By definition, meditation is a practice whereby an individual, through a certain technique or practice, ( such as focusing on a particular object or the repetition of a Mantra), manages to achieve an emotionally calm and mentally clear state
Since antiquity, the process of meditation has been used in various and numerous traditions and religious beliefs. From long before the nineteenth century, the culture of meditation has spread to different cultures and beliefs where it has been commonly practised in private and personal life
There are numerous aims and uses behind the practice of meditation, some of which include the reduction of depression, anxiety and stress, the relief of pain and depression and an increase in feelings of well-being, peacefulness and mental perception. Amongst the many benefits of meditation are the health benefits if the areas of cardiovascular, psychological and neurological afflictions.
The English word meditation is derived from the Latin meditatio, a verb which means “ to contemplate, ponder, think or devise”
In the Hebrew Old Testament, the word hāgâ (Hebrew: הגה), dually meant to murmur or sigh, but also meant to meditate. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, the Hebrew hāgâ became the Greek word Melete. And when the Greek was translated to Latin, the word became Meditatio. The use of the word Meditation as part of the process of meditation goes back to Guigo II, a 12-century monk,
In the seventh of the eight limbs of Yoga in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, a step called dhyāna in Sanskrit refers to Meditation. Meditation refers to the spiritual or mental state that can be attained by such practice, and the practice of that state.
Meditation quite simply means the state of awareness lacking the presence of thoughts, a state of pure calmness, with just a sense of pure feeling in both mind and emotions.
Meditation isn’t something that needs to be practised in a particular position or at a particular time (although some people do this). It is an action that can take place throughout the day, in all of one’s activities. If one learns to become observant of your body’s and minds emotions, without reacting to them, then this process itself becomes the act of meditation and can take place in any state, from walking to eating and even talking, whilst always maintaining constant observation of what is occurring around oneself
Meditation releases us from all the needs for pretence, in essence, meditation is the search for the origin of the of truth. It is not exactly the calming down of one’s mind but rather a method of entering into the quiet of the mind that is always present
During the practice of meditation, you will discover the lack of competition with anyone ( much like the practice of the science of Yoga). The practice of meditation is not done to gain anything physical, but it will remove anxiety, stress, anger and fear from your life.
Each soul has the potential for divinity, Swami Vivekananda once said. The practice of Meditation, by so doing, thus releases the potential divinity in every one of us, allowing each of us to explore one’s own self, and to naturally serve humanity.
Meditation is, therefore, a simple exercise in resting the natural state of the present mind, and allowing oneself to simply be, and allowing whatever thoughts, emotions or sensations that occur to simply be present.
Meditation is one of the tools in our arsenal that allows for the removal of the illusionary negative state that consists of desires, dreams, the past and future and stops us from just being present and utterly in the moment without any other thoughts, that is a reality.
Meditation does not really put effort on the mind, in fact, it does not apply any effort to the mind at all. In essence, it just allows the mind to follow its own path and interferes with it not at all.
It merely remains watchful and bears witness.
Meditation is the methodology of knowing who you are and discovering what your potential is, it connects you as the individual with being happy and content with your unique universal connection.
There are various types of meditation, some of the more famous know types are; Vipassana Meditation, Chakra Meditation, Transcendental Meditation, Dynamic Meditation and Om Meditation.
