Ask a Hindu: Is meditation practiced by most Hindus?

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Is meditation more common among priests/brahmins? Or generally among lay Hindus? Meaning, is one group more inclined to participate in this? Or is it generally practiced by most Hindus?

Commentary by Himani Agrawal | FāVS News

Thank you for your question.

Meditation is an ancient practice performed by all Hindus. It is a practice to calm your mind and energize all your chakras. It gives you clarity, intuition and other benefits. In ancient times, all Hindus used to practice meditation. Priests, brahmins and yogis would meditate for a longer time based on their personal needs. 

Yogis who choose to live in isolated areas on mountains, in caves, etc., meditate the most. As colonization of India took place, it got limited to a few groups like priests, brahmins, yogis, etc. This was a result of divide and rule policy of the British and consequently eradication of the traditional education system called gurukuls. This disconnected the local population from their roots and led them to question their traditions as unscientific.

The new education system emphasized was a text-books-based education. Even then, many parents taught meditation in one form or the other to their children. Unfortunately, it was no longer part of daily routine for common people. 

Fortunately, with more research in this area and neuroscience related to meditation, it is making a major comeback. More and more people are meditating on a daily basis, even if it is for a few minutes. Meditation traditionally is a daily routine for every Hindu irrespective of age.

These are the personal views of the writer.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.