Introduction to Meditation

Meditation has been practiced throughout the world for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It is generally accepted that the practice originated within the Eastern religions, more particularly within Vedic Hinduism. The chief aim of meditation is to allow the individual to discover a place of inner peace and quiescence. It is a form of personal and spiritual development that acts to free one's mind from the trappings of the physical plain of existence.

In many cases, the act of meditation is an effort to reacquaint oneself with the higher powers. The motivation behind the act of meditation differs from person to person, but it would appear that meditation is performed in a way similar to prayer in western religions. The notion of becoming closer to one's God plays a significant role in most forms of meditation.

In modern times, there has been a significant change in the way individual's approach meditation. Meditation has always been intimately connected to the principles of religion and spirituality. In the west, one gets the sense that practitioners of meditation have little connection to the major organized religions. Meditation, in a sense, has supplanted religion as a way to stay connected with the higher powers.

While meditation has become extremely popular outside of the hierarchy of the church and faith, it is generally accepted that it still exists within the realm of spirituality and ethics. One common thread between modern practitioners of meditation would appear to be the notion of living an ethical lifestyle. In essence, this refers to the ability of the individual to exemplify their internal, spiritual insights in their external, material life.

Meditation has shown to have incredible benefits for committed practitioners. Many people have reported improved concentration, self-discipline, and awareness as a consequence their meditative practices. It has also been known to induce a sense of calm, inner peace and harmony. From a health and fitness perspective, meditation has the ability to relieve stress, and to assist with proper cardiovascular and respiratory function.

Meditation may not be for everyone. But for those individuals that are motivated to make some positive changes in their lives, Meditation may be the key to unlocking the potential within. Do not be eager to dismiss the claims made above. Do some research, and talk to your friends and family. There is a good chance that somebody you know has benefited from meditative practice. It could help you, too.

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What is meditation?

Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. Several major religions include ritual meditation; however, meditation itself need not be a religious or spiritual activity. Most of the more popular systems of meditation are of Eastern origin, though there exists also various forms of Christian, Jewish and Muslim meditation.
Meditation as a form of alternative medicine brings about mental calmness and physical relaxation by suspending the stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind. Generally performed once or twice a day for approximately 20 minutes at a time, meditation is used to reduce stress, alter hormone levels, and elevate one's mood.
A discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practice gained greater notice in the post war US as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; known to lower levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. Enhances recuperation and improves the body’s resistance to disease.
Meditation is an easy and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is easily learned and has been used as an aid in treating stress, anxiety, pain management, and as part of an overall treatment for other conditions including hypertension and heart disease. Research shows that meditation decreases the heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption, and even decreases blood pressure.