Meditation 101

Back in 1968 after a friend gave me a few basic instructions on how to begin meditating it wasn't long before I realized that I was seriously in need of more information on the subject; thus began for me a lifelong informal investigation into the planet's numerous meditation traditions. Because I'm a practical person (and one for whom because I said so has never been enough of an answer) I soon discovered that it was important for me to examine the why behind those traditions - the physiology psychology and purpose of sitting in meditation; its relationship between physical and mental experience; therelationship of each meditation technique to the spiritual tradition which taught it; the relationship of meditation to real life.