This technique begins with the body, shaking it. 'Shaking is so active, so deliberate - how can it be a meditation?', my students ask. Shaking is in fact a warm-up process - the idea is to loosen up and shake out all the tensions from the body/mind that have accumulated during the course of the day. It's important not to force the shaking or it will become just like a physical exercise - the body will be shaking but you will be like a rock within. Just allow it to happen, as if nobody is doing it.

As the shaking takes over it will begin to penetrate to the very core of your being. The vibrations will reach to your very center. Your whole body will become a turmoil of energy, a cyclone. This is continued in the second stage. Through the energy of the cyclone you can then reach to the center.

This is a preparation for the 3rd and 4th stages, when you will be silent and still, open to receive the guest of meditation.

You know how musicians spend time before they play tuning their instruments, checking their guitar strings or the sound of the drums, preparing before they actually play the music? Shaking is like that. It is a preparation, a 'getting in tune' with ourselves so that when we sit the tensions will be dissolved and the space of meditation will descend upon us.

This shaking meditation, which Osho created and called Osho Kundalini , is done in four stages of 15 minutes each, so you'll want to set aside an hour for it. This is one of my favorite techniques for releasing mental, physical and emotional stress at the end of the work day, especially after a long day of sitting staring at the computer screen. You can obtain the Osho Kundalini CD or simply set a timer to mark the different stages. I do not recommend substituting any other music.

Stage One: Shake It (15 minutes)
Standing comfortably, eyes open or closed, just let your whole body shake, feeling the energies moving up from your feet. Let go and feel yourself become the shaking.

Stage Two: Dance (15 minutes)
Just let your body move any way it wishes. Dance.

Stage Three: Becoming Still (15 minutes)
Now, either sitting or standing, close your eyes and be still. Notice whatever's happening inside you and out. Relax deep within yourself. Be aware of your breathing, witness the thoughts of the mind, any emotions or feelings, with no judgment. Don't cling or reject, simply accept what is. Allow the silence of meditation to descend upon you.

Stage Four: Lie Down and Be Still (15 minutes)
Now, without opening your eyes, lie down. Just lie there in stillness for another 15 minutes.

When I do this meditation I find it helpful, in the first stage, to imagine myself as a rag doll shaking out all the tensions from the body/mind, remembering in particular to shake my head a lot if I have had a very mentally stressful day. I like to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground so that I stay rooted in myself and don't tip over. I find that this allows me to experience greater flexibility of movement in the shaking. It's a good idea to keep your knees slightly bent, remembering to shake the legs, hips, upper torso, shoulders, arms, hands and head. This is an extraordinarily gentle yet powerful way to release stress and free up the body from any straightjacket it has been in - sitting driving the car or in front of the computer.

The sense of freedom carries over into the second stage. You can use the dance to release and express any emotional stress such as frustration, anger, sadness, disappointment, and also express any playfulness, happiness and joy you might be in touch with that particular day. It is surprisingly refreshing to be able to get in touch with ourselves non-verbally and allow the more hidden or repressed parts some space to be there, to come out into the open. This is a great way to get to know ourselves and gain clarity and insight into whatever is going on in our lives at the present time.

After all the physical expression and release, to then sit or stand is both relaxing and an opportunity to witness whatever is happening with ourselves, compassionately and without judgment.

Finally, when we lie down in silence, the body, fully supported by the floor, can sink into a deep relaxation. This depth of relaxation allows the energy generated by the first two stages to take our meditation to the deepest corners of our being.

If you like this technique, try to do it every day, or as often as you can find the time. The best time to do it is at the end of the day, when you get home from work. It's a great way to literally shake off the tensions of the day, leaving you refreshed to enjoy your evening. It can also bring you insight and clarity about your work day.

Excerpted from Chapter One It's Easier Than You Think: Relaxing Lunchtime Enlightenment: Meditations to Transform Your Life NOW - at Work, at Home, at Play