Meditation is defined as a sustained and uninterrupted
concentration leading to a highly focused mind. Meditation begins with
concentration, which makes the mind steady. When prolonged concentration
leads to the continuous flow of the mind towards one object, this becomes
meditation. To maintain and deepen meditation, the mind must have
something on which to focus.
India is a land of inherent spirituality and people have been traveling
here to find solace in its ancient wisdom, since time immemorial. India is
the birthplace of the concept of Yoga practices that are becoming
increasingly relevant and popular in the context of today's spiritual
aridity. Developed by the ancient sage, Patanjali in his search for the
ultimate unification of the mind, body and spirit with the divine being,
or God, Yoga and Meditation are a combination of a series of exercises and
mind focusing techniques.
Some of the most popular Yoga and Meditation destinations in India
include the picturesque and peaceful state of Kerala, the spiritual land
of Buddha- Bihar, Uttaranchal.
Kerala
Apart from its beautiful backwaters, Kerala is also famous as a yoga and
meditation hub of India. There are so many exotic places in Kerala, with
many yoga and meditation centers, Ayurvedic Healing Centers and practice
of alternate therapies. It also offers you a wide range of therapeutic
Ayurvedic and herbal oil massages from experienced professionals. These
massages and naturopathic regimes will leave you truly refreshing and
feeling energized. A stay at Kareeleyam for a magical Sanjeevanam yoga is
an extremely popular and rejuvenating tourist preference. In fact, it
would be very correct to say that a trip to Kerala is incomplete without
taking the yoga and meditation sessions.
Uttaranchal -The Yoga Capital of India
A visit to the northern part of India, on the other hand, involves
visiting some of the most holy Indian pilgrimage sites like Rishikesh,
Haridwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath, etc. Rishikesh is widely considered the
Yoga capital of India. Tourists and travelers attend the International
Yoga Week that is organized here, in hordes every year. Numerous travelers
searching quietude and inner peace also stop to practice Yoga and
meditation in this serene town nestled in the lap of the Himalayas.
Bihar
Another
favorite destination for those seeking a yoga and meditation tour is the
state of Bihar. Bihar was the home state of the Lord Gautam Buddha, who
himself followed yoga and not only this, he had also developed a
meditation method called Vipassana. One can visit numerous places
associated with Lord Gautam Buddha in his different stages of his life,
such as Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Gaya, Nalanda, etc. The renowned
Bihar School of Yoga at Munger in Bihar offers meditation and yoga
sessions for tourists.
Auroville- "The International Township of Harmony"
Auroville is everything it is called - "The International Township
of Harmony", and more. In French 'ville' means city and Auro+Ville
means "Aurobinda Nagari".
Auroville or City of Dawn was materialized by the disciples of Shri
Aurobinda and endowed with the blessings of Shri Ma. Based on the concept
of the Mother, it has an entirely independent multi-racial community,
which works and lives in self-fashioned, wildly original homes. It
consists of 50 settlements spread across 20-sq-kms. A large modern
architectural marvel - the "Matri Mandir" - houses a meditation
room that holds the largest glass crystal in the world.