Meditation for Peace by BestBooksOnline - HTML preview

The Basics

• Definitions of Meditation Overview

I have already discussed that meditation is a subjective thing. There are various definitions and explanations of Meditation. People use different techniques to achieve different goals through Meditation. History remains unable to locate the person, who first started Meditation to attain self integrity and peace of mind. I will start chapter with the definitions of Meditations.

Word’s History

The word “Meditation” roots back to a Latin word

“Meditation”. The word “Meditation” means to think, to think about something or to consider something. Later, people started using this word with reference to spiritual practices followed by Eastern world. Buddhists use word “dhyana” which is  equivalent to meditation. Meditation is basically the word, which is used in modern English. Previously, it was used with different names. Now, it has been confirmed that meditation is equivalent to the Christian term “Contemplation” in its meaning and perspectives.

Various Definitions of Meditation

There is not any single definition of meditation. Several personalities have elaborated the meanings of meditation with their own perspectives.

We will look at some widely used definitions of meditation:

• Some scholars define meditation as steady thought and consideration. This is the most basic and quite open definition of meditation. This definition presents only one thing that one has to think about something, but this definition does not tell on which object one should concentrate? Usually teachers ask students to concentrate on their studies. Is it really meditation?
• According to second type of definition, meditation is a pious religious or spiritual thought. This definition also limits the meaning of meditation by connecting it to only religious thoughts. Other thoughts and ideas are discarded in this way.
• Meditation is a process of continuously thinking upon a specific idea, verse or object. This concentration is equivalent to the process in which cattle chews cud endlessly.
• Some definitions consider day dreaming as meditation, but there is much controversy exists in taking it as meditation. Day dreaming cannot be called as meditation, because it is usually a conscious process. Moreover, it does not give the same spiritual and healing effects which are attached with meditation.

Overall, meditation is an internal practice of a person which takes several forms. It mainly changes the mind of an individual, which brings peace to the mind and gives relief from mental stresses.

Origin of Meditation

Finding  the  origin   of   meditation   may  be  quite  difficult. Meditation is deep rooted in Asia, and countries like China, India and Japan are practicing it for thousands of years. Tribes in South India had developed Tantric Meditation about 15 thousand years back. Tantric meditation was in common use those days. So, we can put forward that concept of meditation emerged from Asia and took various forms in all over the world. Other views about the origin of meditation claims that it originated from the human being’s curiosity for the purpose of men, purpose of the universe and to find God by looking inside the self to realize the nature and its existence.

Historical Perspectives of Meditation

All historians have consensus over the points that, meditation has evolved during unknown ancient times and that; it was not practiced in such a way in which it is practiced today. Taoists started practicing meditation during 500 to 600 BC. Buddhists also started using meditation in the same era. In history, Buddha is one of the greatest promoters of meditation. He was the one to teach meditation in Asia during 500 BC. Buddha has introduced the basic forms of meditation, and all the world adapted and transformed these meditation techniques according to their needs and purposes.

Important point to note here is that, Eastern countries were the origin   of   meditation   and   getting   relief   through   various meditation techniques. West had adapted this culture from East.  During  20th   century,  Western  researchers  conducted researches on meditation and came to know about its physical and   psychological   benefits.   Since   then,   they   are   using meditation as a wide spread practice in their culture. Western population widely practiced meditation for peace of mind and to get relief from daily life stresses. Nowadays, a downfall has been observed in practices of meditation, and reason is lack of time.