Meditation is a state of concentrated attention on any object of thought or awareness. It generally involves turning the attention inward to the mind itself. It is believed that meditation has been originated in Vedic Hinduism.
Meditation is used for personal development, or focussing the mind on God. Many people practice it in order to achieve peace and others to become healthier through certain physical yogas.
Meditation Postures/ Yoga Meditation
Seated posture - One can use chair, stool, bench or anything that has a horizontal top, so that a person may sit on it. He/she sits up, with their back straight holding their head and spine in alignment. The hands rests comfortably on their knees or arms of chair. The thighs should be parallel to the floor while the back of the person does not lean against the back of the chair.
Cross legged posture - While seated on the floor, person crosses and unless skilled at yoga, does not attempt to rest feet on their thighs. He/she sits upright, with straight back and head and spine in alignment. The hands may rest in any position.
Cross legged posture - While seated on the floor, person crosses and unless skilled at yoga, does not attempt to rest feet on their thighs. He/she sits upright, with straight back and head and spine in alignment. The hands may rest in any position.
Lying down posture - In yoga this posture is known as corpse. It is also known as the savasna. In this the person lies down on a carpet with legs straight but relaxed. It is rarely used because it mimics natural sleeping postures, making it very easy to fall asleep while trying to meditiate. It is more effective as a stress reducer.
Meditation Technique
Bahá'í Faith - In this type of meditation the Bahá'í Faith teaches that it is necessary for spiritual growth, alongside obligatory prayer and fasting.
Buddhism - It's forms are shamatha and vipassana, both are necessary for enlightenment. Shamatha consists of learning to focus the attention single-pointedly and vipassana involves seeing the true nature of reality.
Christianity - Various practices in Christianity might be identified as forms of meditation. Some types of prayer like the rosary and Adoration (focusing on the eucharist) in Catholicism or hesychasm in Eastern Orthodoxy can be compared to the form of Eastern meditation which focuses on an individual object.
Jainism - It is called as Samayika, a word in Prakrit language. Its aim is to transcend our daily experiences as the "constantly changing" human beings, called Jiva, and allow identification with the "changeless" reality in us, called the Atma.
Hinduism - It is of various forms. Vedanta, a form of Jnana Yoga. Raja Yoga describes eight "limbs" of spiritual practices, half of it might be classified as meditation. Surat shabd yoga, or "sound and light meditation." Japa Yoga, the repetition of a mantra.
Islam - It has two concepts. One is defined in the Qur'an and Sunnah, i.e. developed during the life and times of the prophet or shortly thereafter. The other is developed by the Sufis, Muslim ascetics, in later times. The original concept of meditation in Islam is based on contemplation. It is called tafakkur in the Qur'an. Literally, it refers to the reflection upon the universe. Muslims feel that this is a form of intellectual development which emanates from a higher level, i.e. from God.
Judaism - Jewish meditation is explained in Kabbalah and Hassidic philosophy. The Kabbalistic meditative practices construct a supernal realm. In it the soul navigates through in order to achieve certain ends.
Sikhism - The practices of simran and Nam Japo encourage quiet meditation in Sikhism. It is a practice of focusing ones attention on the attributes of God.
