This valuable guide explains the basic process that is initiated when someone seriously begins to learn meditation in any tradition or with any technique. Whether the object is relaxation, enlightenment, or union with the Divine, the three most obvious results of meditation can be summarized as calmness, power, and insight; together, they represent the refinement and development of our physical, emotional, and intellectual levels of being. The author describes with precision the benefits and pitfalls of meditation and distinguishes it from trance, hypnosis, reflection, or visualization. She clarifies the basic techniques and principles involved in the skill of meditation and shows how sustained practice can unlock our innate creativity. Just as nourishment is assimilated by the body and transformed in the process of physical growth, meditation is a catalyst for transforming the substance of life in our consciousness and deepening our contact with the creative dimension of existence. Born in Australia, LUCY OLIVER moved to England in 1972. She is trained in the Saros tradition of meditation, which she has taught for more than twelve years.