We all have a general idea of meditation and its benefits but from a sense of practicality and experience, a lot us have very little understanding of what meditation is. There is a misconception that meditation like many things, rise as a trend and fade away. But the fact is that meditation is not just a fad; it’s a discipline that people all over the world have been practicing for centuries. When we think of means to achieve happiness, peace and stability we intuitively understand that meditation is what our mind needs. The transformation it brings about in those who practice it has been an irrefutable validation for others to pick it up and implement it in their lives.
Meditation's History "The earliest written records come from Hindu traditions, in India, of Vedanta from around 1500 BCE. Vedanta is a school of philosophy and is one of the earliest known Indian paths for spiritual enlightenment. Other forms of meditation are then cited around the 6th and 5th centuries BCE within Taoist China and Buddhist India.
The precise origins are heavily debated, especially around Buddhist meditation. Some early written accounts of the different states of meditation in Buddhism in India can be found in the sutras of the Pāli Canon, which dates back to the 1st century BCE. The Pāli Canon is a collection of scriptures from the Theravada Buddhist tradition. ( Elaine Mead, BSc.)"
The need within
Why has meditation been a discipline that has been dedicatedly practiced for so long a period? One thing is the control we gain over our mind. We know very well that no matter how conducive the environment is outside, our impulsive nature and inability to have a grip over our mental patterns and emotions can cause us much distress. And on the other hand, even a challenging situation can be handled with clarity and control when we have a good grip over our mind. Meditation as a process has proved to enhance clarity and emotional balance.
The attention deficit and negative loop
We suffer when we cannot give the focus and attention to a particular task or act. This is seen when we are required to direct our attention at one place but our mind creates other images and thoughts and we find ourselves struggling to keep the focus. We struggle to come to terms with our mind and tame it to remain within our control. The fallout of such a weakness is that we will be caught in the recurring patterns of negative thought. We may want to come out of it but because we have not tried to watch our mind, fear and anxiety energize the mind to create more thoughts that are negative in content. Meditation helps us to be watchful and also gives us the power to check any flow of thoughts that are inimical to us. We may do this by giving a counter thought or by breathing exercises. The adepts can do it by exerting the will.
The benefits of Meditation and its need in our lives becomes very clear when we start to learn about our mind. It is more than just a fad, it is a compelling necessity.