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In the East, there was never such a thing as one unified concept called meditation.
Instead, there were dozens of words, each describing a very specific state of mind. If you were to ask a monk who has spent forty years in an ashram what kind of “meditation” he practices, he would probably not even understand the question.
The word “meditation” first appeared in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it referred to self-reflection, or contemplation. Later it traveled through Europe and, by the 19th century, became a convenient umbrella term for the many practices that reached the West from the East. Convenient, yes—but far too narrow for the vast ocean of inner states.
Today, people may use the same word to describe very different practices: breathing, visualization, mantra, or simply sitting in silence. One person calls all of this “meditation,” another only accepts one version as true meditation. And each believes their technique is the “real” one.
From the Eastern perspective, sitting cross-legged on a cushion for an hour does not necessarily mean you were meditating. It may have been only preparation. True meditation is about the state itself—and sometimes that state lasts no longer than 30 seconds.
Paradoxically, one thousand mindful hours may transform a person more than ten thousand hours of mechanical repetition. The real measure of progress is not how long you sat, but whether your life begins to change—more clarity, more calm, more freedom.
There is also something rarely spoken about: the side effects of meditation.
Sometimes instead of peace, a person may encounter irritability, euphoria, or even a subtle escape from reality. These experiences are also part of the journey, and worth acknowledging.
So what does meditation mean to you—an exercise, or a state of being?
And perhaps even more important: how has it changed your life?
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