What is meditation - Definitions and descriptions

What is meditation and what does it do? Meditation is a mental/spiritual technique for relaxing the restlessness of the mind and freeing it from anxiety and stress. In its higher forms, it aims for the attaining of peace of mind, inner silence and spiritual awakening.

Meditation is a state of concentrated attention on a thought, idea, an aspect of God or on one's awareness, and usually involves turning the attention inwards, away from the external world. During meditation, the mind often wanders away and the meditator has to be constantly vigilant, and to bring the attention back to the meditation again and again. This of course involves some effort in the beginning, but as one gains proficiency, less effort will be necessary. When one is advanced on the path, keeping the mind calm and free from distracting thoughts can become a habit.

In it higher forms, meditation aims to free the mind from the subconscious compulsive habit to think incessantly. This leads to inner peace, inner freedom, and to awareness of one's real essence - The Inner I - The Spirit, which is above and beyond the mind. It also leads to serenity, clarity and bliss.

Meditation is practiced in both the East and the West in its various forms. You don't need to be a monk or a hermit or live in seclusion or in an ashram in order to practice it. In fact, you can continue living your day-to-day life, have a job, a husband or a wife and kids, and still practice it. You don't need to follow any particular religion, wear special clothes or lead a certain lifestyle. Meditation is an inner activity, which can be practiced anywhere, and has nothing to do with any external way of life.

There are many meditation techniques and traditions, some involve visualization and others the repetition of a mantra. Some techniques require contemplating on the meaning of selected verses from the scriptures, and others require focusing the attention on the breath, a candle or a certain shape. There are also techniques that require silencing the mind and becoming aware of the inner Self within.

Though there are many techniques, meditation can be divided into two main forms. One involves thinking and focusing on a certain thought, idea or ideal, and the other, which is a more advanced form, requires the emptying of the mind of all thoughts and entering into a state of inner silence. It is not a state of dullness or unconsciousness, but a state of deep inner peace and awareness of one's real being.

Meditation is not a state of being lazy, impractical and dreamy. In order to practice it and attain success, it requires at least some concentration ability, self-discipline, willpower and perseverance. Like learning and developing any other subject or skill, it requires the capacity to think clearly, and the willingess to devote time, effort and energy to master it.

Regular practice of meditation affects one's behavior, thinking, state of mind and attitude. It develpos patience, tolerance and tranquility, as well increased self-mastery, discipline and inner strength, not to mention its beneficial affect on health, but in order to reap its rewards, you need to practice it regularly.

Now that you know what is meditation, click on the links at the top of this page for more articles on meditation and how to meditate.