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Meditation is a mental discipline by which an individual attempts to "go beyond" the concept of thinking and enter into a phase of deeper relaxation of mind, body and soul. In simple terms, "Meditation involves concentrating on an object such as a symbol or alternatively feeling the rhythm of one's breathing pattern".
At the core of meditation is the goal to focus and eventually quiet your mind. As you progress, you will find that you can meditate anywhere and at any time, accessing an inner calm no matter what's going on around you. But, for that you must learn to train your mind.
Meditation is also an important concept which is practiced by many religions across the world. Varying from time to time various "gurus" have given importance to this discipline that emphasies different goals—from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.
Now let us look at the origin of the word "Meditation", It is derived from the word "med" which means, "mete, medicine, modest, and moderate". Other roots of this word dates back the Indo-European era where med, means "to measure"
"Meditation" in western context refers to Yogic meditation that originated in India. It was then during the late 19th century, Many theosophists adopted the word "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices that were drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and various other Indian religions.
Hectic Life & Importance of Meditation
With the hustle and bustle, stressful and demanding modern life; many of us feel over-drained and over-worked. People don't find enough time throughout the day as to complete their tasks. Thus, our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. Naturally it causes ill-effects on our health.
People are often so busy that we feel there is no time to stop and meditate. It is important to note that, meditation actually gives you more time by making one's mind more calmer and focussed.
Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy.
Simple Steps to begin Meditation
1. Schedule your time for Meditation:
Set aside enough time from your daily routine for meditating. It's important to note that, "the effects of meditation are most noticeable when you do it regularly and consistently rather than occasionally".
- Some people will find a five minute meditation worthwhile, for others, the benefits of longer meditation are well worth the time.
- You can meditate any time of day; some people like to start their day off with meditation, others like to end the day.
- It is not advisable to meditate immediately after a meal, or when you are likely to be hungry.
2. Find for yourself a peaceful place to meditate:
- It's especially important, when you're starting out, to avoid any obstacles to attention.
- If you play music, make sure it's calm, repetitive and gentle, so as not to break your concentration.
- Meditating outside can be conducive, as long as you don't sit near a busy roadway or another source of loud noise.
3. Concenterate on your breathing pattern:
Breathe slowly from your abdomen rather than from your chest. Concenterate on your breathing pattern both,
while inhaling and exhaling and slowly repeat this pattern with a starting count ranging from 3 to 6 times.
Focussing on your breath helps you to release stress as well as
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