PEOPLE OFTEN TELL Christina Amala Hayes that they're incredibly stressed - just like she used to be.
The Hong Kong-based spiritual coach used to work as a hotel manager in London and says she had such a busy life, 'I didn't know how to cope'.
Her initial attempts at meditation were 'pathetic', but she persevered because she could see what she calls the beautiful stillness of people who'd been doing it for a long time. She now runs a weekly guided meditation class.
'There are those who come in a bit cynical, and some go out like that,' Amala Hayes says. 'But others go out having touched that place. It takes practice, but if you've even touched it, you can see the value. People feel more at peace and that's the key.'
Most people can probably relate to the need to feel calmer. And for many people, meditation is the answer.
What is meditation and how does it work? There are different types of meditation - the likes of transcendental, chakra and chanting, to name a few - but the goal is the same and the process similar: relaxation and finding peace of mind.