Purposes and Effects of Meditation.

The purposes for which people meditate vary almost as widely as practices. Meditation may serve simply as a means of relaxation from a busy daily routine; as a technique for cultivating mental discipline; or as a means of gaining insight into the nature of reality, or of communing with one's God. Many report improved concentration, awareness, self-discipline and equanimity through meditation.

Many authorities avoid emphasizing the effects of meditation — sometimes out of modesty, sometimes for fear that the expectation of results might interfere with one's meditation. For theists, the effects of meditation are considered a gift of God or from the Holy Spirit/Ghost, and not something that is "achieved" by the meditator alone, just as some say that a person will not convert to Christianity without the influence of the Holy Spirit/Ghost's presence.

Commonly reported results from meditation include:

1. Greater faith in, or understanding of, one's religion or beliefs .

2. An increase in patience, compassion, and other virtues and morals or the understanding of

them.

3. Feelings of calm or peace, and/or moments of great joy .

4. Consciousness of sin, temptation, and remorse, and a spirit of contrition.

5. Sensitivity to certain forms of lighting, such as fluorescent lights or computer screens, and

sometimes heightened sense-perception.

6. Surfacing of buried memories.

7. Experience of spiritual phenomena such as kundalini, extra-sensory perception, or visions of

deities, saints, demons, etc.

Some traditions acknowledge that many types of experiences and effects are possible, but instruct the meditator to keep in mind the spiritual purpose of the meditation, and not be distracted by lesser concerns. For example, Mahayana Buddhists are urged to meditate for the sake of "full and perfect enlightenment for all sentient beings" (the bodhisattva vow). Some, as in certain sects of Christianity, say that these things are possible, but are only to be supported if they are to the glory of God.

Meditation.

The word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation." The use of the word meditation in the western Christian tradition has referred generally to a more active practice of reflection on some particular theme such as "meditation on the sufferings of Christ". Similarly in Western philosophy, one finds, for example, Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy, a set of six mental exercises which systematically analyze the nature of reality.

"Meditation" in its modern sense refers to Yogic meditation that originated in India. In the late nineteenth century, Theosophists adopted the word "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Eastern religions. Thus the English word "meditation" does not exclusively translate any single term or concept, and can be used to translate words such as the Sanskrit dhyana, samadhi and bhavana.

Meditation is usually defined as one or more of the following:

1. a state of relaxed concentration on the reality of the present moment

2. a state that is experienced when the mind dissolves and is free of all thoughts

3. "concentration in which the attention has been liberated from restlessness and is focused on

God.

4. focusing the mind on a single object (such as a religious statue, or one's breath, or a mantra)

5. a mental "opening up" to the divine, invoking the guidance of a higher power

reasoned analysis of religious teachings (such as impermanence, for Buddhists).

From the point of view of psychology, meditation can induce an altered state of consciousness. The goals of meditation are varied, and range from spiritual enlightenment, to the transformation of attitudes, to better cardiovascular health.