Meditation
The original meaning of meditation is “to ponder.” Its from a Latin term meditatum. No one knows where it came from or who created it which I like to think its not really some thing made by some one but more like something everyone has within them like the tummy digest’s the brain thinks the heart pumps blood it just happens in everyone and everything not just 1 persons creation but inside us all.
The basic ingredients for meditation is a quiet spot where you can sit or lay comfortably for 15/30 min with 1 focus point for your mind eg. Breath mantra…. Some people are put off with meditation as they try it once with 1 type of meditation but don’t feel or get what they want but meditation is a practice its more of an experience rather then an end result and the feelings people want are from the practise every day not just one time. There are many different ways in to meditation and each way is personal to you some get there fast some slow some need the breath some need a mantra and some need lots of things but they all lead to meditation.
Preconceptions
There are some preconceptions that some people believe meditation is like calming the mind which is an effect of meditation or treating it as a doing when it’s more of a being.
Isn’t a religious act
Some people think its to do with a religion or belief although a lot of religions have lots of meditations in them like Buddhism, Buddhists pursue meditation as part of the path towards liberation from defilement and clinging and craving also called awakening. In recent times, many non-Buddhist individuals have adopted these meditative techniques for various reasons including increasing awareness of self, and the practice is becoming more popular. Christianity uses meditation as a form of prayer to connect with and reflect upon the word of God. Hinduism use a various style of meditation that are often taught in different schools, yoga is commonly practiced initially to prepare oneself for meditation and self-realisation.
It isn’t stopping your thoughts
Meditation isn’t about suppressing your thoughts and emotions, suppress is defined as “forcibly put an end to; prevent” meditation is the opposite of that definition when you meditate, you aren’t trying to forcibly end or prevent anything. To the contrary, you accept it all non-judgmentally.
It isn’t relaxing
Some people think that its just sitting and relaxing or you have to be relaxed to do it so they think they cant do it which isn’t the case. They think meditation is a gateway to relaxation. This is half true as in the long term a regular practice is likely to yield relaxation but short term its anything but relaxing its more eye opening.
My own personal view on meditation is I don’t feel you can define it as when I try to it seems to move or change, it seems to be lots of things but also nothing at all as well my head can’t seem to understand or grasp that but at the same time it makes so much sense to me. It seems to be experience not just my own but everyone’s and everything’s and with that you can define it in every experience you or others have and its free to change.
I have a diploma from the British school of meditation which I passed with a distinction in meditation teaching which I achieved in 2022.