Meditation definition

I have looked up the meditation definition in many different dictionary's. At times it can be helpful to contemplate what you think or feel meditation is for you.

If someone were to stop you on the street and ask you: "What is meditation". What would your answer be?

What is meditation? What is it for you? What is it really? Meditation is becoming more and more mainstream and everyone loves the picture or statue of a Buddha. At the same time there seems to be so many different techniques and ways to do meditation and to practice it. Do all these different techniques have something in common? Let's look at some of the official meditation definitions that are written up.

Meditation definition by Merriam Webster

to spend time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation

1 :  to engage in contemplation or reflection

2 :  to engage in mental exercise (as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness

Meditation definition by

1. the act of meditating.

2. continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.

3. transcendental meditation.

4. devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.

Meditation definition by British dictionary

1. the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection

2. contemplation of spiritual matters, especially as a religious practice

Meditation definition by the Medical dictionary


A definition of meditation by the Free dictionary

1. a. To train, calm, or empty the mind, often by achieving an altered state, as by focusing on a single object, especially as a form of religious practice in Buddhism or Hinduism.

b. To engage in focused thought on scriptural passages or on particular doctrines or mysteries of a religion, especially Christianity.

c. To engage in devotional contemplation, especially prayer.

2. To think or reflect, especially in a calm and deliberate manner.

Meditation definition by the Cambridge dictionary

The ​act of giving ​your ​attention to only one thing, either as a ​religious ​activity or as a way of ​becoming ​calm and ​relaxed:

  • Prayer and meditation
  • She ​practices meditation.

Serious ​thought or ​study, or the ​product of this ​activity:

  • Let us ​spend a few ​moments in ​quiet meditation.
  • I ​left him ​deep in meditation.
  • The ​book is a meditation on the ​morality of ​art


  1. All definitions refer to meditation as contemplation.
  2. The key ingredient seems to be the mind and specifically the control of once thoughts, i.e focus.
  3. There is a spiritual and or religious component to it.

My personal definition of meditation

When I read all the definitions on meditation I feel a lack of something. The definitions written, for my taste, are very much of the mind. The way I experience meditation is so much more then some type of focused exercise of the mind.

It involves my whole being, not just my mind.

It opens my heart and invokes my soul.

It is Home coming.

It is an experience of the unknown - very personal.

It is the way to union, peace and fulfillment.

The Lady, one of my teachers said the following about meditation:

"The true purpose of prayer and meditation

is to travel deeply enough within

to begin to attract the presence of God"

These words ring right in my heart and touch upon what meditation is for me.

I guess if I where to give a definition on what meditation is I would at this time in my life say the following:


The act of traveling within oneself to open, connect and come closer to our higher self, others and God (= Source, Higher Power, etc.)

We are accomplishing this by using the many innate abilities that live inside of ourselves.

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