The jury is still out on whether aromatherapy has genuine mind/body benefits; some small studies have shown that essential oils reduce the symptoms of a variety of ailments, including anxiety, chronic pain and insomnia. Nevertheless, many practitioners of meditation find scented oils, incense or candles important for setting a mood. Fragrant plant oils such as lavender and jasmine are said to encourage relaxation, and sniffing orange oil has been associated with reduced stress.

If you're not big on candles or oils, try burning herbs or leaves such as white sage, cedar leaves and pine needles. Whether or not you believe they clear bad juju, their fragrance is intoxicating.

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Tuning out the world's BS is hard enough; add car traffic, barking dogs or boisterous neighbors and you may never reach your moment of Zen. If street noise around your home is a distraction, consider rounding out your meditation area with a sound machine, or a Bluetooth speaker for playing ambient meditation music.

Listening to guided meditation sessions on your smartphone can also encourage focus; Gruver recommends the app Insight Timer, free for iPhone, and offers a few free guided meditation sessions on her website. Rains also offers a selection of guided meditations for beginners.

Garlinger recommends the free iPhone app Headspace, which "provides very helpful instructions, with a wide range of guided meditations," to beginners.

Still stuck in a meditation rut? Check out our Meditation Hacks for People Who Suck at Sitting Still.

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