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Meditation
Meditation. A form of mental prayer. In Christianity, the term has been used since 16th cent., in distinction from contemplation, as a discursive activity, which involves thinking about passages from scripture and mysteries of the faith with a view to deeper understanding and a loving response. Many methods of meditation were taught, especially by the Jesuits. Outside this historical context, the term meditation is used more widely, embracing contemplation; and in this wider sense, is applied to practices of many different kinds in virtually all religions.
JudaismThe Heb. terms hitbonenut, kavvanah, and devekut all refer to concentration on the spiritual world; they were much used by the kabbalists. The merkabah mystics strove for a contemplative vision of the merkabah, and the later kabbalists attempted to commune with the world of the sefirot (emanations from God). The meditative practices of the ḥasidim were influenced by the kabbalists of Safed, whose doctrines were largely handed down orally.HinduismSee DHYĀNA.BuddhismMeditation in Buddhism is the process of training, developing, and purifying the mind, which is likened to an animal (especially an elephant or an ox) which is dangerously destructive when wild, but supremely useful when tamed. It is the third element in the triple training (Skt., triśikṣā) along with conduct or ethics (Skt., śīla) and knowledge or wisdom (Skt., prajñā), and as such is essential to Buddhist practice. General terms for it include dhyāna/jhāna (Skt., Pāli, ‘thinking’), concentration (Skt., samādhi), and mindfulness (Skt., smṛti). There are two aspects, calming the mind (Skt., śamatha) and using the calm mind to see reality clearly (vipassanā). These are distinguishable but not distinct. |
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JOHN BOWKER. "Meditation." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Meditation." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Meditation.html JOHN BOWKER. "Meditation." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Meditation.html |
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meditation
meditation religious discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. It may be a means of invoking divine grace , as in the contemplation by Christian mystics of a spiritual theme, question, or problem; or it may be a means of attaining conscious union with the divine, e.g., through visualization of a deity or inward repetition of a prayer or mantra (sacred sound). Some forms of meditation involve putting the body in a special position, such as the seated, cross-legged lotus position, and using special breathing practices. Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practice gained greater notice in the postwar United States as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. In the 1960s and 70s the Indian Maharishi Mahesh Yogi popularized a mantra system known as Transcendental Meditation . Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; it is known to lessen levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. The practice has been shown to enhance recuperation and improve the body's resistance to disease. |
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"meditation." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "meditation." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-meditatn.html "meditation." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-meditatn.html |
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Meditation
MeditationMeditation, from the Latin word meditari (to meditate), means deep or continued reflection and is often seen as preparatory to contemplation, a state of direct spiritual or intuitive seeing. Meditation is found in all religious traditions but varies as to method, focus, and religious objectives. Practices range from the apophatic, an emptying procedure to clear consciousness (via negativa ), to the cataphatic, where a specific image, idea, or deity is kept in mental focus (via positiva ). Apophatic practices tend to be more cognitive and intellectual (mind), whereas cataphatic practices are more emotional and devotional (heart). Meditation is the focus of scientific research to determine the neurophysiological conditions productive of meditative awareness. See also Prayer and Meditation; Spirituality ernest simmons |
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SIMMONS, ERNEST. "Meditation." Encyclopedia of Science and Religion. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. SIMMONS, ERNEST. "Meditation." Encyclopedia of Science and Religion. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404200321.html SIMMONS, ERNEST. "Meditation." Encyclopedia of Science and Religion. 2003. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404200321.html |
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meditation
meditation. In Christian tradition the term has been used of: (1) the recitation or memorizing of biblical texts; (2) keeping religious truths in mind during the day; (3) thinking about things, whether the emphasis is on intellectual rigour, acuteness of perception, or devotional fervour; and (4) the application of the mind and often the imagination to the truths of the faith, and especially to episodes in the life of Christ, with a view to stirring an affective response. In this last sense it came to be regarded as part of prayer and was distinguished from contemplation. In modern times forms of meditation have been adopted from Eastern non-Christian religions, often involving the abandonment of deliberate thought rather than focusing on a specific object.
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E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "meditation." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "meditation." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-meditation.html E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "meditation." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-meditation.html |
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Meditation
267. MeditationSee also 59. BUDDHISM ; 285. MYSTICISM
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"Meditation." -Ologies and -Isms. 1986. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Meditation." -Ologies and -Isms. 1986. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505200278.html "Meditation." -Ologies and -Isms. 1986. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505200278.html |
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meditation
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DAMIEN KEOWN. "meditation." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAMIEN KEOWN. "meditation." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-meditation.html DAMIEN KEOWN. "meditation." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-meditation.html |
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