A practice of mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to train attention and awareness. Through doing so, one is able to achieve a mentally clear, emotionally calm and stable state.

What is Meditation?

Meditation, or 'dhyana' in Sanskrit, is an unbroken stream of concentration leading towards a still, peaceful, inner experience. One eight limbs of Ashtanga, meditation guides each person towards 'samadhi' (enlightenment), allowing us to control the fluctuation of our thoughts in order to still the mind. ​ ​ Through such a practice, we are able to transcend the material plane and achieve a unified sense of non-attachment and oneness. Find a meditation practitioner near you.

History

The practice of meditation has existed all throughout history. Ancient flame gazing and Shamanic meditation existed long before written documents. However, the first signs of collated practices was written in the Hindu Vedas, which were written between 7000-150 BCE, as well as in the Torah, when it was told that Isaac went into 'lesuach' (לָשׂוּחַ), a type of meditation. Other forms of meditation were also recorded around 600 and 400 BCE within both Taoist China and Buddhist India.