One of the original meditation websites that provides a wealth of information on meditation. In this case I used it for research on the impact of meditation in business
• www.buzzle.com A website that provides information on the long history of meditation and its benefits
• www.hno.harvard.edu/gazette/2002/04.18/09-tummo.html - Harvard University site on mindfulness and meditation
• www.deborahmay.com - The site of an inspirational coach and mentor
• www.meditationsolutions.com.au - Melbourne site of Paul Majewski
• www.perthmeditationcentre.com.au - Perth site of Eric Harrison
• www.peopleknowhow.com.au - Sydney based. I attended their five-week meditation course as an element of my meditation facilitator training
• <http://naturecare.com.au/upload/courses/Meditation_At_A_Glance.pdf> - Home site of the Nature Care College, Sydney, where I completed my studies as a meditation facilitator
• www.calm.com.au - Sandy McGregor’s Home Site. Sandy teaches practical life skills and meditation is at the core of his teaching
• http://www.abc.net.au/health/healthyliving/stories/2007/08/02/1893761.htm - This ABC link will take you to a video on meditation and its benefits