Meditation for Everyone: The Secular, Spiritual, & Everywhere in Between
At Meditation Bar, we have seen how meditation can meet people wherever they are, whether they are looking for simple stress relief, a deeper connection to their faith, or a doorway into spiritual growth. We believe meditation belongs to everyone, regardless of religious background or personal beliefs. It is a practice that has been part of every culture in some form, and it can be shaped to fit the life you are living right now.
Three truths to begin with:
Meditation can be completely secular, with no spiritual or religious flavor at all.
Meditation is not antithetical to religious practice. In fact, it can deepen and enhance it.
If you want to expand your consciousness or grow spiritually, meditation is an essential tool.
It is worth addressing something we hear often: some people believe Christianity and meditation are incompatible, or that yoga is “the work of the devil.” The truth is, meditation, contemplation, and prayer appear in every single religious tradition. It does not matter if you are devoutly Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, or something else entirely. Meditation can strengthen your faith and deepen your spiritual experience.
Yes, meditation is closely associated with Buddhism and Hinduism in the West, so much so that a Buddha statue with closed eyes has become an almost universal symbol for meditation. But the practice belongs to no single tradition.
Meditation Across All Religions
South Asian traditions: In India, the earliest archaeological evidence of meditative postures dates from 5000–3500 BCE, with the first written records in the Vedas around 1500 BCE. Practices developed within Hinduism, then later Buddhism, and spread widely.
Far Eastern traditions: Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, and Buddhism evolved across Asia, with meditation traveling the Silk Road between 600–500 BCE.
Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, especially in Sufi mysticism, all include contemplative and meditative forms.
Indigenous traditions: Many Indigenous religions center on ritual that connects individuals to the community rather than silent, solitary practice. Seasonal rites, harvest ceremonies, vision quests, chanting, drumming, and trance states, sometimes aided by plant medicines, are all ways of entering meditative or altered states for wisdom and connection.
Prayer and Meditation
Prayer and meditation share more similarities than many realize. Both involve stepping away from everyday activity and entering a more intentional, quiet space, sometimes literally marked by candles, incense, or sacred objects.
Prayer is often about asking, seeking help, guidance, or blessings for oneself or others.
Meditation is more about listening, opening to insight, presence, or stillness.
You might think of prayer as outward and meditation as inward, though the two can blur.
Consider the Hindu mantra Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha, a chant to Ganesh, remover of obstacles. Is it prayer? Meditation? Both?
Similarly, Christian contemplation, whether in a chapel or a “private room,” involves listening for the “still small voice” of God, which is not far from what many would call meditation.
Secular Meditation
Meditation reached the West as early as the 1700s, but its major secularization came in the 20th century, especially in the 1960s and 1970s when scientific studies began to validate its benefits.
Today, “secular meditation” often means mindfulness, which, ironically, is rooted in Buddhist practice. Other forms include:
Breathwork
Affirmations or non-Hindu mantras
Sound meditation and binaural beats
No deity or belief system is required, just a willingness to sit, breathe, and notice.
Spiritual Seeking and Expansion
If you are looking to enhance your intuition, deepen your spiritual connection, or discover your purpose, meditation can be a powerful gateway. In the healing, sound therapy, and meditation communities, we have known hundreds, if not thousands, who have gone through spiritual awakenings, and in nearly every case, meditation was the starting point.
That does not mean everyone who meditates will have a dramatic awakening, but if you are seeking one, meditation is the most reliable path to open that door.
Meditation Bar: A Local History
When Meditation Bar first opened, the founding owners envisioned a completely secular space. No Buddha statues. No spiritual language. Just a place where anyone could come to breathe, relax, and focus.
Over time, the schedule evolved. Classes with a spiritual or metaphysical component (e.g., chakra meditations, full moon sessions, and divine feminine exploration) proved especially popular.
Then came the pandemic, and with it, shifts in what people sought. In the aftermath, interest has leaned toward sound-based sessions and classes aimed at simply feeling better. Today, Meditation Bar offers the full spectrum, from purely secular practices to those with spiritual depth, so everyone can find their own way in.
Whether you are seeking a quiet moment to recharge, a practice to deepen your faith, or a pathway to spiritual awakening, meditation can meet you where you are. At Meditation Bar, we offer classes for every style and belief system, from simple mindfulness sessions to sound baths and spiritually focused gatherings.
Explore our schedule and join us for your next meditation experience.
Works Cited
Ross, Ashley. “How Meditation Went Mainstream.” Time, 2016. https://time.com/4246928/meditation-history-buddhism/
Mead, Elaine. “The History and Origin of Meditation.” Positive Psychology, 2023. https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-meditation/
“Indigenous Religions.” Encyclopedia.com, 2024. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/indigenous-religions