History & Origins

A Brief History of Meditation: Where Did It All Begin?

Though the practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, it’s experienced a massive resurgence in recent years, both in the U.S and worldwide. While meditation is often used to help practitioners relax and focus on the present moment, its history dates back much further than that. In fact, although meditation seems like a totally new-age idea today, people have been practicing it since ancient times! Let’s take a look at how this popular spiritual practice has evolved throughout history...

Prehistoric evidence of meditation

It is hard to say when meditation actually began, but there is evidence that suggests it might have existed before recorded history. In a cave in southern France, archeologists found an engraving on the wall that was about 17,000 years old. This engraving was of a wild animal with its head turned back toward its tail and had what looked like some kind of stick figure sitting on top of it. This could be the earliest evidence that people were engaging in meditation. There are other places with similar artwork to this one and some have been dated back as far as 40,000 years ago. Another interesting find is a set of caves called Nevali Cori near Istanbul, Turkey. The caves were used as burial chambers for many centuries and there are paintings on the walls depicting ancient rituals such as human hunting and dances with deer or bulls. One painting even depicts what looks like our modern day yoga positions! These paintings date back at least 8,000 years ago which means that these ancient people might have been doing some form of meditation-like practice all along. When Buddhism spread from India, they brought their form of meditation practices with them. They taught monks how to meditate so they would be able to maintain their concentration during prayer sessions and other ceremonies. They also taught laymen how to meditate so they would learn self-control, concentrate better, and gain insight into their own minds. When the Buddha died he left behind detailed instructions on how his followers should meditate because he realized that he couldn't teach them himself anymore due to his death.

Early written references to meditation

The earliest written references to meditation are in the Vedas and Upanishads, texts composed in ancient India. The word meditation derives from a Sanskrit word that means to think, to reflect, or to ponder.

The earliest reference to meditation is found in the Rig Veda, the oldest scripture of Hinduism. The Rig Veda mentions meditative practices connected with breath control and visualization (samyama), as well as those that seek to attain union with the divine (oneness) through chanting (japa).

The Atharva Veda contains prayers for specific occasions when rituals would be performed. In this text, meditation is mentioned only briefly as part of ritualistic ceremonies practiced by priests. However, it does mention how these rituals could lead to an understanding of ultimate truth. Other early writings on meditation include portions of the Bible where Moses was said to have gone into a cave for forty days and nights after receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Buddhism also has connections with early forms of mediation practice, where Siddhartha Gautama became enlightened while sitting under a pipal tree (bodhi tree) and then went on to teach others about his realization.

The first known organized group devoted to meditation was called the Brahmanandins. They were a sect of Hinduism founded around the fourth century BC by Makkhali Gosala. They were eventually banished and their teachings were lost. Another sect which took form at around the same time was Jainism, but no records exist to show any connection between them and Brahmamandins. A few centuries later came Taoist monks who mastered techniques such as Chi gong breathing exercises and Qi Gong movements designed to unblock energy flows in the body so that they could achieve peace and clarity of mind.

Meditation in Eastern Religions

Meditation has been a part of Eastern religions for centuries, from Buddhism to Hinduism. The word meditation comes from the Latin meditāre, which means to think, contemplate or ponder. Buddhists originally used meditation as a way to understand their true self and achieve enlightenment. Hindus use meditation as an act of devotion to their gods. Many Buddhists and Hindus believe that by achieving a state of no thought or self-awareness, one can reach a higher level of consciousness and eventually enter Nirvana or Samadhi.

Meditation was later adopted in Western culture with the rise in popularity of Transcendentalism in the 1800s. Many Westerners started to pursue this practice because they felt it could lead them to a greater understanding of themselves, resulting in what many people now call spiritual fulfillment.

In the 1950s, some psychologists had begun researching how meditation might help treat mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. The idea behind this is that meditation leads people into more intense focus, often clearing away negative thoughts in the process.

The 1970s saw another surge in interest when Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at University of Massachusetts Medical School. He adapted traditional Buddhist mindfulness practices for clinical purposes by applying them as treatments for chronic pain, depression and anxiety among other disorders.

Buddhism and the rise of mindfulness meditation

The Buddha's teachings about mindfulness meditation (or sati in Pali) were first recorded in a Buddhist text called the Dhammapada. This text is thought to have been composed sometime between 300 BC and 200 AD. The Dhammapada includes many references to cultivating mindfulness, such as: Mindfulness is the way to the Deathless. He who walks in the way of mindfulness lives happily both in this world and the next, (1.269).

The Buddha also taught his followers to cultivate mindfulness by mindfully eating, walking, or engaging in any other activity (1.273-5). This type of mindful activity is now known as mindful living or mindfulness at work. Mindfulness meditation is described in detail in the Satipatthana Sutta, which dates back to before 100 BC.

The Satipatthana Sutta contains detailed instructions for establishing mindfulness through daily life activities like eating, drinking, sitting, lying down, getting dressed and going for a walk.

Within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition there are many different types of mediation including various forms of visualization that focus on compassion and love towards all sentient beings or even oneself. These meditations help practitioners develop loving kindness towards themselves and others instead of more negative emotions like anger.

Christian meditation

The Christian tradition is rich with meditative practices. The most well-known and probably the oldest form is called lectio divina (Latin for divine reading). This involves reading a text, reflecting on it, praying about it and then repeating the process. Lectio divina was practiced by monks in the early Middle Ages, who would spend much of their days in silent reading and meditation.

Meditation has also been used to focus attention during contemplative prayer. As a recent example, Father Thomas Keating developed centering prayer as a way to ground oneself in God’s love while avoiding distractions from outside influences. Centering prayer has no set time limit or stage progression but can be practiced anytime one wants to enter into a conversation with God. It begins with having a simple intention like I will listen for God’s voice within me, come what may. I will open my heart to all that I might experience without judgment. In this deep listening and waiting before God, I commit myself fully to him so that he might transform me. After a period of silence, one says the words Jesus come into my heart, my dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, come into my heart now! Holy Spirit come here too! In your name I pray. Amen.

Secular approaches to meditation

Meditation is said to have originated in India and Tibet, dating back more than 3,000 years. The word meditation can be translated from its Sanskrit origins as turning the mind inward. When Buddha was on his deathbed he instructed monks to meditate in order to attain enlightenment. Early Buddhist texts identify two types of meditation: samatha or tranquility and vipassana or insight; these terms correspond roughly to the modern distinction between focused (Samatha) and open monitoring (Vipassana). Samatha meditation aims at calming bodily sensations by concentrating the mind with techniques such as breath control, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation and contemplation. Vipassana meditation emphasizes self-observation without controlling thoughts and emotions, maintaining a non-judgmental attitude towards thoughts. Vipassana tradition combines mindfulness practices, i.e., awareness of physical body and surroundings, deep observation of one's mental state, examination of external sensory experiences including sound and sights, combined with introspective reflection into one's own mentality process.

In 1957 Theravada Buddhism was introduced in the U.S., bringing a variety of popular styles that are now practiced in America – Tibetan Buddhism including an emphasis on ethics and daily life; Zen Buddhism which emphasises seated meditation practice through study and ritualized exercises called ‘koans’ for their ability to unlock awareness; various types of Insight mediation focusing on becoming aware oneself rather than quieting the mind like traditional Buddhist forms.

The benefits of meditation

Meditation is not a new concept. The roots of meditation can be traced back to the time of the Buddha, who practiced it as a form of spiritual development. Even earlier than that, it's believed that Hindu and Buddhist monks were practicing forms of meditation even before the Buddha's time. Today, there are many different types of meditation practices being used for various purposes and by people all over the world. Many people use guided meditations in order to relax more deeply or sleep better. Others practice mindfulness meditation, which focuses on living in the present moment rather than worrying about past events or future worries. There's also mantra-based meditations where the individual repeats an assigned word or phrase to help focus their thoughts and calm their mind. Other methods include zazen meditation, which is popular in Japan and Tibet; this method involves sitting still while focusing one’s attention solely on breathing. Transcendental Meditation (TM) was created by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1958. It involves sitting with eyes closed, repeating a sound called a mantra chosen by the practitioner from among seven words of Sanskrit origin until one reaches a transcendental state where thought patterns shift from thinking about oneself to an expanded state of consciousness. Practitioners claim TM has benefits such as stress relief, improved concentration, and reduced anxiety. Another popular type of meditation is Vipassana which means to see things as they really are. In this technique you concentrate on body sensations and emotions, staying focused but not becoming involved with them. Some people believe that Vipassana could be the original type of meditation practiced by Buddha himself, since it is said to have been taught by him. The easiest way to do any form of meditation is simply to find a comfortable position - either seated on a chair or lying down - and then close your eyes.

Most sources say you should clear your head of any thoughts before beginning, but some experts say that this isn't necessary because once your brain quiets down, thoughts will naturally stop arising. You may want to set aside 10 minutes each day for relaxation through mediation just so your subconscious can absorb what happened during these moments without interruption from external factors like noise or distractions. You might also try listening to soothing music at the same time if that works best for you.