A reader recently sent me an e-mail requesting a review of her site, www.learningmeditation.com. I did so with pleasure. As soon as I entered the site, I felt my body go "Ahh…" and start to relax. What a delight to experience a site that thoroughly lives up to its name. The graphic presentation is a pastel, fade-focus picture of a tree. It gives you the feeling that you're entering a mystical place bathed in fine and shifting mists. The site belongs to Patsey Grey who welcomes visitors with the caveat that she, like you, is on the journey: "I am not a wise man on a mountain. I am just like you - involved in life and work, seeking more serenity and calm in my life. I am still learning to do it better, using meditation as a guide on my journey. I invite you to take this journey yourselves. I invite you to use meditation to find the answers to your questions."

The navigation bar for the site is a simple, misty branch with destinations like "Learning to Relax, "Meditation Room," "Suggested Reading," "The Shop," "Favorite Links," and "Comments/Feedback." I clicked on "Learning to Relax" where I learned that Patsey prefers to call meditation "relaxation - conscious relaxation, chosen relaxation." I can hear the purists voicing their strong objections. But, remember, this is a page about learning to meditate. It is designed to ease the novice into the practice. The idea is that the term relaxation is "more universally understood, more comfortable." The page also addresses "Meditating for Life" and "What to Expect."

The Meditation Room will attract meditators at many levels of experience. One exercise is called the "Walking Meditation." The introduction notes that the meditation is designed to "focus your mind away from a physical task and concentrate on more of the events happening around you . . . birds chirping, leaves rustling, or the sound of your own breathing." In order to participate in this mediation on-line, you are directed to "Press Here for Audio." This requires that you have Real Audio. If you don't, you can download it for free, or, visit "The Shop" and purchase a tape containing all of the on-line meditations for $12.95 plus shipping and handling.

Other items at "The Shop" include serenity beads, pocket pebbles and meditation stones. The "Suggested Reading" section includes books like Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth As a Spiritual Tool by Lauren Artress and Everyday Zen: Love and Work by Charlotte Joko Beck and Steve Smith. You can order by clicking the link to Amazon.com where you can also read an on-line review.

Patsey states that she became aware of the need for a mediation site that is simple and easy to use while working as an executive recruiter. "I became aware of how stressful work had become for people," she says. "I thought of how great it would be if these people could practice mediation for a brief time during the day." Patsey also points out that her site will continue to change and evolve. Recent additions, for example, include a children's series and a self image/weight management series. Learningmeditation.com is worth a bookmark. I think I'll visit it every once in a while just to give my eyes a rest from all the razz matazz that I usually see on the Net.

Labyrinths at Relax4Life

Another great site is www.relax4life.com. One of the specialties here is labyrinths. If you want to know more about labyrinths, visit labyrinths in the Chicago area, or purchase finger labyrinths or kits that help you create your own labyrinth, visit this site. Relax4Life is not limited to labyrinths, however. This is a full-fledged center located in Barrington that features self-enrichment workshops, holistic counseling, ear candling, Reiki therapy and Native-American spiritual practices. The site gives details about each of these categories.

Workshop instructions stipulate that participants refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes, scented skin cremes, hairsprays, aromatic oils and other fragrances. The rule allows everyone to participate, including those with allergies. October workshops included "Dream Mysteries" and "Healing The Spirit Through Dance & Drum." In addition to workshop information, the site's gift section includes relaxation/self-enrichment materials including books like Pocket Stress Manager by Neal Harris and CDs and cassette tapes. My favorite part of the site is the list of labyrinths in Illinois. It's a comprehensive list that includes locations like the Elgin-Unitarian Universalist Church, the Naperville Riverwalk Brick Chartres and the Theosophical Society Labyrinth in Wheaton.

I do have a few suggestions, though. It wasn't hard to guess that you use your fingers to do the walking through finger labyrinths. But, it would be nice to have some descriptive information including a definition, history and why this activity can be helpful, relaxing, etc. Also, I hate to keep beating this drum, but beat it I must. The site makes extensive use of frames. The same design could have been done without frames, thereby preventing printing problems, search engine problems and other headaches. All-in-all, www.relax4life.com certainly deserves a bookmark, especially if you're into labyrinths. Here's a thought. Perhaps you could purchase one of those finger labyrinths from relax4life.com and use it while tuning into the Real Audio or cassette tape from learningmeditation.com.

Please feel free to contact me via my e-mail address (monty764@aol.com) or via my web site (www.montymedia.com). For example, let me know if you have a favorite (or not so favorite) site that you'd like me to review. I love hearing from you.

Mary Montgomery-Clifford is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises ("Freelancing with Finesse!"), specializes in public relations, events, promotions, writing project and web authoring, development and publicity. Contact her via e-mail at Monty764@aol.com, by phone at 773-235-8821 or at her web site at www.montymedia.com.