1. CHAPTER 4
MEDITATION (YOGA) IN HINDUISM
4.1 AIM OF MEDITATION
As we know, people come to meditation with different aims in mind, but I would narrow them
down to several principalonesaspect. Each aim requires a particular virtue or habit of character in
order to achieve the aim. For example, to control, health, powers, knowledge, peace also to calm
your thoughts. When we do that ourthrough meditation, asconsciousness expands we become
aware ofa greater reality inside us ourthesoul, which is the real source of all happiness, strength
and peace. So the goalaimof meditation is to reconnect with your one true inner self to achieve
Moksha.
Meditation brings physical and mental calmness and enhances the power of concentration power,
the memory, intuition, inner strength and peace of mind. It might also lead to spiritual
enlightenment.1
This depends on how much enthusiastic you are, how much energy and time you
devote to it and on your inner ripeness. It helps to find a time of day when you usually have a
quiet moment, perhaps the first thing in the morning or just before going to bed at night, and a
special place, such as a corner of your room where no one will interrupt you.
The other ultimate aim of meditation is to reach beyond the mind and live in the world of pure
spirit. This may not be the goal of the majority of those just starts to meditate. Meditation claims
to work by quieting the mind. The ultimate level of the transcendental state is "pure awareness."
HeThe ultimate goal of meditation is to self realize your divinity, that you are God. Like its
counterpart Yoga it is Hinduistic to its core. The ultimate goal of meditation and yoga is to
realize you are God.2
Besides that, to be awake is one of the aim of meditation andis the most difficult to explain,
which is to be aware of who you are and what life is about. You are awake when you are not
caught up in your mind‟s thoughts and fantasies, and instead have a direct apprehension of
1
Yoga.Kenneth Shouler, Ph.D. and Susai Anthony
2
Let Us Reason: Finding the God Within

2. reality unmediated by such mind phenomena. If you practice with consistency, curiosity, and
commitment, you will attain calmness and insight, and discover what it means to be awake.3
There are two type of thought that leads to all the actions performed by humans, they are positive
thoughts and negative thoughts. The positive thoughts should be channeled for the well fare of
one‟s self and surrounding. The negative thought should be checked and avoidedbecause
negative thoughts leads to negative action. Negative action leads to negative impact or
destruction. So, meditation plays a vital role in the growth of a human. This is the aim of
meditation in Hinduism.
4.2 TYPES OF MEDITATION
Hinduism places stresses on meditation to elevate the mind from daily stress and strain and for
finer thought. Meditation can be stated as a state of relaxed introspection on the present. The goal
is to dissolve the mind and be free of thought itself. Hindus practise meditation for various goals
ranging from spiritual enlightenment to transforming attitudes.
Hindu meditation is classified based on the type. Some forms focus on the perception and
experience that occur during meditation.4
4.2.1 DEFINITION MINDFULLNESS
In this type, one does not focus on a single object. The practitioner dispassionately observes the
mind with its whole scope of passing feelings, emotions, thoughts and images. The disadvantage
is if they practice only mindfulness, the mind would stay only on the surface level. Their
3
The Three Aims of Meditation, Alan Zundel ,2006, http://www.heartawake.org
4
http://hinduism.ygoy.com/2010/03/24/meditation-in-hinduism/

3. attention would peter out at the mind level itself. Thus, they would not be able to experience
deeper meditation levels.5
4.2.2 DEFINITION COCENTRATION
In this type, one concentrates on just a single object which could be a visualized image, chakra
centercentre, mantra or just the breath. If they practice only concentration, the mind would not be
trained to dispassionately witness passing images, emotions, sensations and thoughts. Their
attention may become oblivious to these experiences.
After know about the types of meditation, lets learn about the way of this practice. It will help
you to do it perfectly.
4.3THE WAYOF MEDITATION IN HINDUISM
As we know every religion has their own differentdistinctive way to practice their meditation.
Now, I will focus in the Hinduism. Yoga is generally done to prepare one for meditation, and
meditation is done to realize union of one's self, one's atman, with the omnipresent and non-
dual Brahman. This experience is referred to as moksha by Hindus.The earliest clear references
to meditation in Hindu literature are in the middle Upanishads and the Mahabharata, which
includes the Bhagavad Gita.
The Sanskrit word "yoga" actually means "union with the divine". The stretching exercises that
we in the west???associate with yoga were originally designed, thousands of years ago, to help
the practitioner gain control of their own life force, a spiritual energy known as kundalini. When
this energy rises from the base of the spine up through the top of the head, an expanded state of
awareness, called self-realization, can be achieved.6
5
http://hinduism.ygoy.com/2010/11/03/mindfulness-and-concentration/
6
http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Yoga-Meditation

4. Learning how to meditate is the most important part of being a human being. In fact, to uncover
and embrace all that you are, meditation is athe key. Meditation reveals to you the Truth of your
infinite, divine nature, and there are absolutely no material equivalents to these discoveries.
Whilst you are creating your peaceful atmosphere, there may be certain “props” to help you
meditate. It isn‟t required that you have any, but yoga is great seating for meditation or you may
simply sit on an easy chair.
Yoga is planned to be a meditative, relaxing form of exercise. But dressing for yoga can be
intimidating for beginning students. Generally, it is important to wear clothing that is both
comfortable and made from breathable fabric like cotton, bamboo or jersey. It will also help to
know what type of yoga class you are attending in order to determine the best outfit. 7
Besides
that, body relaxation technique is performed each time before meditation to calm the body
enough to make meditation more effective. The body is typically very restless in its normal state.
The body is designed to move on a normal basis and it usually remains in a state of constant
stimulation to make this possible. What it wants to do is bring the body into a more restful state.
This has a significant impact on the mind, especially when attempting to meditate. It reduces
your brains need to be responsive of your body.
Mind will have less information to tune out. Your nervous system is constantly sending
information to your brain updating the location and status of each muscle. The body relaxation
technique releases your mind from being pestered by the body.Many have experienced
meditation as very difficult without using this technique early. The body relaxation technique
will help not only relax your body but your mind as well, the two are interconnected.
So given how important meditation is, here I would like to teach step by step how to learn and
practice this great art. These area few preliminary steps for learning how to meditate:
1. First and foremost, you must find some time out of your daily schedule.
7
http://www.wikihow.com/Know-What-to-Wear-for-Yoga

5. 2. For the location, find a suitable quiet place for meditation.8
If it is very hard to find
somewhere quiet, use some meditative music to drown out background sounds. If
possible keep a corner of your room reserved just for meditation and this will help build
up a meditative vibration in that particular part. Also, things that help you relax are also
good to have in your environment during your meditation. For example, many people like
to have the sound of running water because it‟s very calming also lighting the room with
a few candles is also an effective way of setting the mood for your meditation time.
3. Sit down. It is important that you sit with a straight back during meditation, any posture
that will allow you to sit with a straight back for a prolonged period will do. Having a
straight spine is important because it aids with the flow of energy that is moves up and
down the spine during meditation.
4. Be comfortable and relax. To meditate it is important to relax and switch off. You don‟t
have to think about the past or future, just concentrate on the present moment and your
meditation. This stage of relaxation is a preliminary stage to meditation.
5. Keep the face peaceful. Chin up and close your eyes slowly to experience a void
darkness. Become aware of your surroundings, and then slowly pull your attention up
through the center of your body along the spinal column, until it comes to rest of your
head and slightly forward to the place.
6. Keep your mind empty of people, place, things, color or any form. It is only when you
can have a mind free of thoughts that you will be able to experience real meditation.
What happens is that you can calm the mind and expand your consciousness and bring
the soul to the fore.
8
http://hinduism.about.com/cs/meditationyoga/ht/meditate.htm

6. 7. Try and concentrate on the center of your forehead. Concentration is an important part
when learning how to meditate. It is essential for effective meditation. If you find it
difficult, it is important that you persevere, for only with effort shall you develop this
quality. 9
8. Try and keep your eyes open. Open eyes allow you to be more present. It‟s important to
do what is comfortable for you. Some people find closing their eyes much more effective.
It‟s good to experiment and see what the best feels for you.
9. To keep you alert in meditation, take slow deep breaths. Keep breathing steady. Let
thoughts come and go. You're on a journey going beyond the body and form. The most
helpful aid to meditation is proper breathing. Our breathing has a big impact on our mind.
Focusing on your breath and nothing else will have a beneficial effect on our meditation.
The beauty of meditation is its simplicity. Just be fully conscious of your breathing, feel
you are breathing in peace and if you can do this without getting distracted you will be
able to meditate most effectively.
10. After you feel totally calm and relaxed, slowly open your eyes and then you will get more
energy. 10
4.4 BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
The benefits of meditation are endless and certainly deserve your contemplation and
consideration. Many successful business people, celebrities and sports professionals practice and
enjoy the benefits of meditation. Numerous businesses promote and provide help and assistance
9
http://www.historyofmeditation.net/howtomeditate.html
10
http://goodlifezen.com/2008/04/18/how-to-start-meditating-ten-important-tips/

7. to their staff with the benefits of meditation courses and because of this they gain an advantage
over their competitors and create more profit.
Research has scientifically proven that meditation is a safe and simple way to balance your
physical, emotional, and mental state and its countless values have been known and practiced for
thousands of years. Here I will list some of the benefits of meditation in Hinduism which always
practiced by people everywhere.
 First : Inner Peace
Meditation gives many benefits, but the most significant benefit is that of inner peace. „If your
meditation is truly high and deep, then you are bound to have a silent dialogue with peace.‟ 11
Meditation can give us inner peace, because we learn to stop the worries and anxieties that
usually fill our mind. Inner peace is not just about silence. In meditation we feel the dynamic and
fulfilling presence of peace; it is a peace that cannot be comprehended by the mind, it is a peace
we wish to share with others. This peace is not something passive and fragile. This kind of inner
peace will lift you above success, failure, the positives and negatives of life.
 Second: Inner Happiness.
The happiness which gain from meditation is different to the fleeting pleasure experience from
the fulfillment of desires. The inner happiness of meditation is not dependent on outer
circumstances; it is an inner joy that comes from within. „True inner joy is self- created; it does
not depend on outer circumstances or outer achievements.‟ 12
11
Excerpt from Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 109 by Sri Chinmoy.
12
Excerpt from Two Devouring Brothers: Doubt And Ego by Sri Chinmoy.

8. Meditation has been a central part of philosophical and contemplative practices for thousands of
years. It helps the practitioner to be mindful of the present moment, Brewer told the press, and
studies have shown it is also linked to increased levels of happiness.13
Meditation enables us to have a deeper understanding of our inner self. Through meditation we
can gain a better understanding of our life‟s purposepurpose of life.
 Third: Power of Heart
Meditation has been found to be particularly helpful for the heart. Mediators have been found to
have improved blood circulation, as well as a lowered heart rate, which places less demands on
the heart.
A 1998 study published in Psychosomatic Medicine showed that people who practiced
transcendental meditation had lower levels of lipid peroxide than those who didn‟t. Lipid
peroxide can contribute to atherosclerosis and other chronic diseases associated with aging. A
1999 study published in the same journal showed that people who practiced meditation had
lower blood pressure immediately after meditating than did the control group.
 Fourth:Health benefits.
Our health is founded upon a relationship between body, mind, spirit and the wellness of each
part and the physical body itself is only one component in the overall equation of well-being.
Meditation has been shown to give various health benefits. For example, stress can lead to raised
blood pressure and heart problems.14
Through meditation we can let go of our stress and
anxieties, this has shown by various studies to improve health. The practice of meditation
releases a new and positive life force. It also borne of inspiration, happiness, peace into every
13
Written by Catharine Paddock PhD. Medical News Today 23 Nov 2011
14
Benefits Meditation at Psychology Today

9. part of our existence, creating the optimum conditions for vitality and health. When practiced
properly meditation reduces stress and makes participants feel better.
A 1998 study in Alternative Therapies showed that meditation helped decrease symptoms such
as pain and sleeplessness in patients with fibromyalgia, a disease characterized by muscle pain,
fatigue, and mild-to-moderate depression.15
In a 1998 study at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, psoriasis patients who
listened to a mindfulness meditation audiotape during their ultraviolet light therapy experienced
faster healing than those who had the light therapy alone.
Meditation has also been associated with a longer life span, better quality of life, fewer
hospitalizations, and reduced health-care costs. It has also shown promise as an adjunct therapy
in relieving mild depression, insomnia, tension headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), as well as in controlling substance abuse.16
 Fifth: It lowers depression risk among pregnant women.
As many as one in five pregnant women will experience depression, but those who are
at especially high risk for depression may benefit from some mindfulness yoga.
"Research on the impact of mindfulness yoga on pregnant women is limited but encouraging,"
study researcher Dr. Maria Muzik, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of
Michigan, said in a statement. "This study builds the foundation for further research on how yoga
may lead to an empowered and positive feeling toward pregnancy."
This practice also shown that very important not only to people which work , but also its give
more benefitsit also gives benefits toa pregnant woman.
15
Astin, John A., et al. "Meditation" in Clinician's Complete Reference to Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, edited by Donald Novey. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 2000.
16
Mary and Richard Maddux.Meditation Oasis. Benefit of Meditation 2006-2012

10.  Sixth: It changes the brain in a protective way.
University of Oregon researchers found that integrative body and mind training which is a
meditation technique can actually result in brain changes that may be protective against mental
illness. The meditation practice was linked with increased signaling connections in the brain;
something called axonal density, as well as increased protective tissue (myelin) around the axons
in the anterior cingulated brain region.
They found that the experienced meditators, regardless of the type of meditation they practiced,
seemed able to switch off the default mode network, which has been linked to lapses of attention,
and disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety.17
This
part of the brain, comprising the medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex, has also been
linked to the accumulation of beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease.
 Seventh: Make people more productive.
If you feel like you're just not as sharp as you used to be, give mindfulness meditation a shot. A
study in the journal Emotion found that mindfulness, a meditative practice that requires you to sit
quietly for a few minutes focusing on your breathing and other specific physical sensations
without letting your mind wander, was highly effective in improving people's working memory;
working memory is the short-term memory system we tap into for managing information,
controlling emotions, problem solving, and complex thought.18
The study found that you can
reap all these benefits with just 12 minutes of meditation per day.
Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that college students who
were trained in meditation, performed better on the verbal reasoning section of the GRE, and
also experienced improvements in their working memory. "Our results suggest that cultivating
17
Judson A. Brewer. Yale University.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
18
Baime, Michael J. "Meditation and Mindfulness" in Essentials of Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, edited Wayne B. Jonas and Jeffrey S. Levin. New York: Lippencott, Williams and Wilkins, 1999.

11. mindfulness is an effective and efficient technique for improving cognitive function, with wide
reaching consequences," the researchers wrote in the Psychological Science study.
 Eight: Consciousness evolves:
With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, your consciousness evolves and in time, is
able to experience the higher and refined states of consciousness.
When your consciousness evolves and expands, the disturbances in your life become negligible.
Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish.
You start living in 'the moment' and let go of 'the past'.
Conclusion
To experience the benefits of meditation, regular practice is necessary. It takes only a few
minutes every day. Once imbibed into the daily routine, meditation becomes the best part of your
day.
Meditation is like a seed. When you cultivate a seed with love, the more it blossoms. Similarly,
the sapling of consciousness is within you. It needs to be nurtured with simple meditation
techniques.
Busy people from all backgrounds are grateful to pause and enjoy a refreshing few minutes of
meditation each day. Dive deep into yourself and enrich your life.
If you practice regularly, the benefits of meditation will promote a sense of calm and control,
you‟ll feel far more relaxed and happy. Your ability to concentrate will be greater. You won‟t
become stressed about things and you will feel more peaceful and relaxed about everything. One

12. of the greatest benefits of meditation is learning to go with the flow and things that used to
irritate you before simply become insignificant.