Meditation can be defined as a practice in which an individual uses techniques, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought, or activity, to achieve a clear, emotionally calm state of mind.
Meditation has been practiced since ancient times in various traditions and religious beliefs. Since the 19th century, it has spread from its origin to other cultures where it is commonly practiced in personal and business life.
Meditation can be used with the aim of reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, and promoting peace, perception, and well-being. Meditation is in research to determine its health possibilities (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other effects.
Video Meditation
Etymology
The English meditation comes from the Latin meditatio , of the meditari verb , meaning "to think, contemplate, compose, contemplate".
In the Old Testament, h? GÃÆ' Â ¢ (Hebrew: ??? ) means sighing or grumbling, and also, for meditation. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, h? GÃÆ' Â ¢ became the Greek melete . The Latin Bible then translates h? GÃÆ' Â ¢ / melete to meditatio . The use of the meditatio term as part of the process of formal meditation and gradually returns to the 12th century monk, Guigo II.
In addition to the specific context of a more precise meaning is not rarely given the word "meditation". For example, "meditation" is sometimes a meditatio translation in Latin. Meditatio is the third of the four steps of Lectio Divina , an ancient form of Christian prayer. "Meditation" also refers to the seven of the eight branches of Yoga in Patanjali Yoga Sutra , a step called dhy? Na in Sanskrit. Meditation refers to the mental or spiritual state that might be achieved by such practices, and also refers to the practice of that state.
Regardless of its historical use, the term meditation was introduced as a translation for Eastern spiritual practice, referred to as dhy? Na in Buddhism and in Hinduism, derived from the Sanskrit root dhyai , which means meditating or meditating. The term "meditation" in English can also refer to the practices of Islamic Sufism, or other traditions such as the Jewish Kabbalah and Christian Hesychasm. An edited book on "meditation" published in 2003, for example, includes contributions to chapters by authors depicting Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Scholars have noted that "the term" meditation "as it has entered contemporary usage" is parallel to the term "contemplation" in Christianity, but in many cases, practices similar to modern forms of meditation are simply called "prayers." The forms of Christian, Jewish, and Islamic meditation are usually devotional, biblical or thematic, while Asian meditation forms are often more technical.
Maps Meditation
Definition
In popular use, the words "meditation" and the phrase "meditation practice" are often used improperly to show the same practice, or set of practices, found in many cultures and traditions.
A 2009 study of the general outlook for seven experts trained in diverse but empirically highly studied (clinical or inherited East) forms of meditation identified "three main criteria... as important for any meditation practice: use of prescribed techniques, relaxation logic and state/self-induced modes. Other criteria that are considered important (but not important) involve a state of psychophysical relaxation, the use of self-focused skills or anchors, the presence of a suspension state of logical thinking processes, religious/spiritual/philosophical contexts, or state of mental silence. " However, this study warns, " It makes sense that meditation is best regarded as a natural technique category best captured by 'Family resemblance'... or with a related 'prototype' concept model.
This table shows several other definitions of meditation that have been used by influential modern reviews from research on meditation in some traditions.
In the study of modern psychology, meditation has been defined and characterized in various ways; many of these emphasize the role of attention. Scientific reviews have proposed that researchers seek to more clearly define the types of meditation practiced in order for their research results to be made more clear.
The definitions in the Oxford and Cambridge life dictionaries are "focusing one's mind for a certain period of time" and "the act of paying attention to only one thing."
Separation techniques from tradition
Some difficulty in defining meditation properly is the need to recognize the peculiarities of the various traditions. There may be a difference between the theories of one tradition of meditation as to what it means to practice meditation. The difference between the various traditions themselves, which have grown very far apart from each other, may even be more striking. Taylor notes that it refers only to meditation of a particular religion (eg, "Hindu" or "Buddha")
... is not enough, because the cultural tradition from which that particular type of meditation comes is very different and even in one tradition differs in a complicated way. The specific name of the school of thought or teacher or the title of a particular text is often very important to identify a particular type of meditation.
Ornstein notes that "Most meditation techniques do not exist as solitary practices but are only separated artificially from the whole exercise system and belief." This means that, for example, when monks engage in meditation as part of their daily lives, they also use codified rules and live together in monasteries in certain cultural settings that are in line with their meditation practice. These meditative practices sometimes have similarities (often noticed by Westerners), for example concentration on the breath is practiced in the context of Zen, Tibet and Theravadan, and this similarity or "typology" is recorded here.
Usage in this article
This article focuses primarily on meditation in the broadest sense of the type of technique, which is found in various forms in many cultures, where practitioners attempt to transcend reflexive thinking, "think" (sometimes called "discursive thinking" or "logic"). reach a deeper, more obedient, or more relaxed state. The terms "meditation practice" and "meditation" are mostly used here in this broad sense. However, its use may be somewhat different from context - the reader should be aware that in quotations, or in the discussion of a particular tradition, the more specific meaning of "meditation" can sometimes be used (with meaning made clear by the context whenever possible).
Forms of meditation
Focused vs. open focus meditation
In the West, meditation techniques are sometimes considered in two broad categories: focused meditation (or concentration) and open monitoring meditation (or full attention).
One style, focused attention (FA) meditation, requires a voluntary focus of attention on the selected object, breathing, image, or words. Another style, Open Monitoring (OM) meditation, involves non-reactive monitoring of experience content over time.
The direction of mental attention... A practitioner can focus intensively on a particular object (called concentration meditation ), on all mental events entering the realm of consciousness (called i> conscious meditation ), or both the special focus point and the awareness field.
Attention focused method
This includes paying attention to breath, to ideas or feelings (such as mett?), Or mantras (such as transcendental meditation), and single point meditation.
Open the monitoring method
These include consciousness, shikantaza, and other awareness status.
Practice using both methods
Some exercises use both techniques, including vipassana (which uses anapanasati as preparation), samatha/calm-obedience, and headroom.
No thoughts
In this method, practitioners are fully alert, conscious, and controlling their senses but do not experience unwanted mind activity. "This is very different from the general, independent and nonjudgmental approach to mind, but not letting the mind stop. In the meditation practice of Sahaja yoga spiritual movement, the focus is on the mind that stops. Clear-light yoga also aims at a state without mental content, as does a wu nian state taught by Huineng.
Automatically transcends yourself
One proposal is transcendental meditation and perhaps other techniques are grouped as an automatic 'self-transcending' technique.
Differences effects of different methods
Evidence from neuroimaging research suggests that the category of meditation, determined by how they direct attention, appears to produce different brainwave patterns. The evidence also shows that using different focus objects during meditation can produce different brainwave patterns.
The meditation method used by some famous meditators
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- Many methods; Pema ChÃÆ'¶drÃÆ'¶n (shambhala - using several methods), Susan Piver (shambhala), SNGoenka (vipassana - using several methods), Joseph Goldstein (vipassana), Judson Brewer (vipassana), Yuval Harari (vipassana) (Various, including analytical meditation), Matthieu Ricard (love, open consciousness, analytics), Sharon Salzberg (love, attention, vipassana), Daniel Goleman (dzogchen, others), Thubten Chodron (stabilizing, analytical, loving) -Kindness), Martine and Stephen Batchelor (breath attention, body, voice, tone of feeling (vedanas), Seon questioned, appreciated joy (mudita)).
- Focused attention; Ray Dalio (transcendental meditation), David Lynch (transcendental meditation).
- Open awareness; Jon Kabat-Zinn (full attention), Sam Harris (full attention).
Meditation practice
General practice timings
The transcendental meditation technique recommends exercise 20 minutes twice per day. Some techniques suggest less time, especially when starting meditation, and Richie Davidson has cited research that says benefits can be achieved with just 8 minutes of exercise per day. Some meditators train longer, especially when in a course or retreat. Some meditators find the best practice in the hours before dawn.
Posture and physical engineering
While positions such as full lotus, half lotus, Burma, Seiza, and kneeling positions are popular in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, other postures such as sitting, supine (lying), and standing are also used. Meditation is also sometimes done while walking, known as kinhin, or while performing a simple, attentive task, known as samu.
Use of prayer beads
Some of the ancient religions of the world have a tradition of using tasbih as a tool in meditation meditation. Most Christian prayerboses and rosaries consist of pearls or beads connected together by a thread. Roman Catholic Rosary is a series of beads containing five sets with ten small beads. The Hindu japa mala has 108 beads (the number 108 itself has a spiritual significance, as well as that used in Jainism and Buddhist tasbih.Each beads are counted once when one utters a spell until the person has reached the mala.The Muslim misbagi has 99 beads, beads.
Possible benefits of supporting the meditation practice with narration
Richie Davidson has expressed the view that having narration can help maintain daily practice. For example he himself prostrates to the teachings, and meditates "not primarily for my benefit, but for the benefit of others."
Religious and spiritual meditation
Indian Religions
Jainism
In Jainism, meditation has become a core spiritual practice, which Jain believes by people since the teachings of Tirthankara, Rishabha. All twenty-four Tirthankaras practice deep meditation and attain enlightenment. They are all displayed in meditation postures in pictures or idols. Mahavira practiced deep meditation for twelve years and attained enlightenment. The 500 BCE Acaranga Sutra discusses the meditation system of Jainism in detail. Acharya Bhadrabahu from the 4th century BCE practiced meditation Mahaprana for twelve years. Kundakunda of the 1st century BC, opened a new dimension of meditation in the Jain tradition through his books Samayas? Ra , Pravachansar and others. The 8th century Jain philosopher Haribhadra also contributed to the development of Jain yoga through his Yogad ??? isamuccaya, which compares and analyzes various yoga systems, including Hindu, Buddhist and Jain systems.
The meditation system and spiritual practice of Jain are called the path of salvation. It has three important parts called Ratnatraya "Three Gems": correct perception and faith, correct knowledge and correct behavior. Meditation in Jainism aims to manifest itself, attain salvation, take the soul to complete freedom. It aims to achieve and remain in a state of pure soul believed to be pure consciousness, beyond any attachment or aversion. Practitioners seek to become an astrologer (Gyata-Drashta). Jain Meditation can be broadly categorized into Dharmya Dhyana and Shukla Dhyana .
There are a number of meditation techniques such as pind? Stha-dhy? Na, pad? Stha-dhy? Na, r? P? Stha-dhy? Na, r? P? Tita-dhy? Na, sav? rya-dhy? na , etc. In the pad? stha dhy? na someone focuses on Charms. Mantra can be a combination of core letters or words about deities or themes. There is a rich Mantra tradition in Jainism. All Jain followers are detached from their sect, whether Digambara or Svetambara, practicing mantras. The chant of the mantra is an important part of the daily life of the monks and followers of Jain. The chanting of mantras can be done loudly or silently in the mind. Yogasana and Pranayama have been a long-standing practice. Pranayama - breathing exercises - is done to strengthen the five Pranas or vital energies. Yogasana and Pranayama balance the function of the neuro-endocrine system of the body and helps in achieving good physical, mental and emotional health.
Contemplation is a very old and important meditation technique. Practitioners meditate deeply on the fine facts. In agnya vich? Yes , one contemplates seven facts - life and non-life, inflows, slavery, cessation and abolition of karma , and the ultimate achievement of liberation. In apaya vich? Yes , one pondered the false insights that spoiled, which eventually developed the correct insight. In vipaka vich? Yes , someone reflects the eight basic causes or types of karma . In sansathan vich? Yes , people think about the extent of the universe and the loneliness of the soul.
Acharya Mahapragya formulated Preksha meditation in the 1970s and presented a well-organized meditation system. Asana and Pranayama , meditation, contemplation, mantras and therapy are integral parts. Many Preksha meditation centers appear around the world and many meditation camps are being organized to provide training in them.
Buddhism
Buddhist meditation refers to meditative practices related to Buddhism's religion and philosophy. The technique of core meditation has been preserved in ancient Buddhist texts and has mushroomed and varied through teacher-student transmissions. Buddhists pursue meditation as part of the path to enlightenment and nirvana. The closest words to meditation in the classical language of Buddhism are bh? Van? , jh? Na / dhy? Na , and vipassana .
The techniques of Buddhist meditation have become increasingly popular in the wider world, with many non-Buddhists taking it for various reasons. There is a lot of homogeneity throughout the practice of meditation - such as breathing meditation and various memories ( anussati ) - used in Buddhist schools, as well as significant diversity. In the Theravada tradition alone, there are more than fifty methods to develop consciousness and forty to develop concentration, while in the Tibetan tradition there are thousands of visualization meditations. Most classical and contemporary Buddhist meditation guides are school-specific.
The Buddha is said to have identified two of the most important mental qualities that arise from healthy meditation practice:
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- "tranquility" or "tranquility" (Pali: samatha ) that moves, composes, unites, and centers the mind;
- "insight" (Pali: vipassana ) that allows one to see, explore, and discover "formation" (conditioned phenomena based on the five aggregates).
According to Buddhist theory, through the meditative development of tranquility, one is able to weaken obscure obstacles and bring the mind to a collected, supple and calm state (samadhi). This quality of mind then supports the development of insight and wisdom (PrajÃÆ' Â ±?) Which is the quality of the mind that can "see clearly" ( vi-passana ) the nature of the phenomenon. According to Buddhist tradition, all phenomena must be seen as impermanent, suffering, non-self and empty. When this happens, a person develops displeasure ( viraga ) for all phenomena, including all negative qualities and obstacles and lets it go. Through the release of obstacles and the cessation of craving through the meditative development of the insight that a person obtains liberation.
In the modern era, Buddhist meditation sees increased popularity due to the influence of Buddhist modernism and the Vipassana movement on the basis of ordinary meditation. The spread of Buddhist meditation to the Western world is parallel to the spread of Buddhism in the West. Buddhist meditation has also influenced Western Psychology, especially through the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn who founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in 1979. The concept of modern consciousness (based on the Buddhist term sati ) and related meditation practices has in turn led to some awareness-based therapy.
Hinduism
There are many schools and meditation styles in Hinduism.
Traditional
In pre-modern and traditional Hindu religion, Yoga and Dhyana is done to realize one's oneness or one's eternal soul, someone? Tman. In some Hindu traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta, this is equated with the existing Brahman and is second to none. In others, such as the dualistic schools of Yoga and Samkhya, the Self is referred to as Purusha, a pure consciousness separate from matter. Depending on tradition, this liberative event is referred to as moksha, vimukti or kaivalya.
The earliest clear reference to meditation in Hindu literature is in the central Upanishads and the Mahabharata, the latter of which includes the Bhagavad Gita. According to Gavin Flood, the previous Brihadaranyaka Upanishad refers to meditation when it states that "after being calm and concentrated, one feels self (self) within oneself."
One of the most influential Hindu classical Yoga texts is the Yoga Pata ± ali jali sutra (about 400 AD), a text relating to Yoga and Samkhya, which describes the eight limbs that lead to kaivalya ("solitude"). These are the ethical disciplines (yamas), the rules (niyamas), the physical posture (? Sanas), the control of the breath (pr ??? yama), the withdrawal of the senses (praty? Ha ra), the centering of the mind (dh? Ra?) , meditation (dhy? na), and finally sam? dhi.
Further developments in Hind meditation include compilations of Hatha Yoga (forceful yoga) compendium such as Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhakti yoga development as the main form of meditation and Tantra. Another important Hindu yoga text is Yoga Yajnavalkya, which uses Hatha Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy.
In the sixth chapter of Bh? V? Rthadipik? comment about Bhagavad-Gita by Sri JÃÆ' Â ±? ne? var (Dnyaneshwar) meditation in yoga is described as a state caused by the spontaneous rise of Kundalini sacred energy (not Prana or Chi), which creates an individual soul relationship? tman with the universal Spirit - Param? tman.
Modern
Meditation is used in the movement of modern Hinduism.
Sikhism
In Sikhism, simran (meditation) and good deeds are required to achieve the spiritual purpose of devotees; without meditation good deeds are useless. When the Sikh people meditate, they aim to feel the presence of God and immerse themselves in divine light. It is only God's will or command that allows a devotee to begin meditating. Guru Nanak in the daily journal of Sikek Japji Sahib explains:
A visit to the temple, penance, love and charity get you, but the seed of sesame. It listens to His Name, accepts and glorifies the One who obtains emancipation by bathing in the shrine of the soul. All virtues are Yours, O Lord! I do not have anything; Without good works one can not even meditate.
N? M Japn? involves focusing one's attention on God's great names or attributes.
Eastern-Asian Religion
Taoism
Taoist or Taoist meditation has a long history, and has developed various techniques including concentration, visualization, cultivation meditation, contemplation, and awareness. Traditional Taoist meditation practices were influenced by Chinese Buddhism beginning around the 5th century, and then had an influence on Traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese martial arts.
Livia Kohn distinguishes three basic types of Tao meditation: "concentration," "insight," and "visualization." Ding ? (Literally "deciding, settling, stabilizing") refers to "deep concentration," "contemplation of intent," or "perfect absorption." Guan ? (lit. "watch, observe; see") meditation seeks to combine and achieve unity with the Dao. It was developed by Tang Dynasty teachers (618-907) based on Vipassan Buddhist practice? Buddhist "insight" or "wisdom". Cun ? (lit. "exist; be present; survive") has a sense of "to cause to exist; to make present" in meditation techniques popularized by Daoist Shangqing and Lingbao Schools. A meditator visualizes or actualizes the essence and light of the sun and moon, the light, and the gods in his body, which should produce health and longevity, even xian ?/?/?, "immortality".
The (end of the 4th century BC) Guanzi essay Neiye "Inward training" is the oldest who receives writing on the matter qi cultivation and control breath meditation technique. For example, "When you magnify your mind and release it, as you relax your vital breath and develop it, when your body is calm and immobile: And you can defend the One and throw a myriad of distractions.... This is called" vital breathing ": your thoughts and deeds seem heavenly. "
The (c 3rd century BC) Taoist Zhuangzi recorded zuowang or meditation "sitting forgetting". Confucius asked his disciple, Yan Hui, to explain what "sit and forget" meant: "I peeled my limbs and belal, dimmed my intelligence, left my form, abandoned the knowledge behind, and became synonymous with the Transformational Way of Life.
Taoist meditation practices are essential to Chinese martial arts (and some Japanese martial arts), especially the internal martial art "i qi qi -related neijia ". Some notable examples are daoyin "guiding and interesting", qigong "life-force exercise", neigong "internal training", neidan "internal alchemy", and taijiquan "ultimate fist", which is regarded as moving meditation. One general explanation of the contrast of "movement in silence" refers to the energetic visualization of the circulation within qigong and zuochan sitting meditation versus "silence in motion "refers to a meditative quiet state in the form of taijiquan . Iranian Religion
BahÃÆ'¡'ÃÆ' Faith
In the teachings of the Faith, meditation with prayer is the main tool for spiritual development and refers primarily to a person's reflection on the words of God. While prayer and meditation are connected, where meditation occurs in a general way in prayer, prayer is seen specifically as turning toward God, and meditation is seen as a communion with oneself in which one focuses on the divine.
The Teaching of Bahá¡''á notes that the purpose of meditation is to strengthen one's understanding of God's word, and to make one's soul more vulnerable to their transformative power, more accepting the need for prayer and meditation to manifest and maintain spiritual fellowship with God.
BahÃÆ'¡'u'llÃÆ'¡h, the founder of religion, never mentions a particular form of meditation, and thus everyone is free to choose his own form. However, he specifically states that BahÃÆ'¡'ÃÆ's should read portions of Bahà ¢ ¡'A writings twice a day, once in the morning, and once in the night, and ponder it. He also encourages people to think about their actions and values ​​at the end of each day. During the Nineteen Fast Days, a period of the year in which Bahà £ ¡'ÃÆ's followed the fast of sunrise to sunset, they meditated and prayed to revive their spiritual power.
Abrahamic religions
Judaism
There is evidence that Judaism has practiced meditation back thousands of years. For example, in the Torah, the patriarch Isaac is described as going to "????" ( lasuach ) in the field - a term that all commentators understand because of some kind of meditation practice (Genesis 24:63).
Similarly, there are indications throughout the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) that meditation is used by prophets. In the Old Testament, there are two Hebrew words for meditation: h? GÃÆ' Â ¢ (Hebrew: ??? ?), Which means sigh or mumble , but also to meditate , and sÃÆ'®? ÃÆ' Â ¢ (Hebrew: ???? ?), Which means for muse , or practice in one's mind .
Some meditative traditions have been encouraged in the school of Judaism known as Kabbalah, and some Jews have described Kabbalah as an inherent meditative field of study. Aryeh Kaplan argues that, for the Kabbalists, the ultimate goal of meditation practice is to understand and unite with the Divine. Classical methods include mental visualization of the supernatural nature that the soul passes through to achieve a certain goal. One of the most recognizable types of meditation in early Jewish mysticism is the work of Merkabah, from the root/R-K-B/meaning "chariot" (God).
Meditation has attracted the interest of many modern Jews. In modern Jewish practice, one of the most famous meditation practices is called "hitbodedut" ( ???????? , or transliterated as "hisbodedus"), and is described in Kabbalistic, Hasid, and Mussar, in particular the Hasidic Rabbi Nachman method of Breslav. This word comes from the Hebrew word "boded" (????), which means circumstance alone. Another Hasidic system is Habad's method of "hisbonenus", related to Sephirah "Binah", Hebrew for comprehension. This practice is an analytic reflective process to make yourself understand the mystical concept well, which follows and internalizes its studies in Hasid's writings.
The Musar movement, founded by Rabbi Israel Salanter in the mid-nineteenth century, emphasizes the meditative practice of introspection and visualization that can help improve moral character.
The Jewish Buddhists have adopted the Buddhist style of meditation.
Christianity
Christian meditation is a term for a form of prayer in which a structured effort is made to relate and deliberately contemplate God's revelation. The word meditation comes from the Latin meditari , which means concentrating. Christian meditation is a process that deliberately focuses on certain thoughts (eg, biblical scenes involving Jesus and the Virgin Mary) and reflects on its meaning in the context of God's love.
The Rosary is a devotion to the mystery meditation of Jesus and Mary. "The repetition of soft prayers makes it an excellent means of moving to deeper meditation, giving us the opportunity to open ourselves to the Word of God, to improve our interior.start our minds with the life of Christ.The first principle is that meditation is learned through practice Many people who practice the rosary meditation start very simply and gradually develop more sophisticated meditation Meditators learn to hear the inner voice, the voice of God ".
Christian meditation contrasts with radical forms of Eastern meditation such as the depiction of God the Father in the Bible in contrast to Krishna or Brahman's portrayal of Indian teachings. Unlike Eastern meditation, most Christian meditation styles do not depend on the use of recurrent mantras, but are also intended to stimulate thought and deepen meaning. Christian meditation aims to enhance personal relationships based on God's love that marks Christian fellowship.
In Aspects of Christian meditation , the Catholic Church warns of the possibility of incompatibility in mixing Christian and Eastern meditation styles. In 2003, in the Christian Reflections on the New Age
Christian meditation is sometimes interpreted as an intermediate level in the broad characterization of the three stages of prayer: it involves more reflection than first-rate vocal prayer, but is more structured than the various layers of contemplation in Christianity.
In Frankfurt, Germany in 2007, the Center for Christian Meditation and Spirituality at the Church of the Holy Cross, Frankfurt-Bornheim was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Limburg. In and by the centers of various types of ministry the church is offered such as with elements such as expressionist dance, let alone the days of Christian mysticism, contemplative prayer, meditation singing, meditation courses, Zen meditation courses, reflection days, spiritual practice. and retreats
A preliminary study on the state of consciousness by Roland Fischer found evidence of a description of mystical experiences in the writings of Saint Teresa of Avila. In his autobiography he explains that, at the peak of the experience of praying "... the soul does not hear or see or feel.While it goes on, no senses sense or know what is going on". This corresponds to the fourth stage described by Saint Teresa, "Devotion of Ecstasy", in which consciousness is in the body disappears, as a result of deep transcendental meditation in prayer.
Islam
Wrong is a mandatory act of devotion by Muslims five times a day. The body goes through different sets of postures, because the mind reaches a concentration called khushu '.
The second optional type of meditation, called dhikr, which means remembering and calling God, is interpreted in different meditation techniques in Sufism or Islamic mysticism. This became one of the most important elements of Sufism as traditionally systematized. This is paired with fikr (thoughts) that lead to knowledge. In the 12th century, the practice of Sufism included certain meditation techniques, and his followers exercised control of breathing and repetition of sacred words.
Many Sufi traditions place an emphasis on meditative procedures derived from the cognitive aspect to one of two main approaches that can be found in the Buddhist tradition: the concentration technique, which involves introspection with high intensity and sharp focus. In the Oveyssi-Shahmaghsoudi Sufi order, for example, this is very clear, where muraqaba takes the form of tamarkoz, the latter being the Persian term meaning "concentration".
Tafakkur or tadabbur in Sufism literally means reflection on the universe : this is considered to allow access to forms of cognitive and emotional development which can radiate only from a higher level, that is from God. The sensation of receiving divine inspiration awakens and liberates the heart and intelligence, enabling such an apparently worldly inner growth to take unlimited quality. Muslim teachings embrace life as a test of submission to God.
Pagan and occult religions
Religions and religious movements that use magic, such as Wicca, Thelema, Neopaganism, occultism, etc., often require followers to meditate as the beginning of a magical work. This is because magic is often thought to require a certain state of mind to make contact with spirits, or because one has to visualize one's goals or otherwise stay focused for a long time during the ritual to see the desired outcome. The practice of meditation in these religions usually revolves around visualization, absorbing energy from the universe or higher self, directing one's internal energy, and encouraging various trance conditions. Meditation and magic practices often overlap in these religions because meditation is often seen only as a springboard for supernatural powers, and meditation sessions can be flavored with various spells and spells.
Modern spirituality
The mantra meditation, with the use of mala japa and especially with the focus on the Hare Krishna mantras, is the main practice of the faith tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnava and the International Society for the Consciousness of Krishna (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement. Other popular New Religious Movements include Ramakrishna Mission, Vedanta Community, Divine Light Mission, Chinmaya Mission, Osho, Sahaja Yoga, Transcendental Meditation, Unitary University, and Brahma Kumaris.
New Age
New Era Meditations are often influenced by Eastern philosophy, mysticism, yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism, but may contain several levels of Western influence. In the West, meditation found its main roots through the social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, when many young people of the day rebelled against traditional religion in reaction to what was perceived as a failure of Christianity to provide spiritual and ethical guidance. New Age meditation as practiced by early hippies is considered his technique to empty his mind and escape from conscious thought. This is often aided by reciting a mantra repeatedly, or focusing on an object. New Age meditation evolved into a variety of purposes and practices, ranging from silence and balance to access to another realm of consciousness up to the concentration of energy in group meditation up to the ultimate goal of samadhi, as in the practice of ancient yoga meditation.
Mindfulness
Over the past 20 years, mindfulness and mindfulness programs have become increasingly important for Westerners and in Western medical and psychological communities as a means of helping people, whether they are sick or clinically healthy. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who founded the Mindfulness Stage Reduction program Based in 1979, has defined consciousness as 'moment to moment of non judgmental consciousness'. Some methods are used during special times for mindfulness meditation, such as body scanning techniques or allowing the mind to arise and pass, as well as during our daily lives, such as realizing the taste and texture of the foods we eat. Some studies offer evidence that the practice of mindfulness is beneficial for the self-regulation of the brain by increasing activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. The shift from right prefrontal cortex usage is claimed to be related to trends away from depression and anxiety, and toward happiness, relaxation, and emotional balance.
As a result of its popularity in attention participation, conferences such as Wisdom 2.0 have emerged. Attention has entered the secular world in many ways, enabling it to reach many different groups of people.
It has also been shown that attention has resulted in increased antibody titer against influenza vaccine.
Secular applications
As stated by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a US government entity at the National Institutes of Health that supports various forms of Alternative Medicine, Meditation can be practiced for many reasons, such as to enhance calmness and physical relaxation, to improve equilibrium psychological, to overcome illness, or to improve overall health and wellbeing. "
Meditation techniques have also been used by the theory of Western counseling and psychotherapy. Relaxation exercises work to achieve mental and muscle relaxation to reduce daily stress. The Sahaja Meditator (mental silence) scores above the control group for emotional health and mental health measures at the SF-36 rank.
Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. In this practice, a person tenses and then relaxes the group muscles in a sequential pattern while concentrating on how they feel. This method has been seen to help people with many conditions, especially extreme anxiety. Jacobson is credited with developing an early progressive relaxation procedure. These techniques are used in conjunction with other behavioral techniques. Initially used with systematic desensitization, relaxation techniques are now used with other clinical problems. Meditation, hypnosis, and relaxation induced by biofeedback are some of the techniques used with relaxation training.
One of the eight important phases of EMDR (developed by Francine Shapiro), bringing sufficient closure to the end of each session, also requires the use of relaxation techniques, including meditation. Multimodal therapy, a technically eclectic approach to behavioral therapy, also uses meditation as a technique used in individual therapy.
From the standpoint of psychology and physiology, meditation can lead to a state of changed consciousness. Such a changed state of consciousness may be related to a changing neuro-physiological state.
Today, there are many types of meditation practiced in western culture. Attentive breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and loving kindergarten meditation have, for example, been found to provide cognitive benefits such as relaxation and decentering. With training in meditation, the depletion of depression can be reduced and overall peace of mind can flourish. Different techniques work better for different people.
Sound-based meditation
Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School conducted a series of clinical trials on meditators from various disciplines, including Transcendental Meditation techniques and Tibetan Buddhism. In 1975, Benson published a book entitled "Relaxation Response" where he described his own meditation version for relaxation. Also in the 1970s, American psychologist Patricia Carrington developed a similar technique called Clinically Standardized Meditation (CSM). In Norway, another sound-based method called Acem Meditation develops meditation psychology and has been the subject of several scientific studies.
Biofeedback has been used by many researchers since 1950 in an effort to enter a deeper state of mind.
History
The history of meditation is closely tied to the religious context in which it is practiced. Some authors have even suggested the hypothesis that the emergence of capacity for focused attention, the element of many methods of meditation, may have contributed to the recent phases of human biological evolution. Some early references to meditation are found in Vedic Hinduism in India. Wilson translates the most famous Vedic Mantra "Gayatri" as: "We meditate on the desirable light of the divine Savitri, which influences our pious rites" (Rigveda: Mandala-3, Sukta-62, Rcha-10). Around the 6th to 5th centuries BC, other forms of meditation were developed through Confucianism and Taoism in China as well as Hinduism, Jainism, and early Buddhism in Nepal and India.
In the Roman Empire, in 20 BC Philo of Alexandria had written about some form of "spiritual practice" involving attention (prosoche) and concentration and in the 3rd century Plotinus had developed a meditation technique.
P? Li Canon, originating from the 1st century BC considers Buddhist meditation as a step toward liberation. When Buddhism spread in China, the Vimalakirti Sutra dating from AD 100 incorporates parts of meditation, clearly pointing to Zen (known as Chan in China, Thi? N in Vietnam, and Seon in Korea ). The Silk Path Buddhism introduced meditation to other Asian countries, and at 653 the first meditation hall opened in Singapore. Returning from China around the year 1227, D? Gen writes instructions for zazen.
The practice of Islamic Dhikr has involved the repetition of 99 Names of God since the 8th or 9th century. In the 12th century, Sufism's practice included certain meditation techniques, and his followers exercised control of breathing and repetition of sacred words. Interaction with Indians, Nepans or Sufis may have influenced the Eastern Christian meditation approach to hesychasm, but this can not be proven. Between the 10th and 14th centuries, hesychasm was developed, especially on Mount Athos in Greece, and involved the repetition of Jesus' prayer.
Western Christian meditation contrasts with most other approaches because it does not involve any repetition of phrases or actions and requires no special posture. Western Christian meditation evolved from the practice of reading the 6th century Bible among the Benedictine monks called Lectio Divina, which is divine reading. The four formal steps as "ladders" are defined by Guigo II monks in the 12th century with the Latin terms lectio , meditatio , oratio , and contemplatio (ie reading, contemplating, praying, contemplation). Western Christian meditation was further developed by saints such as Ignatius of Loyola and Teresa of Avila in the 16th century.
The forms of secular meditation were introduced in India in the 1950s as a modern form of Hindu meditation techniques and arrived in Australia in the late 1950s and, the United States and Europe in the 1960s. Instead of focusing on spiritual growth, secular meditation emphasizes stress reduction, relaxation and self-improvement. Both forms of spiritual and secular meditation have been the subject of scientific analysis. Research on meditation began in 1931, with scientific research increasing dramatically during the 1970s and 1980s. Since the early 70s more than a thousand meditation studies in English have been reported. However, after 60 years of scientific studies, the exact mechanism of work in meditation remains unclear.
Modern spread in the west
The meditation method has been spread across cultures at various times throughout history, as Buddhism goes to East Asia, and Sufi practices enter many Islamic societies. Particular relevance to the modern world is the spread of meditative practices since the late nineteenth century, which accompanied the increased travel and intercultural communication around the world. The most notable is the transmission of practices from Asia to the West. In addition, interest in some Western-based meditation practices has also been revived, and this has been disseminated to a limited extent to Asian countries. Also obvious are some degree of influence over Enlightenment thought through Denis Diderot EncyclopÃÆ'Â © die , although he states, "I find that a practitioner of meditation is often very useless and that the practitioner of contemplation is always mad".
The idea of ​​Eastern meditation has begun to "penetrate into American popular culture even before the American Revolution through the various sects of European Occult Christianity," and ideas such as "came to [America] during the transcendental era, especially between the 1840s and 1880s "The next decade sees the further spread of these ideas to America:
The World Parliament of Religions, held in Chicago in 1893, was an important event that increased Western awareness of meditation. This is the first time that Western audiences on American soil receive Asian spiritual teachings from Asians themselves. After that, Swami Vivekananda... [establish] various Vedanta ashram... Anagarika Dharmapala taught at Harvard about Theravada Buddhist meditation in 1904; Abdul Baha... [touring] US teaches the principles of Bahai, and Soyen Shaku toured in 1907 teaching Zen...
More recently, in the 1960s, another wave of Western interest in meditation practice began. Observers have suggested many types of explanations for this interest in Eastern meditation and reviving Western contemplation. Thomas Keating, a founder of Contemplative Outreach, writes that "the invasion of the East is a symptom of what is lacking in the West, there is an insatiable spiritual hunger in the West." Daniel Goleman, a meditation scholar, suggests that the shift of interest from "established religion" to meditation practice "is caused by the scarcity of personal experiences of transcendental states [meditation-derived] - the spirit of life in the common core of all religions."
Another contributing factor is the emergence of communist political forces in Asia, which "set the stage for the entry of Asian spiritual teachers to the West", often as refugees.
Meditation at work
A review of the 2010 literature on spirituality and performance in organizations found an increase in corporate meditation programs.
In 2016 about a quarter of US entrepreneurs use stress reduction initiatives. The goal is to help reduce stress and increase reactions to stress. Aetna now offers its programs to its customers. Google is also implementing awareness, offering more than a dozen meditation courses, with the most prominent, "Search within Yourself," which has been implemented since 2007. General Mills offers the Mind Leadership Program Series, a course that uses a combination of mindfulness meditation, yoga and dialogue with the aim of developing the mind's ability to pay attention.
Research on meditation
Research on the process and effects of meditation is a subset of neurological research. Modern scientific techniques, such as fMRI and EEG, are used to observe neurological responses during meditation. Since the 1950s, hundreds of studies on meditation have been conducted, although the overall quality of meditation research metaphys is poor, yielding unreliable results.
Since the 1970s, clinical psychology and psychiatry have developed meditation techniques for a variety of psychological conditions. Mindfulness practices are used in psychology to reduce mental and physical conditions, such as reducing depression, stress, and anxiety. Caution is also used in the treatment of drug addiction. Studies show that meditation has a moderate effect to reduce pain. There is not enough evidence for any meditation effect on a positive mood, attention, eating habits, sleep, or weight.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of meditation on empathy, compassion, and prosocial behavior found that meditation practice had small to moderate effects on self-reported and observable outcomes, concluding that the practice could "enhance emotional and positive prosocial behaviors". ".
Preliminary studies show a potential relationship between meditation and job performance, resulting from cognitive and social effects.
Concern has arisen in the quality of many meditation studies, including the special characteristics of individuals who tend to participate.
Meditation, religion and medicine
Many of the great traditions in which meditation is practiced, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, suggest members not to consume liquor, while others, such as the Rastafarian movement and the Native American Church, view medicine as an integral part of their religious lifestyle.
The five of the five precepts of Pancasila, the code of ethics in the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions, suggest that adherents should: "abstain from fermented and distillated liquors that cause neglect."
On the other hand, psychoactive consumption has become a central feature in the rituals of many religions, to produce an altered state of consciousness. In some traditional ceremonies of shamanism, drugs are used as ritual agents. In the Rastafari movement, marijuana is believed to be a gift from Jah and a sacred potion for regular use, while alcohol is considered humiliating to humans. Native Americans using peyote, as part of a religious ceremony, continue today. In India, soma drinks have a long history of use with prayer and sacrifice, and are mentioned in the Vedas.
During the 1960s and 70s, both Eastern and psychedelic meditation traditions, such as LSD, became popular in America, and it was suggested that the use of LSD and meditation equally mean at the same spiritual/existential end. Many practitioners from the eastern tradition reject this idea, including many who have tried LSD themselves. In The Game Master, Robert S de Ropp writes that "the door to full awareness" can be ogled with the help of substance, but to "pass through the door" requires yoga and meditation. Other authors, such as Rick Strassman, believe that the relationship between the religious experience achieved through meditation and through the use of psychedelic drugs is feasible for further exploration.
Meditation prevalence
The US National Health Interview (NHIS) 2012 (n = 34,525), found 8.0% of US adults used meditation, with a median life span and 12 months of medication use prevalence of 5.2% and 4.1%, respectively. In 2017 the meditation use survey among workers was 9.9% (up from 8.0% in 2002).
Criticism
Meditation is considered by some to be the impulse of a narcissistic and selfish mindset that can become unhealthy.
There are several case reports where meditation correlates with negative experiences for the meditator.
See also
References
Bibliography
Further reading
- Ajahn Brahm, Bliss and Beyond Attention . ISBN: 978-0-86171-275-5
- Meditation & amp; References From Different Religions - What is Meditation.
- Baba, Meher (1995). Discourse. Myrtle Beach, S.C.: Sheriar Foundation. ISBNÃ, 1-880619-09-1.
- Cooper, David. A. Art Meditation: A Complete Guide . ISBNÃ, 81-7992-164-6
- Easwaran, Eknath. Meditation (see article). ISBN: 0-915132-66-4 new edition: Paragraph Meditation . ISBN 978-1-58638-026-7. Mantram Handbook ISBN: 978-1-58638-028-1
- Glickman, Marshall (2002) Outside the Breath: Extraordinary Attention Through Vipassana Entire Body. ISBNÃ, 1-58290-043-4
- Goenka, S. N.. Meditation Now: Inner Peace through Inner Wisdom , ISBNÃ, 1-928706-23-1, ISBNÃ, 978-1-928706-23-6
- Hart, William. Living Art, Vipassana Meditation , ISBN: 0-06-063724-2, ISBN 978-0-06-063724-8
- Krishnamurti, Jiddu. This Light in Yourself: True Meditation , 1999, Shambhala Publications. ISBNÃ, 1-57062-442-9
- Heller, Rick. Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Developing Inner Peace, Compassion and Joy - A Guide of the Humanist Community at Harvard , 2015, New World Library. ISBN 978-1608683697
- Levin, Michal. Meditation, The Road to the Hardest , Dorling Kindersley, 2002. ISBN 978-0-7894-8333-1
- Long, Barry. Meditation: A Foundation Course - A Ten Ten Lessons . ISBNÃ, 1-899324-00-3
- Meiche, Michele. Meditation for Everyday Life . ISBNÃ, 0-9710374-6-9
- Monaghan, Patricia, and Eleanor G. Viereck. Meditation: The Complete Guide . ISBNÃ, 1-57731-088-8
- Oldstone-Moore, Jennifer. Understanding Confucianism , Duncan Baird, 2003. ISBNÃ, 1904292127.
- Shankarananda, Swami. Happy For No Good Reason , Shaktipat Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-9750995-1-3
- Vethathiri Maharishi. Yoga for modern life .
- Wood, Ernest. Concentration - An Approach to Meditation. Theosophical Publishing House 1949. ISBNÃ, 0-8356-0176-5.
- Yogananda, Paramahansa. Autobiography of a Yogi .
External links
- Meditation on Curlie (based on DMOZ)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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