Meditative techniques are rooted in the traditions of the world's great religions. Meditation is a simple, painless way of balancing your physical and mental states. The word meditation comes from the Latin word ‘meditatio’, which means, "all types of mental or physical exercise". The history of meditation dates back to 5,000 years ago. Then onwards, several meditation techniques were developed. Eventually it spread across its continent of origin—Asia. Meditation is one of the oldest, yet most effective means of relaxing the mind and soul.

Meditation is valued for alleviating suffering and promoting healing. Increasingly, physicians are prescribing meditation as part of the treatment for a large number of health conditions such as infertility, insomnia, and drug addiction. Meditation induces a relaxation response, which leads to a state of deep rest.

Meditation does not require any special equipment and is easy to learn. It can be practiced anywhere, anytime, and is not time consuming (15-20 minutes per day). Also, meditation has no potential side effects. In our daily life where achievements and results stand as major pillars, meditation provides a sense of inner peace, and a moment of reflection.

The meditation techniques are categorized into two basic approaches:

Concentrative meditation: Focuses the attention on the breath, an image, or a sound (mantra), in order to still the mind and allow a greater awareness and clarity to emerge. The simplest form of this meditation is to sit quietly and focus on dynamics of breathing which allows you to reach a point of simultaneous stillness and awareness.

Mindfulness meditation: The technique requires you to sit quietly and witness whatever goes through the mind. Do not react or become involved with thoughts, memories, worries, or images. This helps you to gain a calmer, non-reactive state of mind and you gain an intense calmness and clarity of thoughts.

The benefits of meditation are manifold and are classified into three categories:
A.Physiological benefits
•Develops an improved immune system
•Enhances body energy and vigor
•Helps in weight maintenance
•Reduces free radicals and lessens tissue damage
•Decreases metabolic rate and improves heart rate
•Decreases high blood pressure
•Increases skin resistance
•Drop in cholesterol levels
•For asthmatics, improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
B.Psychological benefits
•Decreases depression and anxiety
•Builds self-confidence
•Resolves phobias & fears
•Improves focus & concentration
•Improves learning ability and memory
•Helps in quitting smoking and in alcohol addiction
•Increases tolerance levels, decreases mood swings and irritation.
C.Spiritual benefits
•Brings body, mind, and spirit in harmony
•Increases acceptance of oneself
•Develops positive attitude towards life
•Inner certainty.

Meditation helps in discovering an unexpected source of happiness that is not dependent on outer circumstances but is self-generated. Meditation restores the body to a calm state, helping the body to repair itself and prevent any new damage due to the physical effects of stress. When the mind is calm and focused in the present, it neither reacts to past memories nor worries about future outcomes, the two major sources of chronic stress. Meditation is a recommended practice for anyone seeking overall wellness.