Meditation was developed for humans as a way of deepening self -awareness and achieving spiritual power by understanding our existence.

Early written records dating back to the second century BC showed how Indian people tried to expand the consciousness and improve and develop their character. The records also provided the foundation for ayurveda and yoga. In China, a school was developed for meditation based on Taoism, the foundation of Zen Buddhism.  This also made its way to Japan. Western religions also practise forms of meditation: Judaism with kabbala, Christianity with prayer and ascesis and Islam with sufism.

The three principle aims of meditation are that individuals overcome boundaries, develop self -awareness and pursue enlightenment. This can have – depending on the focus – different names: cosmos, nature, Buddha, God and Tao. The modern view of using meditation as a tool for improving spiritual and physical fitness challenges the original understanding. Throughout history, many meditation forms have been developed, which have been categorised as ‘concentrating’ and ‘evolving’ methods. When practising the concentrating method, our attention is focussed on an object and all other environmental stimuli are removed. The evolving method helps to eliminate all thoughts; environmental stimuli are absorbed but not judged, explained or processed by the subconscious.

Meditation is not a method to heal ailments or diseases. However, the relaxing effect is used to reduce stress and is highly effective in helping anxiety, phobias, chronic pain or high blood pressure.