Meditation is a mind–body practice that involves focusing your attention and calming your thoughts to bring about greater awareness, relaxation, and balance. At its core, meditation trains the mind to be more present — often by concentrating on the breath, a word or phrase (mantra), body sensations, or simply observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.
People practice meditation for many reasons, including stress reduction, emotional regulation, spiritual growth, and improved overall well-being. Research has shown that regular meditation can lower anxiety, improve focus, reduce blood pressure, and increase feelings of calm and compassion.
There are many forms of meditation, such as:
Mindfulness Meditation – observing the present moment with curiosity and acceptance.
Loving-Kindness Meditation – focusing on compassion for oneself and others.
Breath Awareness – using the breath as an anchor for calm and focus.
Guided Meditation – following a teacher’s or recording’s voice for relaxation or visualization.
In short: meditation is the practice of quieting the mind, centering the body, and opening the heart to greater peace and awareness.
