Meditation

This article is about the induction of specific modes or states of consciousness. For other uses, see Meditation (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with mediation or medication.

Swami Vivekananda
Hsuan Hua
kirti qigong
Narayana Guru
Bodhidharma
Agasthiyar
Various depictions of meditation (clockwise starting at the top left): the Hindu Swami Vivekananda, the Buddhist monk Hsuan Hua, Taoist Baduanjin qigong, Siddhar Agastyar, Chan monk Bodhidharma, and social reformer Narayana Guru

Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive, "discursive thinking,"[note 1] achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state,[1][2][3][4][web 1][web 2] while not judging the meditation process itself.[note 2]

Techniques are broadly classified into focused (or concentrative) and open monitoring methods. Focused methods involve attention to specific objects like breath or mantras, while open monitoring includes mindfulness and awareness of mental events.

Meditation is practiced in numerous religious traditions, though it is also practised independently from any religious or spiritual influences for its health benefits. The earliest records of meditation (dhyana) are found in the Upanishads, and meditation plays a salient role in the contemplative repertoire of Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism.[5] Meditation-like techniques are also known in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, in the context of remembrance of and prayer and devotion to God.

Asian meditative techniques have spread to other cultures where they have found application in non-spiritual contexts, such as business and health. Meditation may significantly reduce stress, fear, anxiety, depression, and pain,[6] and enhance peace, perception,[7] self-concept, and well-being.[8][9][10] Research is ongoing to better understand the effects of meditation on health (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other areas.


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  1. ^ Walsh & Shapiro 2006, pp. 228–229.
  2. ^ Cahn & Polich 2006, p. 180.
  3. ^ Jevning, Wallace & Beidebach 1992, p. 415.
  4. ^ Goleman 1988, p. 107.
  5. ^ Dhavamony, Mariasusai (1982). Classical Hinduism. Università Gregoriana Editrice. p. 243. ISBN 978-88-7652-482-0. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. ^ Hölzel, Britta K.; Lazar, Sara W.; Gard, Tim; Schuman-Olivier, Zev; Vago, David R.; Ott, Ulrich (November 2011). "How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective". Perspectives on Psychological Science: A Journal of the Association for Psychological Science. 6 (6): 537–559. doi:10.1177/1745691611419671. ISSN 1745-6916. PMID 26168376. S2CID 2218023.
  7. ^ "The Dalai Lama explains how to practice meditation properly". 3 May 2017. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Meditation: In Depth". NCCIH. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  9. ^ Goyal, M.; Singh, S.; Sibinga, E. M.; Gould, N. F.; Rowland-Seymour, A.; Sharma, R.; Berger, Z.; Sleicher, D.; Maron, D. D.; Shihab, H. M.; Ranasinghe, P. D.; Linn, S.; Saha, S.; Bass, E. B.; Haythornthwaite, J. A. (2014). "Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis". JAMA Internal Medicine. 174 (3): 357–368. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018. ISSN 2168-6106. PMC 4142584. PMID 24395196.
  10. ^ Shaner, Lynne; Kelly, Lisa; Rockwell, Donna; Curtis, Devorah (2016). "Calm Abiding". Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 57: 98. doi:10.1177/0022167815594556. S2CID 148410605.


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