I recently started a daily meditation practice.  Five minutes a day, 30 days in a row.  So far so good.  The image that makes the most sense to me is this: Daily life is like carrying a snow globe around with you 24/7.  It shakes all day and the snow is in a state of constant movement.  When I take time to meditate daily, it gives my thoughts- which are normally swirling all around me chaotically– a chance to slow down, settle to the bottom of the snow globe and relax.  What is left after this happens is a profound feeling of stillness and calm.  I went out and purchased this Buddha snow globe.  This metaphor speaks to me.