Meditation, the practice of calmly and intentionally silencing the body and mind to be in the present moment, offers a wide array of benefits and has been around for millennia. We’ve all heard of it and some of us actually practice it, but for many, the concept of meditation remains a mystical idea that can be difficult to fully grasp. Saturday, Dec. 21, marks the inaugural World Meditation Day, as appointed by the United Nations in a unanimous decision earlier this month. To celebrate this honor, here are some interesting facts about this ever-so-beneficial practice.
Meditation is not a modern trend! According to archaeologists, meditation dates back to 5,000 B.C., with ties to ancient Egypt, China, Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism, making it one of the oldest practices for self-improvement.
The Dhammapada, a collection of sayings of the Buddha, is over 2,000 years old, making it the first meditation text and key to Buddhist philosophy. It offers practical wisdom on how to practice mindfulness and live a compassionate life.
The word "meditation" comes from the Latin word "meditation," meaning "to think, contemplate, or ponder." In its original form, meditation referred to the act of reflection or contemplation rather than the mindfulness-based meditation practiced today, in which proliferating thought is not the main focus.
Although meditation is often associated with sitting quietly and observing one’s breath and thoughts, some forms of meditation involve movement, while others can be done lying down. Walking meditation, for example, focuses on walking slowly and mindfully, while practices like Tai Chi and Qigong combine movement with meditation to achieve balance and relaxation. Other forms, such as body scanning, Yoga Nidra or NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest), can be done while lying down.
While people often associate meditation with serene settings like temples or quiet rooms, it can be practiced anywhere! Whether on a crowded subway, in a noisy office or sitting in a park, you can practice mindfulness meditation by simply focusing on your breath and being aware of your surroundings.
Studies have shown that regular meditation can actually change the structure of your brain! Meditation has been linked to increased gray matter in areas related to memory, learning and emotional regulation. It can also reduce the size of the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls fear and stress responses.
Meditation has been found to have a positive impact on your immune system. Research suggests that people who meditate regularly may have stronger immune responses, helping them fight off illness and disease more effectively.
One of the primary motivations for many is that adopting a regular meditation practice can help reduce stress and anxiety. It has also been found to lower blood pressure and assist in pain management, contributing to emotional resilience.
Meditation is widely known for improving sleep quality. By calming the mind and promoting relaxation, meditation helps people fall asleep faster and experience more profound, more restful sleep. Guided meditations explicitly designed for sleep are very popular and can help those struggling with insomnia.
Meditation can slow down the aging process. Research has shown that people who meditate regularly may have longer telomeres—the protective caps on the ends of our chromosomes—associated with aging and cellular health. This suggests that meditation could play a role in healthy aging.
Meditation can unlock your creative potential. Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation improves creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. The practice helps clear mental clutter, allowing for more innovative ideas and enhanced cognitive flexibility.
You don’t have to meditate for hours to feel the benefits. Studies show that just 10 minutes (okay, 12 minutes, to be precise) of daily meditation can reduce stress, improve focus, and increase feelings of happiness. Even shorter sessions have been shown to have a positive impact on mental health.
The "Mindfulness Movement" has grown exponentially, and mindfulness meditation, which often focuses on the present moment and observing thoughts without judgment, has gained significant popularity over the past few decades. Estimates suggest that between 200 and 500 million people meditate regularly worldwide, in both secular and spiritual contexts. The practice has even been incorporated into therapy programs for mental health.
In the modern era, technology has made meditation more accessible than ever. Apps like Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations for everything from stress relief to sleep improvement, making it easy to meditate at home or on the go.
Despite World Meditation Day being inaugurated by the United Nations for the first time this year, meditation has had a special place at the U.N. for over half a century. Since 1952, there has been a meditation room at the U.N. headquarters in New York named the “Room of Silence.” The room was inaugurated by the then-Secretary General of the U.N., Dag Hammarskjold, who explained that it was important to him that the house of the world community “has a room dedicated to external silence and inner peace” to serve the work of the U.N. and foster dialogue in the service of peace.
Now, thanks to the United Nations, meditation has its own day of commemoration on Dec. 21 to promote its effectiveness in improving mental states, overall well-being and even world peace. These fun facts show that meditation is not only a powerful tool for relaxation and self-improvement but also a fascinating practice with deep historical, cultural and scientific significance. Whether you meditate to reduce stress, improve health, explore your inner world or promote peace, it’s clear that the benefits of meditation are borderless and as vast as the practice itself.
