"I only meditate when there's a crisis," says someone in a meeting. Isn't this the equivalent of saying, "I only eat when I'm malnourished"?

We are learning more and more that if we don't use the faculties we have, we tend to lose them. Physical exercise has been regarded as a necessity for decades now. We exercise routinely. We don't wait until our muscles atrophy before we commence an exercise regime.

Similarly, it's been demonstrated that mental exercise seems to delay the onset of senile dementia. Now that we know this, the wise among us will continue to expose ourselves to mental stimulation. We won't wait until we're cracking up before we begin.

Now there comes evidence that those of us who think we can subsist without a Step 11 meditation regime are simply kidding ourselves. The peace and focus that meditation brings don't seem to be merely benefits of an optional activity, but a necessary part of an overall healthy life.

We live in a world which moves faster than ever in the pursuit of a set of values that have dubious utility. If we live in that world every moment of our working lives, we can expect to be spiritually malnourished. It makes sense to cultivate the habit of meditation if we're to live in that world with any hope of inner peace and calm.