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Meditation

Meditation is the practice of focusing attention, typically formalized into a specific routine. Usually recognized as a component of Eastern religions, meditation can also be used for personal development in non-religious circumstances, such as yoga exercises. Hospitals sometimes use meditation in cases of chronic or terminal illness to reduce complications associated with increased stress. Meditation is poorly defined within the scientific community. Scientific literature suggests meditation is a heterogeneous collection of techniques aimed at achieving states of relaxation and better well-being by engaging in structured exercises to focus attention and modify thinking activity.

Meditation is most often defined as one of the following:

1. A state experienced when the mind disbands and is free of all thought.

2. Focusing your mind on a specific object.

3. Opening the mind in order to receive guidance and power from a person's "higher power".

4. An expressive analysis of religious teachings.

Meditation is an act of self-development to better one self instead of praying to communicate with a higher power, although many meditate to do both. The reasons why people meditate differ almost as widely as practices. Meditation can simply serve as a method of relaxation after a busy day; as a procedure for cultivating mental discipline; or as a way of gaining insight into the nature of reality, or a means of communing with one's God. By utilizing meditation, many individuals report improved awareness, concentration, and self-discipline. Such positive effects can include:

1. A greater faith or understanding of one's religious beliefs

2. An increase in compassion, patience, and other morals

3. Peaceful, calm feelings and/or moments of joy

4. Awareness of temptation, sin and remorse.

Many swear by meditation and say this is something they will do for the rest of their lives. Meditation has been researched by scientists to find out whether meditation really does one good. A woman's hospital in Sidney, Australia claims they have found that meditation can also have some unfavorable results, especially if added to commercialize methods. The study also found that if given a choice of commercial meditation or a regular quiet time where one sits quietly in a comfortable chair, most prefer sitting quietly. The hospital also recommends a type of meditation called Sahaja yoga where its effectiveness has been proved useful.