Our Definition of Meditation
Meditation has been part of the human story for thousands of years. The earliest evidence comes from cave art in India, dated between 5000 and 3500 BCE, depicting people in seated postures with half-closed eyes. This imagery suggests that long before writing existed, traditions of teaching and learning were already shaping how people engaged in the practice.
The first written records appear in the Vedas, the most ancient Hindu scriptures, compiled between approximately 1500 and 1200 BCE. Prior to that, these teachings were transmitted orally for centuries.
By the 6th to 5th centuries BCE, meditation practices had developed in Taoist China and Buddhist India, spreading across Asia along the Silk Road.
Meditation is not unique to one culture or religion. It appears in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, each adapting it in their own traditions, and secular forms began gaining traction in the West during the 20th century. Since the 1960s, interest has continued to grow, with U.S. adult practitioners tripling since 2012.
From Monasteries to Modern Life
Traditionally, meditation was a deeply spiritual pursuit and often required monastic dedication. It was a lifelong discipline of training the mind, focusing attention, quieting thought, and expanding awareness beyond everyday consciousness. Ancient monks viewed it as a way of life that led to profound transformation and often liberation from suffering.
Even in antiquity, meditation was not reserved only for renunciates. Practices like yoga, yoga nidra, mantras, and mudras allowed people to cultivate spirituality while remaining engaged in daily life.
Since 2015, we have offered a wide range of classes taught by trained and experienced teachers to help people explore a variety of meditation methods and find what works for them.
What Meditation Is
When you think of meditation, you might picture:
Chanting om
Sitting cross-legged with eyes closed
Using a mudra with thumb and finger touching
Trying to stop your thoughts
These are real techniques but represent only a fraction of what meditation can be. Meditation is a broad umbrella, more like the word “sports” than a single activity. Just as sports range from swimming to soccer, meditation includes countless contemplative practices with different goals and benefits.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, to meditate means:
Focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with chanting, for religious, spiritual, or relaxation purposes
Think deeply about something
Mentally plan or consider
The term comes from Latin meditari, meaning “to contemplate” or “to measure.”
Our Approach: There’s No One Right Way
In our view, there is no one right way to meditate. Techniques can work for everyone and every body.
You might:
Sit, walk, or lie down
Use counting, breath, or chant as anchors
Build focus and attention, or let go completely
Engage in secular, spiritual, or mystical contexts
Practice in silence or immerse yourself in sound
Meditation Bar’s Definition of Meditation
We have refined our definition to reflect the diversity of offerings and the essence of the practice:
Meditation is a mental practice that employs a wide variety of techniques to attain psychophysical well-being and explore consciousness.
Here’s what each part means:
Mental – An internal journey that regulates attention and quiets the constant stream of thought.
Practice – A focused, repeated action over time, using learned methods toward a goal.
Technique – A method specifically designed to produce a particular mental, physical, or consciousness state.
Psychophysical well-being – A state of rest, mental and physical relaxation, balance, self-regulation, emotional calm, and healing.
Consciousness – Clarity, insight, intuition, and even experiences of bliss or spiritual connection.
There is no single path to meditation, only the one that works for you. Whether your goal is stress relief, balance, self-awareness, or exploring higher consciousness, there is a practice that can meet you where you are.
Ready to Begin?
Join Meditation 101 — a welcoming, beginner-friendly introduction to meditation. Learn practical techniques across different styles, discover what resonates with you, and start your personal journey toward mental clarity and well-being. Your first session could be the start of something transformative. Ready to dive in?
Works Cited
“History of Meditation.” Positive Psychology, 28 May 2020, https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-meditation/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
“Vedas.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
“Meditate.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, https://www.oed.com/. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.