Hour 1 Meditation – What is Meditation?

What is Meditation? A Yogic Definition

Greetings, beloved seeker. You stand at the door of a deep journey—a journey not into the world, but into yourself. As you embark on this 100-module journey into the ageless art of meditation, it is only appropriate that we begin with a basic yet evasive question: What is meditation?

Let us not dive headlong into a response. Rather, let us start with a pause. a moment of quiet. Can you sense it?

That is where meditation starts—not in language, but in the intervals between them.

The Yogic Definition of Meditation (Dhyana)

Among the millions of Indian spiritual writings, the technique of meditation has most commonly been known as Dhyana. “Dhyana” is the Sanskrit word, and it originates in the root word “dhi”—the meaning of which is the intellect, or the ability to keep something in awareness. But Dhyana is not a thinking process. It is the state wherein the mind gets so quiet, so purified, that it blends with the subject of meditation, and eventually, even that becomes a blur.

In the Yogasutras of Patanjali, perhaps the most holy work of yogic scripture, Dhyana is the seventh Ashtanga Yoga limb. There, it is defined as briefly in Sutra 3.2:

“Tatra pratyaya ekatānatā dhyānam.”

“Unbroken current of consciousness on a single point of reference.” 

Or alternatively: 

“Meditation is the unbroken current of awareness directed toward a single point.”

This definition establishes two things which are central to what the yogic practice of meditation means:

Ekatānata – One-pointed continuity of mind.

Pratyaya – The object or seed of meditation that holds the focus.

But even this is not the ultimate goal. Dhyana gives rise to Samadhi, in which even the meditation object disappears and only pure awareness exists.

Thus, Dhyana is the link between concentrated focus (Dharana) and complete absorption (Samadhi).

The Flowering of Dhyana in Indian Thought

Meditation is not the monopoly of Patanjali. The Upanishads—the jewels of Indian knowledge—refer time and again to the inner silence that discloses the Atman, the Self. In the Mandukya Upanishad, meditation is not something one does but a condition one becomes, in which the mind surpasses waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, and dwells in Turiya—the fourth state, absolute awareness.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says:

“Yogī yuñjīta satatam ātānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ…”

“Constantly the yogi should practice meditation, living in seclusion, with the mind and body controlled…”

— Bhagavad Gita 6.10

Here, meditation is both a practice and a lifestyle—a daily communication with the divine within.

In Vedanta, the fruition of meditation is in the understanding that you are not the mind, not the body, not the roles that you play… You are the Witness. And it’s not a philosophical understanding—it is born of meditation.

In Tantra, meditation is the alchemy of transformation, where mundane energy is transmuted into divine awareness.

Therefore, in each school of Indian yogic insight, meditation is the royal path to Self-consciousness (Atma Jnana) and freedom (Moksha).

Osho’s Insight on Meditation

Hereafter, we will consider a mystic who has infused these age-old wisdoms into the beat of contemporary life—Osho.

Osho states:

“Meditation is not something you do. Meditation is something you become. When the doer is dropped, and only being remains, that is meditation.”

He cautions us: the majority of people mix up meditation with techniques. Techniques are only the surface framework. Real meditation occurs when all techniques are abandoned.

According to Osho’s understanding:

Meditation is not concentration.

Meditation is not pondering something noble.

Meditation is not control.

Meditation is effortless awareness.

Osho redefined meditation not as a discipline, but as a natural unfolding of awareness. His groundbreaking method incorporates laughter, dance, catharsis, and even chaos as stepping stones towards stillness.

He instructs:

“Just sit silently, doing nothing, and the grass grows by itself.”

What a vivid image! He’s asking us to let go of the “doing,” and just be. And in that state of being, meditation occurs like scent from a flower. Not through effort, but because the conditions were optimal.

Is There a Universal Definition?

Through all traditions and masters, we can reduce meditation to a few fundamental qualities:

A turn away from the world outside and to the inner.

A release from identification with the thoughts, the feelings, the ego.

A stirring of witnessing awareness.

Meditation is coming back home… remembering yourself.

It’s the art of being present here now.

Let’s Reflect

Let’s pause for reflection before we go to the next lesson:

Can you watch your breath for three minutes, without making it a possession?

Can you observe the thoughts drifting like clouds, without pursuing or resisting them?

Can you sense the silence that is always present beneath the din?

If so, then you have savored the scent of meditation.

And this is only the start.

Practice for the Day

Sit still for 10 minutes. Have your spine comfortably upright. Close your eyes. Don’t meditate. Just be. Observe the breath… observe the thoughts… observe the watcher.

That’s all.

Welcome to the pathless path of meditation.