Emma and I have been to a couple of Buddhist meditation events in recent weeks to gain a different perspective on the teachings and benefits of meditation. As it turns out, meditation in Buddhism and Yoga are effectively the same, but the approach towards meditative practice differs significantly. 

 

My understanding from my relatively brief experience of both is that Buddhists jump straight into meditation, believing it to be the direct route to enlightenment or one-ness. Yoga principles believe in the same ultimate result / benefit of fully immersing yourself in meditation, but in yoga there are number of steps to be taken first, before meditation can be fully appreciated and practiced - i.e. the 8 limbs of yoga. By going through the 8 limbs of Yoga, you are encouraged to address your own well-being and ability to be calm and comfortable, both in terms of posture and mental state, before embarking on meditation. Buddhists, it seems, believe these elements will come from the meditation itself and don’t emphasise these same real-world steps addressing personal behaviours and physical capabilities. 

 

Either way, meditation is an amazing way to calm the mind and allow it to take a break from the stresses and strains the world inflicts upon us. Modern day society promotes hectic, rushed and pressured thought processes and inundates us with entertainment and stimulus we don’t really need. Meditation simply gives us a moment to get our heads back in line and take a well deserved breather. 

 

Oh, and it’s incredibly good for you to boot! I strongly suggest you give it a try.