What is meditation? - Meditation Explanation | Freemeditation.com

What is meditation?

What is meditation?

Despite all its popularity, today very few of us truly know what meditation is. Some regard meditation is the mental concentration on something, others consider that we meditate when we imagine something that gives us peace or satisfaction. All these methods are being with one goal to slow down and, eventually, completely stop the incessant activity of our minds. These exercises are not really meditation – they are substitutes for meditation because it is normally very difficult to stop our minds all-together. In reality, meditation is a state of thoughtless awareness. It is not an act of doing – it is a state of awareness. We either in this state or we are not, regardless of what we are doing in life. Truly, a man can be in meditation while doing his day’s labors as another man can be very far from meditation while sitting in a lotus posture on the top of a mountain.

When we take a look at the various explanations of meditation, another thing we often see is that meditation is defined as taking a moment to sit quietly or to ponder. True meditation, however is much more than this. It is a state of profound, deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and silent, yet completely alert. This is just the beginning of an inner transformation that takes us to a higher level of awareness. This enables us to fulfill our true human potential. The problem, of course, is how to achieve this state.

Meditation is not…

Concentration
Concentration is an effort to fix the attention on a particular object or idea for a long period of time. The techniques used in visualization are another type of concentration.

Loss of control
Sounds, voices, colors and involuntary movements have nothing to do with meditation or spirituality. These are symptoms of loss of awareness and loss of control over some parts of ourselves.

Exercises
Exercises, such as postures and breathing, do not constitute meditation. They may help establish some balance if under the guidance of a true master (a realized soul). Their practice without a true spiritual goal only leads to an imbalance in the right channel.

Mental effort
Thoughtless awareness is achieved through the raising of the Kundalini. To get rid of blockages that prevent her ascent, we use the hands and introspection but never mental effort (e.g., the continuous repetition of “I must stop thinking”).

Why meditation?

Meditation, Flowers and scented candleMeditation is seen by a number of researchers as potentially one of the most effective forms of stress reduction. [1] While stress reduction techniques have been cultivated and studied in the West for approximately 70 years, the data indicates that they are not consistently effective. [2]

Meditation however, has been developed in Eastern cultures and has a documented history of more than several thousand years. Eastern meditative techniques have been developed, trialed and refined over hundreds of generations with the specific intention of developing a method by which the layperson can regularly attain a state of mental peace and tranquillity, ie. relief from stress. It is a strategy that can easily be adapted to the needs of clinicians and their patients in the West.

A US study for example, showed that a short course of behaviour modification strategies that included meditation led to significantly fewer visits to physicians during the six months that followed. The savings were estimated at over $200 per patient . [3]  A study of insurance statistics showed that the use of medical care was significantly less for meditators compared to nonmeditators. [4]

The growing emphasis on:

  • quality of life outcomes
  • concepts such as psychoneuroimmunology or mind–body medicine  and
  • reducing healthcare costs
  • suggest that stress reduction and improving mental health are becoming increasingly relevant to healthcare.

Some key points about meditation

meditation-effortlessMeditation can be an effective form of stress reduction and has the potential to improve quality of life and decrease healthcare costs.

Meditation involves achieving a state of ‘thoughtless awareness’ in which the excessive stress producing activity of the mind is neutralised without reducing alertness and effectiveness.

Authentic meditation enables one to focus on the present moment rather than dwell on the unchangeable past or undetermined future.

There is little quality evidence comparing one meditation technique with another or meditation with relaxation techniques.

The theoretical explanation for the effects of meditation and relaxation techniques is that the release of catecholamines and other stress hormones are reduced and parasympathetic activity is increased.

Whether meditation involves other unique neurophysiological effects remains to be proven.

[1] Hassed C. Meditation in general practice. Aust Fam Physician 1996; 25(8):1257–1260.
[2] West M (ed). The psychology of meditation. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987.
[3] Achterberg J. Mind body interventions, meditation. In: Berman B. Alternative medicine, expanding medical horizons. Washington DC: Office of Alternative Medicine, National Institute of Health, 1992.
[4] McSherry. Medical economics. In: Wedding D, ed. Medicine and behaviour. St Louis: Mosby and Co, 1990 : 463 – 484 .

Next: How does meditation work?



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12 comment(s) so far, want to say something now?


  • Sharada Darbha
    Dec 3, 2009
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    Its the only way to be human .
    one has to experience tha taste of the sugar to describe how sweet it is similarly one ha sto experience sahaj to be just human .For there is no other simplest way to understand what we are & what we were missing so far ……..

    Reply

    2

  • anita paquet
    Dec 18, 2009
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    Hi,

    I would like to know what locations in Toronto have free meditation workshops.

    Anita

    Reply

    admin
    December 18th, 2009

    Hi Anita,

    Please check the following link for meditation classes in Toronto
    http://www.freemeditation.com/meditation-classes/ontario/#Toronto

    All the best

    Reply

    3

  • John
    Dec 29, 2009
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    Look, Meditation is a process by which you can control your nerve system according to you and live long life with out disease and tension free.

    Reply

    4

  • dr.mani verma
    Dec 29, 2009
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    i learned sahaj yoga by one of my very good frn marina.thnx to u marina.this has totally changed my life.
    i m getting more success,peace,love n joy day by day.

    love u shri mataj

    Reply

    5

  • Aniket
    Jan 17, 2010
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    Hi,

    I want to know what location in mumbai near (Thane) have free meditation classes.

    Reply

    soham
    June 14th, 2010

    Centre at Thane is at Bedekar vidaya mandir on Friday 7 pm to 8 pm
    There are many centres at Thane like Sri Maa school, etc

    Do contact me for more information if needed.

    Reply

    6

  • Nigel Coates
    Jan 27, 2010
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    To me the definition of meditation is similar to ‘Love’. You can try to explain it to someone, but unless they have experienced it – they wont really ‘get it’.
    One of my first teachers set me the challenge to meditate while washing up. I thought he was joking – until i achieved it. It took me a little longer, but it was a pleasure, not a chore :)

    Reply

    7

  • carlos villanueva aguilera
    Feb 6, 2010
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    mi comentario se trata de los vídeos y meditacion guiada,que si fueran posible que fueran en español,ya que no domino el idioma ingles.
    Atentamente:Carlos villanueva a.

    Reply

    8

  • srinivasa rao j
    Mar 2, 2010
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    Very nice article i learned some new things from this and requesting you to continue this.
    with nirmal love
    srinivas

    Reply

    9

  • Anitha.D,
    Mar 22, 2010
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    Hi,
    I would like to know if you have any mediation classes in Sydney

    Reply

    10

  • admin
    Mar 23, 2010
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    Hi Anita

    Here is the link.
    http://www.sahajayoga.com.au/sahaja_yoga_meetings/index.shtml

    Hope you will find a center nearby.

    Reply

    11

  • Dawn
    Apr 30, 2010
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    I would like to know if there are any free meditation classes in Calgary, AB or Sahaja Yoga meetings.

    Reply

    admin
    May 2nd, 2010

    Hello Dawn,
    Yes, there is a Sahaja Yoga meetings in Calgary. Here is the link for the info:
    http://www.meditationcanada.ca/

    Best wishes

    Reply

    12

  • MCSE courses UK
    Aug 10, 2010
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    It works to get out of mental stress.

    Reply

    13

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