Meditation

This part of our spiritual directory deals with meditation. Meditation is a term that relates to spiritual contemplation and self reflection. This word comes from the Greek and Latin expressions for "thinking", "preparing for something" and "getting into our own inner being". Meditation is often connected to Buddhism, from the time when the teaching of self-realization through enlightenment spread all over the Orient.

The common experience of people starting to meditate is becoming aware of some deeper levels of their psychic, levels of which they had no previous knowledge. The reason for that is the level of penetration of the consciousness, which is now able to go to the unconscious level of existence and realize that there are complexes, fears, and other positive and negative sides of personality. Also, very common is becoming aware of the processes that occur within the physical body. The consciousness is getting more and more in control of the bodily functions.

In the higher levels of meditation, when the advanced students of meditation reaches the higher mind and the super ego, the consciousness is able to go beyond the rational mind and to see the reality as it is. New levels of existence open before our eyes.

Meditation can be also defined as technique that helps in achieving and maintaining harmony and balance between our subtle bodies from one, and our physical being from the other side. It is a practice of turning attention toward the inner aspects of our being. During meditation the subtle energy flow is enhanced which leads to higher states of consciousness, and ultimately to enlightenment. Traditionally every type of meditation is connected to a certain religious practice, but today there are many different meditations that can be practiced independently, and for achieving various aims, starting from relaxation, via health improvement to self-realization.