When I talk about meditation, I am always asked if this method is not necessarily related to spirituality. In this aspect, we will be talking about what role meditation play in spirituality and religion.
Is meditation a synonym for spirituality? To answer this question, I usually tell the story of the guy who wanted to learn to hang glider and started looking for a place to learn it. First, he came across a school of pilots, where he would have to learn, first, how to fly airplanes, gliders, and all kinds of flying machines, in the middle of which he would have the formation of hang gliding. Then he found a birdwatching club, which taught how to use binoculars, climb to lookouts, climb mountains, hang gliding, in short, anything that could help with bird watching. Later, he discovered an extreme sports club, which taught how to parachute jump, bungee jump, and even hang gliding. But he couldn’t find anyone to teach him just how to hang glider! Nobody set out to do that! Everyone insisted on offering a “package”, in which hang gliding training had to be accepted as part of a set.
What happens with meditation is similar. Whenever you are looking for a place to learn to meditate, everyone wants to offer a “package”, within which meditation would be included. It is as if they were saying: “Do you want to learn to meditate? Well, then accept this, learn that, believe in the other, etc., etc.”
I am not against the spiritual connotation of meditation. I only react to the mandatory spiritual connotation. Why can’t someone just learn to meditate? Why can’t you just learn the technique, without other connotations? Why deny this right to so many people, who today resist meditation because of the mandatory link to spirituality?
However, even in academia, this aspect is also somewhat controversial. An American government agency, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), recently reviewed the current state of meditation research.
The current definitions usually focus only on the phenomenological aspects of meditation practice and rarely describe the necessary practical and physical components in sufficient detail, so that they can be understood as operational definitions of meditation. The spiritual component of meditation is poorly described in the literature and it is still unclear in what form or to what extent spirituality and belief could play a role in a successful meditative practice.
From my point of view, we must be careful when spiritualizing meditation, because, in my experience, this could even make it difficult to establish the state that we call “relaxation of logic”.
Why did Buddha never speak of God? Why would gurus like Ramana Maharishi say there is no point in thinking about Divinity? Perhaps for the same reason that Eliphas Levi claims that “God defined is God passed over”. To “think about” something or someone, it is necessary, first, to define that something or someone about what one is thinking. However, to define, it is necessary to frame the defined object within the mental sphere.
Much is said about the supramental, transcendental aspect of meditation. Meditation is said to be beyond the senses, beyond the mind, beyond logic; it is said to be an exercise in superconsciousness. For if so, this state is found only with a broad “relaxation of logic”, in an experience that no longer coexists with definitions and/or classifications. What few remember, however, is that even positive ideations form sequences of thoughts.
When you think, for example, that “… This is spiritual. This is beautiful. This is pleasant and sacred….”, A sequence of thoughts is being chained, and this sequence must also be abandoned to obtain the relaxation of logic. Just at another stage, in addition to positive ideations, the real meditative state will be. This is probably what the ancient Buddhists referred to when they said that “false virtues must be abandoned for true virtues to emerge …”.
Mentally speaking, meditation is not a spiritual experience. It is a fact that, when meditating, 25 to 50% of beginners say they have experienced experiences that they would classify as “spiritual”. However, these must be spontaneous manifestations, and not aspects necessarily linked to the teaching of meditation.
I do not mean to say that meditation does not have an imponderable aspect. After all, the meditative state itself is already imponderable. As we said in a recent publication by our group, meditation is a quantum manifestation. It is something beyond logic and mind. However, we still need to define it operationally, clearly unveiling its technical aspects, because only then will its use be disseminated among health services, worldwide.
Meditation in religion
Vedic tradition: meditating in yoga and Hinduism
The organized form of meditation can be traced back to the Upanishads and Vedas, two of the oldest text sources of the Vedic traditions in India (which include Hinduism and yoga). According to expert opinion, they can be dated back to the 7th to 2nd centuries BC. “Dhyana” in these texts means the state of complete spiritual immersion, which represents step seven of the eight-part yoga path to Patanjali (Yoga Sutra). This is followed only by samadhi, the perfect knowledge. In Hinduism, the goal is also enlightenment, that is, the knowledge of the unity of Atman (individual soul) and Brahman (world soul).
The role of meditation in Buddhism
The situation is similar in Buddhism: meditation is part of the Noble Eightfold Path, which is an important guide on the way to salvation (nirvana). Meditating is a very central part of Buddhist practice – in addition to adhering to ethical rules, mindfulness practice is the most important element of this religion. The goals of meditation on the way to awakening (bodhi) are the gathering and calming of the mind (Samatha), the clear-conscious perception (vipassana), the cultivation of loving compassion (Metta) and the gradual dissolution of the ego (attachment to the self) ). The first records of Buddhist meditation can be found in the Pali Canon, which is believed to be the oldest written collection of lectures by the historical Buddha (Siddharta Gautama) from the 1st century BC.
Meditate in Christianity
In the Christian tradition, meditation is part of the practice of collecting the spirit: In the Middle Ages, in which the first records on the subject were probably created, these included the “spiritual exercises” Lectio (“careful reading”), meditation (“object-free view”) ), oratio (“prayer”) and contemplation(“Objective consideration”). The basic idea is therefore comparable to that in yoga or Buddhism, but meditation represents a rather small part of the technique. In Christian monasteries, the monks and nuns still meditate today, for Christians in everyday life, however, the aspect is of far less important than, for example, the prayer. For Buddhists, on the other hand, meditation is one of the most important elements of their religious practice.
The most famous types and techniques of meditation
In general usage, we mean by meditation above all: sitting and bringing the mind to rest. However, there are two main groups of meditation techniques: In addition to the physically passive, active meditations are also an important part of different religious and cultural traditions.
Passive types of meditation
Samatha meditation is the mental rest or concentration meditation. Here the practitioner concentrates on one object. The historical Buddha is said to have named a total of 40 such meditation objects. This includes the breath: here the meditator observes his breath and possibly counts the breaths (inhalation and exhalation). Another meditation object can be metta, the loving-kindness in the Buddhist tradition. The practitioner concentrates on a feeling of loving care first of all for himself and then for his loved ones – right down to strangers or people he doesn’t like. Another possible object of meditation is a Mantra, such as “Om” or “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.” Concentrating on such a meditation object can help not to be constantly distracted by your own thoughts, but to really let go.
Samatha meditation is often described as a kind of initiation or preparation for Vipassana meditation. With the latter, the practitioner sits in complete silence and concentration – but without any object on which he is concentrating. This is an even bigger challenge for most of us because without help we find it incredibly difficult not to hold onto our thoughts when they distract us. The prerequisite is complete mindfulness, i.e. staying in the present moment. In the Buddhist tradition, the practitioner has the chance to have a transcendent spiritual experience in this meditation: letting go of all thoughts and feelings should bring about the dissolution of the self – the preliminary stage for reaching Nirvana.
Zazen meditation has its roots in Zen Buddhism. This current probably originated in Japan around the 5th century AD and is mainly characterized by the lack of dogmas and solid structures. Zazen meditation plays a central role in Zen and is similar to Vipassana meditation in its execution. The main difference is that the practitioner keeps his eyes open or half-open – but without actively looking.
The Transcendental Meditation gained great notoriety in the 1960s when her most important teacher Maharishi Mahesh Yogi “spiritual adviser” of the Beatles was. This form of meditation wants to make it easy for the practitioner and does not use great concentration to achieve the goal. Instead, each practitioner uses a word or mantra, the repetition of which is said to create a state of deep silence and simultaneous alertness. Each student receives this mantra individually from a teacher – but in a rather expensive “course”, which is why the TM is partly controversial. If the technique is used correctly, the meditator should be able to experience this state of “calm alertness” even outside of the actual meditation up to 24 hours a day.
Active types of meditation
In many schools of Buddhism active meditations are practiced, especially in Zen Buddhism. These include walking meditation (Kinhin), which is practiced, for example, between passive zazen meditations. The most famous representative of walking meditation is the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who has lived in France since 1971. Zen Buddhists also practice other everyday activities in a careful manner, such as preparing and drinking tea, the tea ceremony (Sado or Chado), or gardening ( Zen garden ).
The Indian spiritual teacher Osho developed dynamic meditation in the early 1970s. His goal was a meditation technique for modern people who often find it difficult to sit down and indulge in calm. Dynamic meditation is often practiced in a group and lasts around an hour. It consists of several phases: First, the meditator breathes quickly and deeply for ten minutes. This is followed by a ten-minute cathartic phase in which screaming, crying, or laughing should release pent-up feelings. The practitioner then hops for ten minutes and then stands still for 15 minutes. In the last phase, the meditator can dance freely for 15 minutes.
Effect and positive effects of regular meditation
Meditating is good for the psyche
What our ancestors knew thousands of years ago has been confirmed by current science: meditation is healthy – for the body and mind. Regular meditation improves the feeling of stress and strengthens emotional stability and positive thinking. The left frontal cortex is more active in people who meditate. It ensures that they are more balanced and assess situations or conflicts less emotionally. The limbic system, which is responsible for processing emotions in our brain, also trains meditation. The release of the stress hormone cortisol is inhibited when people meditate regularly – preferably daily. This makes them calmer and reduces the risk of mental illness. Mindful behavior in everyday life makes us more patient and trains our mental flexibility.
Our perception of our own body is also improved through meditation. If we concentrate on consciously perceiving our body during meditation (e.g. with a body scan), we automatically improve our sense of our needs in everyday life. A major problem in today’s performance society is that we do not take physical warning signals seriously because we are afraid of “not working”. Meditation helps us to better respond to our needs – it strengthens the areas of the brain that control body awareness.
Our physical health benefits from meditation
We also feel the regulated sense of stress physically: for example, in reduced blood pressure. Regular meditation has been shown to lower hypertension by up to twelve percent. Those who are less stressed also have a stronger immune system and are generally less susceptible to diseases. The left brain activated by meditation is responsible for our immune system. Other positive effects of the stress reduced by meditation are, for example, a lower cholesterol level and fewer migraine attacks. People who meditate regularly find it easier to fall asleep, and they often rate their sleep quality better.
By the way, most positive effects already occur after about 25 hours of meditation. The exact time of the individual effects is of course different from person to person, but after a relatively short period of daily meditation, you can feel how good your body and mind are doing. This infographic, which summarizes all the benefits of regular meditation and lists all sources and studies for the information, gives you a deeper insight into the topic.
Here’s how: Learn to meditate
If you want to start meditating, you should reserve a short period and space for your meditation every day, if possible, in which you will not be disturbed. You will still learn how to deal with external disturbances. In the beginning, however, it is easier if you have rest. Find a comfortable seat – this can be on a meditation cushion or just on a chair. In another article, you will find detailed tips for meditation beginners and setting up a regular meditation practice.
In other words, meditation is not a mental exercise, but a state that the mind enters, where you remain conscious at all times of what is happening, but at the same time you are unconscious, since meditation is a dissociative experience because it leads you to experience and feel things that are not expected or foreseen by rational, logical and linear thinking. It is as if there were divine guidance through higher consciousness.
So meditation is much more about trust and surrender to the unconscious stranger than strength and control from the conscious part. The purpose of meditation is to enter a state of deep meditation where what we call Samadi, in Sanskrit, “where everything is settled” or “complete meditation” happens. The mind becomes only the observer of the meditative experience, totally surrendered and absorbed by the experience. Mind and experience, conscious, and unconscious become one.
Modern meditation research and studies
As is known today, regular meditation actually has a calming and productive effect on the body and mind, which is why it is recommended here and there as a supportive measure in conventional medicine. In the meantime, it has even been medically proven that meditation can relax: tense muscles relax, breathing becomes slower and deeper and the pulse slows down measurably. If the state of meditation is reached, it can be demonstrated neurologically that the brain waves are changing.
Studies and experiments have also shown that the left hemisphere becomes more active in the meditative sense, at the same time it is proven that the density of the nerve cells increases in the cerebral cortex and in other brain regions. This has had an impact on the medical field on the treatment of diseases related to substance abuse, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disorders. Incidentally, it is scientifically almost certain that certain meditative forms such as yoga can permanently lower cholesterol, heart rate, and blood pressure and at the same time have a positive influence on oral expression.
People need a spiritual practice that can elevate, ennoble, and lead each person to a deep understanding of universal unity. Only by changing oneself internally is it possible to overcome egoism and all the barriers that separate people from each other. This change is a psycho-spiritual process, it is the cornerstone in building a harmonious society. It is useless to reform the political, economic, and social system without implementing a reform of consciousness. A constant effort to elevate the mind through the spiritual practice of meditation is a prerequisite for achieving the true well-being of society. The only thing that humanity really needs is a revolution in the minds of everyone.
Either way: meditation helps! Today, it is mostly not so much about the attainment of the original, Buddhist, or Hindu states of meditation, but about the ability to evade everyday life through the exercises, to bring yourself to other thoughts, and to relax mentally and physically. So it is all about reducing stress, and whoever achieves this, whether through meditation, autogenic training, muscle relaxation, yoga, or other ways, does a lot right.
