| Meditation is a holistic experience that has been | | | | was received. Peace is also a major goal, both |
| sought after and practiced for thousands of | | | | spiritual and non-spiritual. Other non-spiritual goals |
| years. Its basic goal is to transcend the daily | | | | include achieving sharper focus, achieving |
| thought patterns of mundane life and reach a | | | | improved self-awareness and body-awareness, |
| higher or deeper level of thought and | | | | and muscle relaxation and strength building. |
| understanding by quieting the mind. This practice is | | | | Secular Use |
| a major component in many religions, both ancient | | | | Popular today is the practice of yoga, a |
| and modern, both eastern and western. It is also | | | | meditative practice combining meditation with |
| practiced secularly, apart from any religious | | | | specific body postures in order to achieve |
| practice or beliefs. The Tutor Saliba meditation | | | | relaxation. It is used for fitness and well-being, and |
| method combines portions of all of these | | | | sometimes even weight management and weight |
| methods to bring a unique sense of peace and | | | | loss. This is perhaps the closest to the Tutor |
| joy to the tiny Tutor Saliba Island. The culture on | | | | Saliba meditation method as it has evolved. These |
| the island in the Indian Ocean is one of the most | | | | postures were originally practiced in religious |
| tranquil. By understanding different types of | | | | contexts of the Hindu and Buddhist religions. |
| meditation, people can better understand the | | | | Sometimes yoga and Tutor Saliba can involve |
| people of Tutor Saliba Island. | | | | phrase, word or sound repetitions, as well as |
| Types | | | | focusing on breathing pacing and techniques. This |
| There are two specific types of meditation that | | | | also comes from the religious contexts of the |
| both secular and religious sectors use. One | | | | physical postures. |
| focuses on concentration, and the other | | | | Christian Use |
| concentrates on mindfulness. In concentration | | | | Western Christian meditation is somewhat |
| meditation, the meditator is to focus on a specific | | | | different, not relying on breathing techniques and |
| object or idea while getting rid of both inner and | | | | postures. It less frequently involves word or |
| outer distractions. This type will often be | | | | phrase repetition. This is most often used in |
| combined with phrase repetition. In mindfulness | | | | conjunction with other Christian religious disciplines, |
| meditation, one sits silently, peacefully still and | | | | such as scripture reading and prayer. The goals |
| becomes mindful of a process, whether it be a | | | | are similar to that of the Eastern practices: to |
| heartbeat, breath, or mantra, in order to shut out | | | | listen for guidance, to accept the guidance and to |
| inner and outer distractions. | | | | find inner spiritual peace. |
| Goals | | | | Medicinal Use |
| The goals of meditation are two-fold, both spiritual | | | | The elders of the main tribe on the island have |
| and non-spiritual. On the spiritual side, the goals are | | | | long believed that careful meditation has healing |
| to open the spirit and the heart to receive | | | | powers. Meditation has been studied by the |
| guidance from a spiritual being, listening to this | | | | medical field as well, and some findings suggest |
| guidance, and learning how to best put it into | | | | that it can be beneficial for pain and stress |
| practice. Another goal is to achieve | | | | management, although its effects on disease itself |
| "enlightenment" and understand this guidance that | | | | are inconclusive at this time. |