Meditation is an important facet of the Overcoming MS (OMS) 7-Step Recovery Program, but many people find it hard to work it into their daily lives, while others think that it might be too “out there” for their more practical sensibilities. We are very pleased to have Dr. Craig Hassed as our guest on this episode of Living Well with MS to demystify the practice of meditation and provide very sound reasons for why you should consider its wondrous stress-relieving effects as reason enough to consider trying it. Dr. Hassed, an expert on mindfulness-based stress reduction, will also provide some common sense tips about how to successfully work meditation into your daily life.   Dr. Hassed works at the Department of General Practice and is coordinator of mindfulness programs at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He is regularly invited to speak and run courses in Australia and overseas in health, professional and educational contexts. He is the author of 11 books, was the founding president of the Australian Teachers of Meditation Association and is a regular media commentator.   You can learn more about Dr. Hassed’s professional background here.   Questions include:   Is mindfulness really scientific? What happens to the body under stress? Is there a difference between long-term stress and short-term stress? Should you get professional help as well as mindfulness training if you experience anxiety or depression? Does religious faith reduce stress? Should we keep a journal? Is mindfulness the same as meditation? Is it necessary to follow guided meditations?   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. In our next installment, join Geoff as he interviews Alex Tsirigotis on how he has conquered running numerous marathons in spite of having MS.