Meditation is a contemplative practice, engaged in across various religious and spiritual traditions as a means of quieting, focusing and transforming the mind. Meditation cultivates self-awareness, and provides the optimum conditions for practicing the skill of mindfulness. Generally, the goal of meditation is to intensify personal and spiritual growth, in addition to calming the mind and body.

 

A common misconception of meditation is that its sole purpose is to empty the mind of thoughts. While some traditions such as Zen and Yoga do teach the no-mind state as an ultimate objective, it is widely acknowledged that the practice of meditation itself involves thoughts as the cornerstone. Each time the mind becomes distracted, the practitioner is encouraged to come back to an object of concentration, such as the breath, a sound, an image or a philosophical or spiritual concept.

 

Meditation is also referred to as dhyana in Sanskrit. In yoga, the Sanskrit terms from Patanjali’s eight-limbed path separate the state of meditation (dhyana) from the practice of concentration that leads to such a state (dharana). It takes years of practice, dedication and discipline to reach the truly meditative state known as dhyana, in which it is no longer possible to perceive the act of meditation or separate a sense of self from it.

 

Generally, what is taught as ‘meditation’ in yoga studios is in fact the practice of dharana; techniques to focus and concentrate the mind in preparation for dhyana. Focus on breath, bodily sensations, mantras, chakras or drishti are all forms of dharana, in which the mind is trained to fix on one particular subject or object.