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What is Meditation?

Essentially, meditation is a practice that involves training the mind to focus and achieve a state of mental clarity and calmness. This covers a lot of possibilities. Meditation is an intentional practice of the will. One does not accidentally meditate. This means it is a practice of the human faculty of free will, directed toward a specific purpose. One might engage in meditation on the nature of existence, contemplating the question, "What is the purpose of my presence here?" What am I? Is there a God? Some people enter meditative states and directly experience divine communion with One God, each according to their own conceptions. Some meditate on God to clarify who the Divine Being is and what they might do to draw closer.

Meditation is also useful when solving some troublesome questions other than spiritual, like when writing a book or a song, and looking for just the right word or rift. Stilling the mind of external distractions so one can focus on the job at hand often leads to inspiration and clarity. The human mind is capable of so much, but like a computer, it can become bogged down with extraneous information. Meditation can help clear away unwanted thoughts.

There are many cases of people who suffered from physical maladies or had compassion for others who were suffering, and by focusing their minds through meditation, they brought about healing. Here, we see a direct correlation between prayer and meditation. All prayer is meditation, but not all meditation is prayer. It's a bit overly simplified, but prayer is talking to God, meditation is listening to God. Sometimes a person with asthma or some other illness will still the mind through meditation and halt the attack. One of the most effective tools we have during an emergency is meditation, which helps us calm ourselves and assess the situation calmly and objectively. This empowers us to take necessary action and helps realign the body away from its fight-or-flight reactions, which, while an important natural response, needs to be controlled and moderated. Meditation can help with this.

Meditation is a key element in physical and mental exercises. When the mind is calm and focused, everything flows more smoothly. Calming and focusing the mind and consciousness is the gift one receives through the various meditation systems and methods. Let's consider a few of these.

• Essential Mindfulness Meditation: This is the core of all meditative techniques.
• Focuses fully on the present moment by paying attention to thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. Don't struggle with your passing thoughts. Allow them to play themselves out and then place them gently on a mental 'shelf.' As your thoughts slow down and fade, keep your concentration between your eyes without force. Just 'Be Here Now,' in this moment and place.
• Mantra Meditation: Historically in the East and West, this is one of the most popular and powerful meditation techniques.
• With your mind focused as described above, repeat a word, phrase, or sound to quiet the mind and achieve focus. Mantras may be spiritual words or phrases, such as the Omkara, the Gayatri, the Lord's Prayer, the Rosary, Om Mani Padme Hum, the Jesus Prayer, or others that activate your soulful desire for enlightenment. They may identify qualities you wish to enhance like, "Peace," "Forgiveness," "Guide me," "Heal me," "Heal my friend," "Teach me," and so on.
• Japa Meditation: This meditative technique may be used with or without a mantra.
• Japa Mala, or Prayer Beads, have several functions. When reciting a set number of mantras, they can help keep track. Some keep count on their hands as well. For instance, the number 108 is considered spiritually significant, so some people chant their mantra that many times. The number 16 is also powerful, and many malas have 108 beads plus a larger head bead, which is often distinguished in various ways. One begins on the bead to the right of the head bead and recites until reaching the head bead, then continues in the opposite direction. Some, the Vaishnavas, for instance, keep their mala in a small bag that fits over their hand, along with a second string of 16 beads. As one reaches the head bead, another of these extra beads is pulled down, keeping count of the completed rounds.

Reciting the Catholic Rosary

• 1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross and say: In the name of the Father [touch between the eyes], and of the Son [touch the chest], and of the Holy Spirit [touch one side of the chest, then the other]. Amen.
  2. Holding the attached crucifix, pray the Apostles' Creed.
  3. On the first bead, pray an 'Our Father.'
  4. On each of the next three beads, pray a Hail Mary.
  5. On the next bead, pray a 'Glory Be.' 6. Each of the five decades, or sets of ten beads, of the Rosary highlights a different aspect of Jesus' execution and suffering. These moments are called Mysteries. On each of the 'decade' of beads, one announces the corresponding mystery as follows:
  • • Monday: Joyful Mystery
    • Tuesday: Sorrowful Mystery
    • Wednesday: Glorious Mystery
    • Thursday: Luminous Mystery
    • Friday: Sorrowful Mystery
    • Saturday: Joyful Mystery
    • Sunday: Glorious Mystery
  At the conclusion of the decades, one prays the Glory Be followed by the Fatima Prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy. Amen This pattern is repeated on each set of ten beads, equaling Our Father, ten Hail Marys, Glory Be, Fatima prayer. After the decades are completed, one concludes with the Hail Holy Queen prayer followed by a rote concluding prayer and the sign of the cross: In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Reciting On Prayer Beads

Muslims recite dhikr prayers on prayer beads (called tasbih). Dhikr is a core practice in Islam, emphasizing the importance of constantly remembering and praising Allah through rote prayers and supplications. These are usually short phrases such as:
• SubhanAllah: "Glory be to Allah."
• Alhamdulillah: "Praise be to Allah."
• La ilaha illa Allah: "There is no god but Allah."
• Allahu Akbar: "Allah is the Greatest."
• Astaghfirullah: "I seek forgiveness from Allah."
• SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi: "Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him."
• La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah: "There is no power and no might except by Allah."

It is common to chant: SubhanAllah (33 times), Alhamdulillah (33 times), Allahu Akbar (34 times): Dhikr is usually recited after rote prayers and before bed but may be recited at any time. For Sufis, dhikr is the main spiritual practice and is often done communally with rhythmic communal chanting. Muslim mala usually have either 99 beads (representing the 99 names of Allah) or 33 beads, which are recited three times for a total of 99.

Other malas include those used by the various Buddhist sects such as the Mahayana, Vajrayana (Tibetan), Therevada, Jōdo Shinshū ("True Pure Land"), and others. These typically have 108 beads on their malas but vary significantly in appearance and usage according to the specific Buddhist school. The Sūtra on the Rosary of the Vajraśekhara Yoga states that the mother or head bead stands for Amitabha (the Buddha of eternal life), the string is Avalokiteshvara (the Buddha of Compassion), and the other beads are the fruits of the bodhisattva path leading to eternal life. Tibetan Buddhist malas often have three extra beads representing the guru or head beads, instead of just one, as with most malas. These symbolize the three vajras (i.e., the Buddha's body, speech, and mind). In Japan, a small image is sometimes concealed in the guru bead, usually something associated with the particular temple or sect. When held up to the light, this added image is clearly visible.

Japanese Shingon and Tendai Buddhists also usually use 108 beads, but with counter strands on both ends for recording multiple rounds of recitation (Tendai malas have 2 recorder bead strands, Shingon malas have four). These recorder strands usually end in decorative tassels, whereas Vaishnava malas are carried in a mala bag that fits over the right hand with the counter beads attached to the japa bag. Others wear their malas as bracelets or necklaces. All schools agree that the mala is to be protected and not allowed to touch the floor or any unclean thing.

Yet another use of malas is 'worry beads.' The person fingers the beads to calm the mind, without necessarily reciting any mantra or holding any religious conception about doing so. Fingering beads have a natural calming effect.

Forms of Meditation

• Transcendental Meditation (TM)
  There are many meditation methods. One of the better-known in the West is Transcendental Meditation (TM). TM is a specific meditative technique taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (circa 1912 to February 5, 2008). It involves repeating a mantra given uniquely to the individual, which enables them to transcend thought and reach a state of deep relaxation. One's mantra is held as a secret between the diksha (initiating) guru and the student. The power of the mantra resides in the sound vibration created when it is uttered, not in the literal meaning of the word. TM has transcended its origins as a religious movement founded by the Maharishi and is now recognized and used as a psychological tool by many medical practitioners.
• Body Scan Meditation:
  Progressively scanning the body from head to toe, noting any sensations or tension and releasing them. Breath and awareness are then focused on problem areas to ease stress, blockages, and so on. Variations in this scanning meditation are said to reveal the hidden power within the human consciousness.
• Focused Meditation:
  Directing attention to a specific object, such as the breath or a mantra, in order to maintain focus and reduce distractions. All meditations begin with focus and intention, but many systems continue into a quietude where the focus is released and the meditator transcends conscious awareness. This system maintains and directs awareness as a transformative tool of intentional work.
• Loving Kindness or Metta Meditation:
  Cultivating compassion, kindness, and acceptance towards oneself and others. Like others on this list, this method is also used within many other systems. For example, Mahayana or Big Vessel Buddhism focuses on sending loving kindness outward toward all beings, while Theravada (or Teachings of the Elders Buddhism), the oldest surviving school of Buddhism, focuses on individual enlightenment rather than communal or global enlightenment.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation:
  Tensing and releasing different muscle groups in sequence to promote relaxation uses meditative techniques to calm the body and listen to its inner voice.
• Guided Meditation:
  Following instructions from a leader or recording to lead the practitioner through a specific meditation technique. For instance, picture yourself in a peaceful garden. Hear the sounds of the water lapping in the pond and the breezes ruffling the leaves of the trees… This method, when properly used, gently guides the meditator towards pre-planned goals.
• Walking Meditation:
  Paying attention to the sensations of walking and grounding oneself in the present moment.
• Vipassana Meditation:
  A technique that involves observing thoughts and sensations without attachment or judgment. Again, a standard method that is employed on its own or in combination with others.
• Hatha Yoga Meditation:
  Combining physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and mindfulness with Ashtanga, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Restorative, Kundalini, Bhakti, Raja, and other yoga methods to achieve a state of inner peace. There are many varieties of Hatha Yoga.
• Visualization Meditation:
  Creating mental images or scenarios to promote relaxation and focus. Also included is what is sometimes called Creation or Wish-Fulfilling Meditation, where one visualizes a desire with the intention of manifesting it. For instance, if you want to secure a specific job, visualize yourself performing the job to the praise of your bosses, coworkers, or clients.
• Bhastrika Pranayama or Bellow's Breath, or Dragon's Breath Meditation:
  An ancient yogic breathing technique characterized by rapid, forceful inhalations and exhalations through the nose, aiming to increase energy, mental clarity, and lung capacity. It is likened to the bellows of a blacksmith wherein fire is increasingly heated to the point where it melts iron. One begins slowly, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, gradually escalating the breathing pressure. As ‘fire breath’ is heated, one’s power increases. This accumulated power can be released and directed towards specific goals through firm, controlled intention. There are reports of danger with this meditation technique, including dizziness and even passing out. One also hears of spontaneous human combustion (SHC) wherein the body literally inwardly ignites, maiming or killing the practitioner. While rare, there are verifiable reports in both religious and scientific literature that attest to the phenomenon as a legitimate concern. This idea and the term "spontaneous human combustion" were both proposed in 1746 by Paul Rolli, a Fellow of the Royal Society, in an article published in the Philosophical Transactions concerning the mysterious death of Countess Cornelia Zangheri Bandi. Writing in The British Medical Journal in 1938, coroner Gavin Thurston describes the phenomenon as having "apparently attracted the attention not only of the medical profession but of the non-medical professionals one hundred years ago" (referring to an account published in 1834 in the Frederick Marryat novels). In his 1995 book Ablaze! Larry E. Arnold, a director at Para-Science International, wrote that there had been about 200 cited reports of spontaneous human combustion worldwide over a period of around 300 years. In truth, there have been many more claims than that in Indian literature and village lore. Bhastrika Pranayama, when practiced in a balanced way, can have beneficial results despite these dangers. Extremism in all things is discouraged, and this is a case in point.
• Jewish Meditation
  Jewish Meditation is primarily Kabbala meditation. Kabbalah meditation is a practice rooted in Jewish mysticism and involves using specific techniques like visualization, breathwork, and contemplation of Hebrew letters or divine names to achieve a deeper connection with the divine and enhance spiritual awareness. It includes inspiration from diverse writings like the writings of Aryeh Kaplan. As a religion, Judaism is weak on meditation, stressing Rabbinically approved actions over mysticism.
• Christian Meditation
  Other than Catholic meditations like the Rosary, Christian meditation is essentially contemplation on the life on Jesus/Yeshua and the Christian Scriptures. Prayer is a significant part of daily practice in certain segments of Christinaity, espcially in certain Catholic orders and Charismatic movements.

It's essential to note that there is no single 'best meditation technique' because everyone is unique. Therefore, Sri Krishna instructs Arjuna in the various yoga methods in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, encouraging him to find a yoga system that suits him best. Whichever meditative system one chooses, Krishna advises, is best practiced in consultation with Bhakti Yoga or devotion to God according to one’s understanding. Most serious practitioners develop a foundational system of practice and then tailor it to their specific needs. There is solid spiritual science behind each system, which it is wise to examine before embracing any system seriously. It is recommended that individuals seek a competent instructor and follow the established methodologies to avoid unexpected problems. The core system, encompassing all meditation techniques, is stillness, being present in the moment, and listening to one's Inner Voice.

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