I like Starchasers quick answers to it. I got into Meditation and Chi Gung after I had been studying Northern Shaolin for about 6 months. I was learning the Mantis style which is a very aggressive style and I noticed I was maintaining the aggression even after I was finished training. I was sizing people up and just carrying that attitude with me. First of all, that's not how I am, and second, i didn't like that I felt that way when I didn't intend to. I started out just doing simple grounding exercises from Chi Gung and then took up sitting meditations to work on simply focusing on the present. It wasn't hard to calm everything down and turn off that Mantis spirit, it just takes a little effort.

I meditate now to focus my mind and to be mindful of emotions that are out of balance and when I think on them, I can bring them back to balance.