Meditating can be of tremendous help to health conditions that are exacerbated by stress, such as nervous conditions, headaches, mood swings, back pain and even hypertension. And used in conjunction with medical treatment, some folks have found that meditation helps them heal more rapidly from serious illness.

Given the emotional, physical and spiritual healing potential of meditation, it makes sense that it is sometimes referred to as "the breath of life."

Meditation involves consciously controlling the rate of breathing, which will in turn decelerate the heartbeat and blood flow. As is the case with sleep, this state of slowness allows the mind and body time to rejuvenate. Many people do so to relax and even reach a level of inner peace and tranquility. Because stress is tied to so many health problems, using meditation to ease it often heals physical ailments. With meditation, there is no separation between the mind and the body. With meditation, you will see a lot of physical ailments melt away.

When a baby breathes in, you can watch how its abdomen expands like a balloon, and when it breathes out, you can see the abdomen flattening. When we fall asleep at night, exactly the same pattern occurs. In fact, whenever we're truly relaxed, the body reverts to abdominal breathing.

Most folks, especially those who are anxious and tense, breathe incorrectly and less efficiently through the chest. To breathe properly, try sitting in a chair with your hand on your belly. As you pull air in, your belly should push out. Then when you exhale, your belly should pull in.