Jnana Yoga

Raja Yoga as outlined by Patanjali, which describes eight “limbs” of spiritual practices, half of which might be classified as meditation. Underlying them is the assumption that a yogi should still the fluctuations of his
or her mind: Yoga cittavrrti nirodha.Surat shabd yoga, or “sound and light meditation” Japa Yoga, in which a mantra is repeated aloud or silently Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion, in which the seeker is focused
on an object of devotion, eg KrishnaHatha Yoga, in which postures and meditations are aimed at raising the spiritual energy, known as Kundalini, which rises through energy centres known as chakrasThe objective of meditation
is to reach a calm state of mind. Vyasa, in his commentaries on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, described five chitta bhumis (states of mind): Ksipta, Mudha, Viksipta, Ekagra and Nirodha. The first three are considered hindrances.
The last two are considered yoga.

Ksipta defines a very agitated mind, unable to think, listen or remain quiet. It is jumping from one thought to another. In Mudha no information seems to reach the brain; the person is absentminded. Viksipta is a higher state
where the mind receives information but is not able to process it. It moves from one thought to another, in a confused inner speech. Ekagra is the state of a calm mind but not asleep. The person is focused and can pay attention.
Lastly Nirodha, when the mind is not disturbed by erratic thoughts, it is completely focused, as when you are meditating or totally centered in what you are doing.

The ultimate end of meditation according to Patanjali is the destruction of primal ignorance (avidya) and the realization of and establishment in the essential nature of the Self.

Swami Vivekanand

“Meditation has been laid stress upon by all religions. The meditative state of mind is declared by the Yogis to be the highest state in which the mind exists. When the mind is studying the external object, it gets identified with
it, loses itself. To use the simile of the old Indian philosopher: the soul of man is like a piece of crystal, but it takes the colour of whatever is near it. Whatever the soul touches … it has to take its colour. That is the difficulty.
That constitutes the bondage. The colour is so strong, the crystal forgets itself and identifies itself with the colour. Suppose a red flower is near the crystal and the crystal takes the colour and forgets itself, thinks it is red.
We have taken the colour of the body and have forgotten what we are. All the difficulties that follow come from that one dead body. All our fears, all worries, anxieties, troubles, mistakes, weakness, evil, are from that one great
blunder — that we are bodies. This is the ordinary person. It is the person taking the colour of the flower near to it. We are no more bodies than the crystal is the red flower.”

“The practice of meditation is pursued. The crystal knows what it is, takes its own colour. It is meditation that brings us nearer to truth than anything else. “

The Bhagavad Gita stresses the importance of meditation. The Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad Gita –

Buddhist Meditation

Buddhist meditation is fundamentally concerned with two themes: transforming the mind and using it to explore itself and other phenomena. The historical Buddha himself, Siddhartha Gautama, was said to have achieved enlightenment while
meditating under a Bodhi tree. In Buddhist mythology, there are countless Buddhas and all of them used meditation to make spiritual progress. Most forms of Buddhism distinguish between two classes of meditation practices, shamatha andvipassana,
both of which are necessary for attaining enlightenment. The former consists of practices aimed at developing the ability to focus the attention single-pointedly; the latter includes practices aimed at developing insight and wisdom
through seeing the true nature of reality. The differentiation between the two types of meditation practices is not always clear cut, which is made obvious when studying practices such as anapanasati which could be said
to start off as a shamatha practice but that goes through a number of stages and ends up as a vipassana practice.

Theravada Buddhism emphasizes the meditative development of mindfulness

In some traditions, such as Vipassana, mindfulness and concentration are combined. Vipassana Meditation was banned for centuries in India for political and religious reasons. Some claim that the pure form survived intact
through monks in a monastery in Burma, and there is long tradition of meditation practice in Thailand as well. It was the style of meditation that gave Gautama Buddha enlightenment and what he taught in his travels. Initially Anapana
meditation is used focusing on the breath and then focusing on complete equanimity.

The gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this life. For it is only through meditation that you can undertake the journey to discover your true nature, and so find the stability and confidence you
will need to live, and die, well. Meditation is the road to enlightenment.- Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.

Most Buddhist traditions recognize that the path to Enlightenment entails three types of training: virtue (sīla); meditation (samadhi); and, wisdom (paññā). Thus, meditative prowess alone is not sufficient;
it is but one part of the path. In other words, in Buddhism, in tandem with mental cultivation, ethical development and wise understanding are also necessary for the attainment of the highest goal.

Christianity

Christian traditions have various practices which can be identified as forms of “meditation.” Monastic traditions are the basis for many of these practices. Practices such as the rosary, the Adoration (focusing on the
Eucharist) in Catholicism or thehesychast tradition in Eastern Orthodoxy, may be compared to forms of Eastern meditation that focus on an individual object. Christian meditation is considered a form of prayer. Hesychastic
practice may involve recitation of the Jesus Prayer, thus “through the grace of God and one’s own effort, to concentrate the nous in the heart.” Prayer as a form of meditation of the heart is described
in the Philokalia—a practice that leads towards Theosis which ignores the senses and results in inner stillness.

In 1975, the Benedictine monk, John Main introduced a form of meditation based on repetitive recitation of a prayer-phrase, traditionally the Aramaic phrase “Maranatha,” meaning “Come, Lord”, as quoted at the end
of both Corinthians and The World Community for Christian Meditation was founded in 1991 to continue Main’s work, which the Community describes as: “teaching Christian meditation as part of the great work of our time of
restoring the contemplative dimension of Christian faith in the life of the church.”

The Old Testament book of Joshua sets out a form of meditation based on scriptures: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything
written in it, then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). This is one of the reasons why bible verse memorization is a practice among manyevangelical Christians.

The predominant form of worship among Quakers, or the Religious Society of Friends, has historically been communal silent prayer or meditation which consists of focusing on the Inner Light of Christ, listening for and
awaiting the movement of the “still, small voice within,” which may or may not result in being moved to spoken ministry.Yoga of Meditation” describes the technique of meditation, and the characteristics of the Yogi who is well
established in meditation. The Bhagavad Gita stresses the importance of meditation as follows “Make a habit of practising meditation and do not let your mind be distracted. In this way you will come finally to the Lord
who is the light-giver, the highest of the high.”

  Jainism

Jain Meditation

The Jains use the word Samayika, a word in the Prakrit language derived from the word samay (time), to denote the practice of meditation. The aim of Samayika is to transcend the daily experiences of being a
“constantly changing” human being, Jiva, and allow for the identification with the “changeless” reality in the practitioner, the Atma. The practice of Samayika begins by achieving a balance in time. If the present moment of
time is taken to be a point between the past and the future, Samayika means being fully aware, alert and conscious in that very moment, experiencing one’s true nature, Atma, which is considered common to all living beings. The Samayika
takes on special significance during Paryushana, a special eight-day period practiced by the Jains.

Jain Meditation techniques were available in ancient Jain scriptures that have been forgotten with time. A practice calledpreksha meditation is said to have been rediscovered by the 10th Head of Jain Swetamber Terapanth sect Acharya
Mahaprajna, and consists of the perception of the body, the psychic centres, breath and of contemplation processes which will initiate the process of personal transformation. It aims at reaching and purify the deeper levels of existence.
Regular practice is believed to strengthen the immune system and build up stamina to resist against ageing, pollution, chemical toxins, viruses, diseases, and food adulteration. Meditation practice is an important part of the daily
lives of the religion’s monks.

Acharya Mahaprajna says:-

Soul is my God. Renunciation is my prayer. Amity is my devotion. Self restraint is my strength. Non-violence is my religion.

Meditation using beads

Many religions have their own Prayer beads. Most prayer beads and Christian rosaries consist of pearls or beads linked together by a thread. The Roman Catholic rosary is a string of beads containing five sets
with ten small beads. Each set of ten is separated by another bead. The Hindu japa mala has 108 beads, as may the Buddhist juzu. The Muslim mishbaha has 99 beads. Prayers and specific meditations of each
religion are different and there are theological reasons for the number of beads. Prayer beads may come in different colors, sizes and designs. However, the central purpose, which is to pray repetitively and to meditate, is the same
across all religions that use them as a prayer tool.[citation needed.

Eyes

In most meditative traditions, the eyes are closed. In some sects such as Zen, the eyes are half-closed, half open and looking slightly downward. In others such as Brahma Kumaris, the eyes are kept fully open.

Quiet is often held to be desirable, and some people use repetitive activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help induce a meditative state.

In Sufism meditation (muraqaba) with eyes closed is called Varood while with open eyes is known as Shahood or Fa’tha