The purpose of Meditation
Meditation has throughout the ages been a practice where individuals would train their mind by inducing a state of consciousness to transcend the realms of their mind or as a form of relaxation. When it comes to relaxation, multiple methods are available to help the user achieve his goal, either through acknowledging of its content or upon realisation that the content is not the end in itself.
However, when it comes towards the spiritual aspect of meditation, most practitioners of meditation are transfixed unto the goals of their religion which differs from each other. Most religions focus on self-internalisation, building of empathy, developing internal energy and most importantly to improve the quality of life for the user.
History of Spiritual Meditation
Some of the oldest evidence of spiritual meditation came from within the Hindu Vedas of Nepal and India. Here, meditation was closely tied in with Yoga and how meditation under the influence of Savitri, a God, could aid in their journey through life. In the west, meditation was not explicitly called meditation, but instead took on a more descriptive analogy of the process. Plotinus from the 3rd century described his meditative techniques as involving attention and concentration.
Other religions of spiritual meditation involved repetition of words that were considered ‘holy” and through breathing techniques. Alas, as the popularity of meditation soared, so has scientific study in its bid to understand the mechanisms at work during meditation. However, till date, no conclusive evidence has been discovered and the way meditation works has been shrouded in mystery.
Benefits
The abundance of benefits that come with meditation has been said to be countless. In the spiritual sense, many religions advocate meditation because it brings them closer to their God or divine being. At the same time, certain beliefs claim that meditation allows one to raise their consciousness above that of ordinary humans, allowing heightened senses and sensitivity to their surroundings.
Aside from the spiritual benefits, meditation may bring about mental and physical benefits such as increased understanding of oneself, heightened concentration levels, improved stress response and increased self-confidence. Through meditation, the body’s heart rate slows down and ultimately allows for a decrease in the pace of life.
Conclusion
In culmination, spiritual meditation and its benefits cannot be denied, even if scientific research has yet to prove otherwise. Cultivate a practice of meditation daily and before you know it, you’d be reaping the rewards that this ancient practice brings.