Meditation (Latin meditatio = “orientation to the center” from the Latin medius, “middle”, n. medium: “the center”, and in the importance of “thinking about”) is a spiritual practiced in many religions and cultures. With mindfulness and concentration exercises to calm the mind and collect.
In Eastern cultures it is considered a fundamental and central mind expanding exercise. The desired states of consciousness are, according to tradition, and often with different terms such as silence, emptiness, panoramic awareness, Oneness, in the here and now or be free of thought to be described.
In Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism is the ultimate goal of enlightenment or attainment of Nirvana. In Christian, Islamic and Jewish traditions, the ultimate goal of meditative practice is the direct experience of the divine. Meditation as a spiritual practice is always involved in various religious, psychological and ethical doctrines. In Western countries, the meditation will be practiced independently of religious or spiritual aspects of objectives to support the general well-being and in the context of psychotherapy. In the earlier German language called “Meditation” is simply a reflection on a topic or the results of this thinking process. Meditative practices are an essential part of many religions.
Particularly in Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, meditation, a similar meaning as the prayer in Christianity (see contemplation does). As an organized tradition can be traced back to meditation most of the Upanishads and the Buddhist tradition in India. As Jhana (Sanskrit dhyana) describes different states of meditation, which today can be attributed, among other things, the Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen. A diverse and traditional form of meditation developed alongside the Indian yoga (precursor) is the concentration.
In particular, the Raja Yoga Sutras in shape now, many techniques such as dealing with the breath in pranayama and the systematic classification of the meditation in the context brought consciousness. Within these traditions are followed with the exception meditation spiritual goals.
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