“We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds.”
-Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
A few days ago, while having a conversation with a close friend two questions were raised, “why do we associate Buddhism, (or Buddha), to meditation?” and “do you think that yoga and meditation have some kind of a relation?” This made me think of the answers which sparked my keen interest in the topic. Although meditation is a very important Buddhist practice, it isn’t very unique to Buddhism as Buddhism is not exclusively about meditation only. Meditation is often considered congruous to Buddhism and Buddhist teachings because Buddha himself, attained enlightenment through meditation. The art of meditation just moves one and it is a means of transforming the brain.
“Om mani Padme hum” and “Nam myoho renge kyo” are the two most common chants that are used while praying and meditating. The powerful words can create a positive effect on your mind. However, we often complicate the energies that the words in the prayers have by looking at the face value and by questioning them, but instead we should try to define them in scientific and mystical terms and look at how well they could benefit us. All we have to do is to stay quiet and feel the phenomenal energy and the power that these words have, along with positivity and see the change in mind. Most people hold that Buddha invented meditation because it is mentioned in the scriptures, but this theory is fallacious. Mediation predates the time of Buddhism and Buddha himself sought out other enlightened teachers to learn the practice and ways of self-fulfillment through dedicated meditation. In India, meditation dates back to the Vedic period and also finds a mention in the Vedas. Vedantism was a school of philosophy and one of the earliest known paths for spiritual enlightenment in India. Several other forms could be traced or could be found in 6th and 5th centuries BCE in Taoist China and Buddhist India.
If we talk about why is meditation so peaceful, it is because most of the people who experienced it described it as incredible and a good change in one’s belief system. An acquaintance who was suffering from acute anxiety and restlessness because he couldn’t make proper decisions tried mediation and describes the experience thus: “this felt magical and my mind is calmer now, I can make decisions much more easily because I am at peace while making them.”
Stress reduction is one of the most common reason why people meditate. When there is less stress, it will ultimately lead to less anxiety. For instance, if any person practices an eight to ten-week ‘Mindfulness Meditation’, it will help him reduce the level of anxiety-general and social- and it will also help in reducing the chances of having phobias, paranoid thoughts, panic attacks and a lot more. Meditation helps in promoting emotional health, improving self-image and developing a more positive outlook of life. It has been clinically affirmed that there is a decrease in the chances of depression, if one does mediation religiously. Improvements in attention and clarity of the thought-process may help to keep the mind young. When positivity attracts and increases in a person, it could lead to generation of kindness, modesty and could make them feel calm. It can even help in fighting addictions. Meditational routines help people to sleep well and for a long time without fitful dreams and also can help in decreasing blood pressure. Thus, mediation is so much more than Buddhism which associates it to the acquiring of enlightenment
Just like meditation and Buddhism are related similarly meditation and yoga are also related. Mediation is considered to be a part of yoga as it deals with the relaxation of mind and concentration. Meditation and yoga are both part of the Eight Limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras -yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi- which are important in modern yoga. They are considered to go hand in hand, and one cannot be present without the other one.
Yoga has so many benefits like the relaxation techniques that are incorporated in yoga can lessen the effect of chronic pain, such as arthritis, lower back pain, headache and many more illnesses. Yoga helps in increasing flexibility, muscle toning and strengthening, improving respiration, getting energy, battling insomnia, weight reduction, maintaining a balanced metabolism, improving athletic performance, increasing blood flow and helps in enhancing the cardio and circulatory health. However, in every asana in yogic routine there is an element of meditation that helps you focus, relax, control your breathing and improving balance of the body. None of these benefits of yoga can be achieved without the will power of the mind that is honed through meditation.
Mediation is not just restricted to sitting down with folded legs, eyes closed. It is in every activity that brings one peace, that helps make one feel good and where one has a sense of living the moment. Be it music, cooking, dancing or anything, it is meditation if thought of it that way. Even the postures used in yoga are actually designed to prepare the body to meditate systematically. Thus, meditation is the very rhythm that flows through nature and connects everything.
Sanidhya Sharma is a second year student of international relations honors from O.P. Jindal Global University. He is a law aspirant. He loves dancing, listening to music, interacting with people, he is always up for travelling and is a major foodie .