According to , an online newspaper that features health and wellness articles, is considered to be one of the oldest forms of mental, spiritual, practices in existence.
Although nobody can truly say what the exact history of meditation is, there are some speculations about this ancient practice.
Most scholars and documents say that the history of meditation can be traced some 5,000 years ago when the effects of the practice was discovered by ancient men by staring into the flames of fire that if flickering.
From then on, several meditation techniques were developed and began to spread across its continent of origin – Asia. Only in the 60s and 70s did meditation became a hit in the United States. From then on, many variations have spread across the globe.
Note – New Age and Metaphysical types of meditation did exist in the USA way before the 60s and 70s with the circulation of controversial documents such as the .
The Master Key System was controversial for it’s time because it eliminated the need for religion to control the self-actualization rights of the individual. In short, it cut out the middle-man.
Relaxing the Whole Being
A state wherein a person is in deep concentration on a specific object of thought or awareness, meditation is considered one of the oldest yet most effective means of relaxing the mind, the emotions, as well as the soul. This practice usually involves a person’s attention, allowing it to turn into a single point of reference. Because of its effectivity in leading a person’s consciousness to a higher level than that of a common person, meditation is now being practiced by millions of people all over the world.
Inward Reflection and Contemplation
The history of meditation dates people back during the time when it was a very important constituent of various religions in the Eastern part of the world. Deriving its roots from the Latin word meditatio, which means “all types mental or physical exercise,” the meaning of meditation has also evolved through the years. Today, the practice is commonly known as inward reflection or contemplation.
As years went by, people who practice meditation were able to come up with various disciplines. These involve a very wide range of psychophysical and spiritual aspects, or a combination of both that can lead to that total enhancement of a person’s higher level of mental concentration as well as spirituality.
Forms of Meditation
People who are planning to get into meditation or just interested in its seemingly limitless possibilities should try to understand the basics and familiarize themselves with some of the various forms of meditation which includes:
- Bodhidharma
- Hinduism
- Baha'i Faith
- Buddhism
- Christian Meditation
- Islam Meditation
- Jainism
- Judaism
- Sikhism
- Taoism
Because they are derived from different cultures, individual forms have their own understanding of meditation and also have different sets of practices that come with it.
In meditation, it is also very significant to note that these include physical requirements through different physical postures so the practice can be carried out pretty well.
It should be understood that these religions (or any others) do not hold the monopoly on meditation, self-actualization, or enlightenment. Nor do you need to convert to a particular religion to practice meditation or to become self-aware.
Meditation Postures
The most popular postures ever since the history of meditation started includes:
These postures will vary depending on the origin of meditation you wish to follow. Meditation Elements
It is also important to take note that elements involved in a basic traditional meditation has been large a part of the history of meditation. These four elements should include:
- A quiet place.
- A comfortable posture.
- A visible object where the person can turn his or her attention to.
- A passive attitude to make the practice truly effective.
It should be noted that the visible object element is in many cases not included in modern metaphysical types of meditation.
Ever since, the history of meditation has inspired a lot of people to increase their level of conscious awareness by becoming aware of their spirituality as well as enhance the power of their minds and improve their health.
Although there is no definite proof that will trace the history of meditation, people of today as well as of those future generations will continue to practice it because of the health and wellness it brings.
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