History of Meditation

History of Meditation

Have you ever wondered what the history of meditation is? How meditation arrived in the United States? Where and when it started?

There is really no evidence pointing to a specific date or place where the practice of meditation may have begun. Meditation has been taught as part of schooling and part of yoga throughout the eastern world. Yoga and meditation spread throughout India, China, and Tibet.

In the Western hemisphere, the first people to meditate were monks who lived in seclusion. After that, spiritual teachers and gurus began to meditate as well.

Time Line of the History of Meditation:

Years 2000-3000 B.C.- Vedic Meditation texts appear in Hindu texts

Year 588 B.C.- Buddha achieves enlightenment through meditation and starts Buddhism making meditation the 7^th step of yoga sutras.

Year 200 A.D. - Christian monks referred to as “The Fathers of the Desert” begin to meditate as part of their exercise to become closer with God

Year 1000 A.D.- Jewish Kabbalah groups begin to practice meditation as a method to become to God

Year 1500 A.D. - Martin Luther goes against monks who meditate though St. Theresa was a strong advocate of meditating

Year 1893 A.D.- Asian priests bring forth their views of meditation at a meeting of religious leaders in the Western Hemisphere. This meeting took place in the United States.

Year 1967 A.D.- meditation becomes mainstream in the United States through the practice of the Beatles who followed a meditation guru named Maharashi. The Beatles practiced Transcendental Meditation also referred to as TM, a type of meditation technique that includes mantras and is still practiced in the United States today.

Present day- More and more people are opening up and finding out about the benefits of meditation, the different types of meditation techniques available, and how they can practice meditation in their daily lives.

The history of meditation is extremely interesting even though nobody really knows its beginnings. To date, there are many scientific studies that have been done on the subject of meditation. The National Institute of Health among other institutions have been able to prove that meditation can make your brain grow, your blood pressure lower, your anxiety decrease, your health improve, and your social interactions improve.

These are just a few of the benefits that meditation can bring to you. To read about more benefits, make sure to click on the benefits of meditation tab above.

If you are new to meditation and wish to learn how to meditate today, make sure to get your Free 5 Day Meditation Course!

While you are here, make sure to check out the Resources Page! Thanks for visiting My Meditation Garden! Meditation has had an incredible impact on my emotional, professional, and spiritual growth. It has benefited me so much that I created this site to share information about meditation with other busy and over-stressed parents, professionals, college students, and business owners in an easy to understand manner. Meditation led me to my life path as a Holistic Executive Life Coach. If you are interested in finding out more about how I help professionals create success through balance in their lives, request a Free Coaching Session and Experience Coaching First-hand! I look forward to speaking with you! Sonia Gallagher, JD, Certified Life Coach

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