Stress: It's a killer. Literally. In the 1980s, Time magazine named stress the number-one health problem in the country. Since then, stress has been found to cause hypertension, insomnia, and even weakened immune systems. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says businesses lose $200 billlion annually due to employees' stress-related problems. But short of renouncing the material world and moving to a remote tropical location, researchers have offered little in the way of an antidote. Until recently, that is, when scientists delivered the good news: All you have to do is sit there. Findings from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, and the Massachussetts Institute of Technology all credit meditation with not only reducing blood pressure and encouraging relaxation but also enhancing concentration and productivity. And, they say, these benefits are manifest in observable changes in brain activity, prompting companies as large as Time Warner to offer meditation training to their employees. So, dust off that incense and find a quiet place. Meditation's not just for the maharishi anymore.Meditation BenchThis bench allows meditation in a kneeling, rather than cross-legged, position. The collapsible legs feature special curved bases that allow the angle of the seat to be adjusted for the most comfortable posture. $49.95 www.comfortchannel.com/prod.itml/icOid/1708Meditation Cushion SetThis set includes three pillows which enable comfort and good posture while meditating. Each pillow is available in 11 different colors. $103.50 www.samadhicushions.com/samadhi.cgi/C-zset.htmlMeditation Techniques This service offers two 90-day series of weekly instructional e-mails to help those new to meditation. The messages cover most aspects of meditation, from a basic step-by-step to more abstract notions such as "Paths to Illumination" and "Connection with the Universal." $47.00 for six months. www.higherawareness.com/meditation.shtml