History of Meditation

Where did it all begin?

Ever wondered where meditation came from? Or who invented this life force? Well the history of meditation can be traced back to the origin of humanity itself. In other words, meditation was always with us and is now a much developed discipline.

It's difficult to find out the exact origin of the practice of meditation. But we do have ancient Hindu texts and expert opinions to help. Let's start in the Far East ...

History of Meditation - Asia

There are records of meditation practice in the ancient culture of many Asian countries such as India, Japan and China. It seems meditation had a universal presence in these countries - with slight differences in the styles, purposes or goals of each type of meditation.

5 References to the History of Meditation

1. According to expert opinion, meditation could have been discovered by primitive gathering and hunting societies. Since then it has undergone several developments and changes to become what is popularly followed now.

2. Many people associate meditation with Buddha. And he is widely known as a meditation icon. He gained enlightenment during the 500 BC by sitting under the banyan tree. The result? "Buddhism".

3 .During the Second Century AD, a crowd of Christian Monks used meditation for getting nearer to God and thereby retreating from this world and living a life of simplicity. Even today, meditation has a close association with Christian practices.

4. Research on the history of meditation show that in 1000 AD, Jewish meditation was used for communicating with God. During the same time period, meditation also gained popularity among Muslims.

5. It is believed that in 1067 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi promoted renaissance of meditation practices in western countries which still continues to flourish.

History of Meditation - How Meditation Spread Throughout The World

After meditation started gaining popularity in the Eastern countries, there was a gap of thousands of years before it gained acceptance among the Western countries. But during the mid-years of the 20th century, meditation started becoming highly popular in the Western societies.

Research carried out during the late 1960s and 70s proved many meditation benefits and really helped meditation become accepted in the West. Herbert Benson did a lot of the early studies. Mostly on a type of mantra meditation. Find out what he discovered in Relaxation Response.

In the present times, meditation is a refined and evolved practice. It's helps us achieve balance physically, mentally and emotionally. And meditation research have shown meditation reduces anxiety, stress and other emotional disorders.

Learning something about the history of meditation provides a gateway into the benefits of meditation. And it can help you understand the roots of this practice. Whatever the origin of this spiritual and universal practice, it is surely a gift for all of mankind - and can help you reach the highest point of peace and tranquility.

Enjoyed History of Meditation?

Then read

• Japa Meditation
• Third Eye Meditation
• Chinese Meditation

Return from History of Meditation to Learning Modern Meditation