Meditation: what is it?

Aside from determining its physiological effects, defining the actual act of meditation can be as elusive as imagining the sound of one hand clapping. It is a highly alert and skillful state of mind because it requires one to remain psychologically present and with whatever happens in and around one, without adding to or subtracting from that present in any way.

The physical act of meditation generally consists of simply sitting quietly, focusing on one's breath, a word, or phrase. However, a meditator may also be walking or standing. It isn't unusual, in fact, to see a meditating monk in the highlands walking a few steps and then lying prostrate, over and over again until he reaches his destination many miles away.

There are many traditions and countless ways to practice meditation. Perhaps because of its polymorphous nature, new meditators wonder whether they are meditating correctly. If you fee better when you have finished meditating, you are probably doing it right.

Meditation can be a difficult skill to learn. It may be a struggle to overcome the internal chatter that we all experience.

Seeking methods for quieting that internal chatter and reducing stress are what initially attract many people to meditation. Meditation is a very effective stress-reducer. If someone is struggling with feelings of anxiety, he or she may benefit from meditation’s calming aspects. The practice absolutely facilitates mental health because it brings about a higher level of self-acceptance and insight about oneself.

"The uncontrolled mind; How can it meditate?
Without meditation, where is peace?
Without peace, where is happiness?"

Watch out for more on meditation, your mind, the best environment for meditation, requisites for meditation, time for meditation, and the ways and means to meditate. We will deal with them in the following articles.

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