Chilling Out on the Cheap

It's a shame inner peace has gotten so pricey.

Because certainly we need it now more than ever. The talking heads are yapping incessantly. The economists are brooding. The tailgaters are honking, the neighbors are squabbling, the Earth is struggling and the next family crisis is beeping in on call waiting.

A desert retreat might be nice about now, but that would inevitably set you back a couple grand and multiply your carbon footprint with jet fuel. A day at the spa could do the trick, but only if you've got a few hundred to spare. Price hikes at the gas station will probably nix that Sunday drive in the country, and even the neighborhood yoga class suddenly costs $20 a pop.

Can those Calgon people still take us away?

Seems unlikely that Buddha would buy into any of this. It's said that in his most famous teaching, he simply held up a flower for contemplation. The enlightenment that ensued didn't cost his followers a dime.

Heaven knows a little serenity could go a long way in Washington.

"We live in a pretty stressed-out, unhappy world right now, and people are searching for ways to maintain their internal health," said Margaret Townsend, executive director of Yogis for Positive Change, a group that promotes service and outreach among yoga practitioners. "And they're also taking that out into the community."

Townsend says accessibility is key, that the missions of these disciplines are defeated if people think they can't afford to participate. Beyond the fancy yoga-gear retailers lie pockets of peace-seekers who agree.

We explored four ways Washingtonians are easing their restless minds and aching bodies. They all grow out of Eastern traditions, and some, certainly, might seem a little too woo-woo-New-Agey at first blush. But Zen isn't meant to be one-size-fits-all, and each practice is welcoming of newcomers. Better yet, they don't require huge readjustments in your still-packed schedule or cost even close to a full day's pay.

But it will require you to stop, if just for a few moments. All these techniques are based on the concept of the pause that refreshes. As meditation consultant Tara Brach says, "If we're living our lives like we're on our way to something else, there's no way to really enjoy it."