Meditation

Meditation presents a timeless journey across cultures and personal practice. From India’s Vedic sages to Christian mystics, from personal mantras to the famed Relaxation Response, meditation weaves together ancient wisdom and modern science, guiding us inward toward stillness, insight, and compassion.

This article blends cross-cultural history with my own journey, beginning with Transcendental Meditation in 1972 when I was living in Ottawa, to offer a tapestry of practices you can explore on your path.

A Brief History of Meditation Around the World
My Journey with Meditation
Some Key Meditation Techniques
Choosing Your Path
Closing Thoughts

A Brief History of Meditation Around the World

Meditation’s roots stretch back over 5,000 years. Cultures across the globe developed practices to access higher wisdom, healing, and union with the Divine:

India: Ancient yogis practiced dhyāna as outlined in the Vedas. It became central to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
China & Japan: Daoist adepts cultivated harmony with nature through inner observation, while Zen Buddhism refined the seated zazen practice.
Middle East & Europe: Christian contemplatives and Jewish Kabbalists used prayer, chanting, and visualization to touch the divine presence.
Indigenous Traditions: Drumming, breathwork, and trance induced portals to spirit worlds for guidance and healing.

My Journey with Meditation

Meditation never came easily for me. The term itself spans techniques for relaxation, energy cultivation (qi, prana), and the development of compassion, patience, and forgiveness.

My first taste of meditation was Transcendental Meditation (TM) in Ottawa in 1972 — I still recall the resonance of my mantra. From there I began to experience Tibetan Buddhist sitting practice at Vajradhatu with the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in Halifax, Nova Scotia; I explored Kirtan Kriya (Sa Ta Na Ma), and embraced Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response. Over time, the 11-minute Sa Ta Na Ma sequence—combining mudra, mantra, and gentle sitting—proved especially stabilizing for my Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) monkey mind.

Key Meditation Techniques

Transcendental Meditation (TM)

Sit comfortably with closed eyes, twice daily for 20 minutes.
Silently repeat a personal mantra to transcend ordinary thinking.
Clinically shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and evoke the Relaxation Response.
Learn more…

Tibetan Buddhist Sitting Practice at Shambhala

Adopt a stable, cross-legged posture or sit in a chair with a straight spine.
Focus on natural breath or open-awareness, observing thoughts without attachment.
Cultivates mindfulness, equanimity, and compassion through sustained presence.
Learn more…

Sa Ta Na Ma (Kirtan Kriya)

Originated in Kundalini Yoga: Sa – Birth; Ta – Life; Na – Death; Ma – Rebirth.
Combine finger mudras with chanting for 11 minutes, twice daily.
Supports emotional balance, focus, and cognitive health.
Learn more…

Isha Kriya

Guided practice by Sadhguru: observe the breath and repeat the internal mantra, “I am not the body. I am not even the mind.”
Accessible online or in person through the Isha Foundation.
Helps dissolve ego-centered identity and awaken inner clarity.
Learn more…

Kabbalistic Meditation

Contemplate the Sefirot and Hebrew letters on the Tree of Life.
Chant sacred names from the Torah and Zohar.
Visualize the infinite Divine Light (Ein Sof) flowing through creation for mystical union.

The Relaxation Response

Developed by Dr. Herbert Benson to counteract stress physiology.
Techniques include silent mantra repetition, progressive muscle relaxation, or breath awareness.
Elicits measurable reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol.
Learn more…

Choosing Your Path

Every meditator is unique. When selecting a practice, consider:

Your temperament: Do you prefer structure (mantra, mudra) or open awareness?
Your schedule: Can you commit to daily sittings of 10–20 minutes?
Your goals: Stress relief, spiritual insight, cognitive support, or compassion cultivation?

Experiment with several approaches, then anchor your routine in the one that resonates most deeply.

Closing Thoughts on Meditation

Meditation is not a single path but a tapestry of spiritual technologies for awakening. Whether you sit with TM, explore breath-led stillness at Shambhala, chant Sa Ta Na Ma, or engage the Relaxation Response, each practice opens a portal to your True Self.

Namaste and blessings on your path.