What is Meditation?

What is meditation? ...according to the "Word Web" online dictionary meditation is described as continuous and profound reflection, contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature.

In the "Wikipedia" it has been defined as "self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now."

We can therefore say meditation is described variously as a state of concentrated attention on some object of thought or awareness, usually involving turning the attention inward to a single point of reference, although sometimes directed outward, or expressed in concentrated action, such as walking or drumming. There are countless different ways to meditate, some active, some passive. What is important is to find a method that works for you and to practice it regularly. See the 7 Secrets of Meditation here.

Sri Chinmoy says: "The meditation that gives you immediate joy or continuous joy is the best meditation for you. Everyone will not have the same meditation. Your meditation will not suit me, my meditation will not suit you. You like a certain food, I don't like it. You are right in your own way I am right in my own way. Once you know what your best meditation is, please stick to it."

"Meditation is the gateway, through which you arrive to the world of freedom." ~Remez Sasson~

And remember . . . there is no such thing as a bad meditation or doing it wrong.

In laymen's terms, what is meditation?

Meditation is merely sitting, relaxing and being in the now.

Yes . . . it is just that uncomplicated, sitting, relaxing and being in the now discovering, learning and understanding; not criticizing your thoughts, but simply watching them and learning about yourself from them.

Meditation can be as simple as "time out", the getting "lost in thought" moment, "taking a deep breath - hmm hmmm", the "waking up and smell the roses" moment.

Our lives are so full of the demands of work, family, friends and organized leisure interests that we have no time to just "sit and stare". Think of those rare moments when your mind "dipped out" for an instant and you landed up being able to just "stare" into the distance.

Cast your mind back to when you experienced one of those moments . . . your thoughts were so calm and harmonious that you felt as if you had no thoughts at all. Meditation is very much like these "sit and stare" moments.

We get so caught up in the "rat race", planning our days, gearing up to work towards our future, raising children, worrying about our obligations, the list is never ending that we hardly observe anything in our hustle and bustle to "get on" with life anymore, let alone take notice and pleasure from this moment, the here and now, we more often than not miss out on the simple pleasures of life... what is meditation if not...

• a beautiful sunset,
• the innocent wonder of a child,
• the comfort of a log fire in winter,
• the softness of a baby's skin,
• the singing of a bird,
• the smell of fresh roasted coffee or a "cuppa" tea,
• or even just a deep breath of fresh, crisp air on a spring morning.

These simple pleasures in life are there to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and experienced, even if you live in the "rat race" of the most industrial and commercial cities.

What is meditation from a physical point of view?

It is important to remember that meditation is not dependent on the body, you do not have to be a contortionist or a monk to meditate, you don't have to fast, no special physical exercises or breathing control exercises are necessary for you to enjoy the benefits of meditation on either a mental, physical or emotional level; although if you already practice physical or breathing control exercises (and you understand what you are doing) there is no reason to stop. If they are unnecessary or wrong for you they will drop away naturally.

The Spirituality of Meditation

What is meditation from a spiritual viewpoint?

Let's take a quick look at meditation from a spiritual physics point of view and how it can and does affect you, the individual as well as the world in which you live.

How often have you heard the human race being referred to as "Light Beings" but what does this mean?

According to the scientific community light is energy which produces hundreds of trillions of vibrations per second in the form of light waves. Let's just say that the "source" of this light or energy is within you - the individual - and these light waves or energy waves are eternally emanating from your consciousness as lines of force and that these waves or lines of force govern electrons and causes atoms to cluster in an energy field as a thought-form which is then "moved down" through the dimensions to manifest on the physical plane.

We know from science that all things of "matter" whether it is visible or not are made up of atoms, or pure energy therefore all things seen or not is energy in motion and this energy of all things are controlled by thought.

Your consciousness is not only the transmitter of energy but also the directing force that destroys or creates.

Now depending on the frequency of your consciousness, a high or low vibration, you will either heal or harm; there is no in-between. This is why pure and harmonious thoughts are of vital importance to your own well being as well as that of the world and one of the ways to attain this state is through meditation.

It is a good way of taking "time out" and allowing you to tune into, appreciate and experience the moment.

It may be sitting back at your desk and enjoying a cup of fresh roasted coffee, watching a breathtaking sunset, walking your dog along the seashore or in the park, sitting under a tree on a warm summer's day watching the clouds change shape, or just noticing and experiencing the intensity and power of silence in a still room and enjoying it.

Meditation is the quality of awareness that we bring to an act.

It is about raising our levels of consciousness so that we are aware of our activity and of any thoughts and emotions that we are experiencing in the moment as we do it.

Meditation is a powerful tool that promotes deep relaxation in all areas of your being, slowing down the brain waves into a relaxed alpha pattern similar to deep sleep. Try Visualizing and Meditating with Color.