Hi all,
It is great to hear that people are giving meditation a shot! I find it is tremendously helpful and can lead to incredible feelings of peace and contentment. This is of course, once you get the hang of it, and i think we are all the same, that it is easy for the mind to wander or to fall asleep!! Although, i find with the Jon Kabat-Zinn meditations (Sitting meditation - which i do lying down - and body scan) if i fall asleep while playing them on my MP3 player i still wake up very relaxed, they must work subconsciously too.) 
Lately i have been focusing on the inner body stuff (Eckhart Tolle) that i think i mentioned earlier in this discussion. I have been trying to do it not just when resting but also any time of day while doing anything. It is easy to 'forget' to do it, but when i do remember and try it, it brings about an almost instant sense of peace that is certainly preferable to being stressed out! It is just a matter of getting into the habit of doing it. The plus is that if you are, your mind can't be wandering about all over the place at the same time, so it keeps you grounded and focused and most importantly, present!
Karma, yes i have read Full Catastrophe Living too, i found it good though sometimes a bit heavy it was worth the read. How wondering if they had a program here in Canada, or in every community! Oh we'd all be so healthy! 
I don't know whether i mentioned before but i also find going outside / into nature and doing my creative / artsy stuff are also ways of meditating for me and help me 'empty' my mind so to speak and just see what is beautiful or possible.
Hope this helps!
PS Here is a smile for everybody. I think i may make this my new philosophy of life, though i am not sure whether figuratively or literally.... 
K
