Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to reach a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. The use of meditation for healing is not new; it has been practiced for over 5000 years.

Although there are numerous meditation techniques, they can all be classified into either mindfulness meditation or concentrative meditation. In mindfulness meditation the subject focuses on the field or background perception and experience. The meditator is encouraged to maintain open focus, shifting from one perception to the next. The person witnesses what goes through the mind, without reacting or becoming involved with thoughts, memories, or images. Mindfulness meditation is used to gain a wider, more flexible attention span in order to become more aware of a situation and be more objective in emotionally or morally difficult situations. In concentration meditation the meditator holds attention on a particular object (breath, an image, or a sound).

From a psychological and physiological point of view, meditation can induce an altered state of consciousness, which helps achieve spiritual enlightenment and improve attitudes and cardiovascular health. Used as an alternative therapy, meditation helps balance the individual's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is a popular method of alleviating stress and anxiety and lowering blood pressure. It has also been proven to help people with asthma breathe easier, and help in cases of insomnia.