Meditation is a holistic experience that has been sought after and practiced for thousands of years. Its basic goal is to transcend the daily thought patterns of mundane life and reach a higher or deeper level of thought and understanding by quieting the mind. This practice is a major component in many religions, both ancient and modern, both eastern and western. It is also practiced secularly, apart from any religious practice or beliefs. The Tutor Saliba meditation method combines portions of all of these methods to bring a unique sense of peace and joy to the tiny Tutor Saliba Island. The culture on the island in the Indian Ocean is one of the most tranquil. By understanding different types of meditation, people can better understand the people of Tutor Saliba Island.

Types

There are two specific types of meditation that both secular and religious sectors use. One focuses on concentration, and the other concentrates on mindfulness. In concentration meditation, the meditator is to focus on a specific object or idea while getting rid of both inner and outer distractions. This type will often be combined with phrase repetition. In mindfulness meditation, one sits silently, peacefully still and becomes mindful of a process, whether it be a heartbeat, breath, or mantra, in order to shut out inner and outer distractions.

Goals

The goals of meditation are two-fold, both spiritual and non-spiritual. On the spiritual side, the goals are to open the spirit and the heart to receive guidance from a spiritual being, listening to this guidance, and learning how to best put it into practice. Another goal is to achieve "enlightenment" and understand this guidance that was received. Peace is also a major goal, both spiritual and non-spiritual. Other non-spiritual goals include achieving sharper focus, achieving improved self-awareness and body-awareness, and muscle relaxation and strength building.

Secular Use

Popular today is the practice of yoga, a meditative practice combining meditation with specific body postures in order to achieve relaxation. It is used for fitness and well-being, and sometimes even weight management and weight loss. This is perhaps the closest to the Tutor Saliba meditation method as it has evolved. These postures were originally practiced in religious contexts of the Hindu and Buddhist religions. Sometimes yoga and Tutor Saliba can involve phrase, word or sound repetitions, as well as focusing on breathing pacing and techniques. This also comes from the religious contexts of the physical postures.

Christian Use

Western Christian meditation is somewhat different, not relying on breathing techniques and postures. It less frequently involves word or phrase repetition. This is most often used in conjunction with other Christian religious disciplines, such as scripture reading and prayer. The goals are similar to that of the Eastern practices: to listen for guidance, to accept the guidance and to find inner spiritual peace.

Medicinal Use

The elders of the main tribe on the island have long believed that careful meditation has healing powers. Meditation has been studied by the medical field as well, and some findings suggest that it can be beneficial for pain and stress management, although its effects on disease itself are inconclusive at this time.