Meditation has been improving happiness for at least 5,000 years (although the exact date is unknown). The earliest practices were hunter-gatherer bands. Rooted in Asia, meditation became international with the advent of Buddhism. The Buddha revolutionized meditation into its current form. Today, meditation is used by successful entrepreneurs, athletes and celebrities.
The Buddha was born in 500 BC as Siddhartha Gautama. He was raised in a palace in modern day Nepal. He lived in seclusion in the palace because his father wanted to shield him from the evils of the world. When the Buddha was in his late twenties, he finally ventured into the outside world. There he found mortality and suffering in aging, disease, and decay. His new, radical experiences compelled him to lead an ascetic lifestyle in search of release from a world so full of suffering. Ascetics practice severe self-denial from all indulgent things. He moved his wife and child out of the kingdom and began following five other ascetics. He eventually advanced past his leaders and became their leader. He was not content with his results, so he began enduring pain and denying food and water to near fatal points.
One day he came to the realization that a life of nearly constant pain would not lead him to the answered he pursued. The five ascetics denounced his new, moderate ways and left him. He then sat under a Bodhi tree and resolved not to leave until he became enlightened. He meditated for several days and conquered a demon named Mara. Siddhartha Gautama saw the connectedness of the universe and found the meaning of the suffering he saw around him. In this moment of enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha.
Initially, he did not know how to put his new revelations into worlds to share with others, but the god Brahma inspired him to spread his knowlege. He founded the Sangha, which accepted all people regardless of any social differences. On his deathbed at age 80, he told his followers to never follow one leader after he passed.
One of the cornerstones of Buddhism is meditation. It changes the connections in the brain and can improve creativity, stress management, focus, self control and relationships. Meditation for 23 minutes per day for eight weeks causes significant changes in brain structure, but as little as five minutes per day can change behavior too. To meditate one must sit comfortably with a straight back and focus on feeling one’s breathing. One should try to let go of all thoughts other than the words: Breathe in. Breathe out. If thoughts go astray, one should refocus on breathing. Meditation will become easier with continued practice and time.
