Meditation

What is Meditation?

Simply put meditation is the practice of being still and focussed in order to achieve a clear, calm and peaceful state of mind. It is a way of training the mind, similar to how exercise trains the body. It is about being in the here and now, clearing your mind & thoughts and finding a quiet space to reflect. Being present will make you focussed and appreciate & understand life infinitely more.

Why Do It?

People meditate for a variety of reasons however the main reason is in order to feel happier, more calm and peaceful. People meditate in order to train their brain. Some for spiritual and/or religious reasons, in order to find enlightenment or self-realisation. And some to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress or general pain. There are a number of benefits to meditation, find a comprehensive list further down this article 

How to Meditate

10 Basic Meditation Facts

1. The word itself has a mixture of origins, including from the French meditacion meaning, “thought, reflection, study”. It may also be derived from the verb Latin Meditari meaning, “to think, contemplate, devise, ponder.” Another school of thought is that it comes from Euro-Indo roots from the word “Med-” meaning to “take appropriate measure”
2. It has been around for thousands (2,500+) of years and originates from many religious and spiritual sources
3. Nearly all major religions embrace meditation in one form or another including; Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism  & Christianity
4. However in itself, it is not a religion or religious act. It can be used in religious ceremony however it is not a religious practice
5. A rough estimate at the number of people practicing globally is between 200-500 million
6. The amount of people meditating since 2012 has nearly tripled
7. It is a highly effective, scientifically proven method of changing the brain’s neuroplasticity, i.e. way the brain works and processes information
8. Meditators are able to sustain a higher range of gamma waves which allows them to be in better control of their thoughts
9. Meditation has a number of proven health benefits from lowering blood pressure to decreasing stress and anxiety levels
10. To gain the full benefits, a full twice daily 20 minute meditation is recommended however any small amount can bring positive benefits 

7 Interesting Meditation Facts

1. It is said that the focussing of attention that meditation brings helped bring about the most recent form of human evolution
2. Many companies, corporations, local trusts and groups now run courses on meditation due to the number of benefits that it has been proven to bring. Disney were one of the first corporations to offer meditation classes at work. Google offers multiple meditation classes to it’s employees
3. The use of drugs while meditating varies by religion. Buddhists & Hindus advise against avoiding intoxicants whereas the use of psychoactive substances is prevalent in many religious rituals (e.g. the use of Cannabis by Rastafarians or the use of Peyote in North American rituals) 
4. The largest online meditation lesson was held by the Chopra Wellbeing Centre to over 30,000 people
5. Meditation can be as effective as morphine as a painkiller
6. Women are more likely to meditate than men
7. The meditation market in the US is said to worth more than $1billion