Meditation as it exists in today's world

In the 21st century the words meditation in seclusion ('dhyan' or 'toposya' in Bangla), sainthood ('sonyash') practised in deep forests, 'darwish' or 'sadhus' etc have long become obsolete. In the so-called hypersonic modern life, these images carry little meaning. Except in fictions or books dealing with mysticism, one hardly comes across these esoteric subjects. They used to enjoy their relevance and had social approval centuries ago, in the ancient times to be precise. The venues were mostly in the Vedic or medieval India or Persia in the Middle Ages.
To the delight of the modern admirers of mysticism, a number of these symbols of spiritual quests have for some time been seen preparing to stage a comeback. This may remind many of an old philosophical adage saying nothing vanishes in the abyss of past. Many rituals and their practices stay back, or remain buried. They surface at the appropriate time in the later ages. The passion for reflections in quest of peace is one of them. In the case of the revival of 'dhyan' or indulging in reflective thoughts, it is especially the pressure of mundane life, different types of stress and angst which prompt many sensitive people to turn to the ascetic style of living. The maze of the abnormal love for wealth, sensuality and the other epicurean pleasures add to the revulsions for the hedonistic lifestyle.
In the past, most of the disillusioned people preferred deep forests and caves in the mountainous areas to lonely habitats. Human presence runs the fear of causing distractions to meditative thoughts. In the deep recess of forests, the vast canvas would remain filled with an omnipresent veil of primitivism and innocence. With the advancement of life and radical changes in thoughts, the earlier pristine character of life also embraced changes. As a corollary, the oriental love for meditation in sylvan seclusion began fading out. However, it took time for the meditative way of life to peter out completely. Changes also took place in the idyllic forest-dominant landscapes. Mass-scale destruction of forests terrorised the normally peace loving 'sonyashis'. Many have fled their centuries-old abode. Modern civilistion continued to push the 'sonyashis' and 'sadhus' deep into the inner recesses of woodlands. To the delight of the promoters of development i.e. building of human habitats, industries and commercial enclaves, this turn of events had been waiting to happen. Lots of people interpret the growth of urban civilisations upon replacing the sylvan forests as a corollary to the rise in human ambition to expand its own brick-built empires.
The 'sonyashis' had to disappear from their traditional forest shelters one day or the other. And it happened on time. But the remnants of their life and rituals still have an appeal to the generations that followed. In the 21st century, the meditative part of these ascetic people raised followers throughout the world. Regular sessions of meditation classes are now a common scenario in the cities across the world. Dhaka is no exception. Many people might want to know about the benefits of meditation, as they believe the very act speaks of ensuring sound health. Thanks to it, the Dhaka-based institutions organising sessions of meditation have earned the capability to draw scores of students. For some centres, however, the experience proves disappointing. It's because lackadaisical campaigns and ignorance of the interested students about the sessions' objectives lead to a drop in regular attendance in the classes. But there are opposite pictures, too.
With the passing of time, the range of meditation has just kept widening. Apart from keeping it confined to just concentration or 'dhyan', the nearly spiritual act inspires people to practise meditation for remaining fit physically, mentally and also socially. On the World Meditation Day in mid-May, Quantum Foundation, a Bangladesh organisation, conducted programmes stressing the necessity of meditation as prescribed by physicians. A unique aspect of the day's observance was it included breathing, yoga, and autosuggestion practices. Lots of people tend to confuse yoga with meditation. According to experts, yoga involves the movements and positions of one's limbs. Meditation stands for concentration on the Supreme Being. Although in some aspects they overlap, meditation and yoga are two separate sessions. A few years ago, Dhaka witnessed veritably a mushrooming growth of yoga centres in the city's upscale areas. Except a handful, most of them had amateur or rookie instructors. The innocent learners felt disillusioned as they found themselves lacking the basic yoga techniques despite spending hefty sums in fees. A large number of the female students are enrolled in the schools in order to learn about the weight-loss and slimming exercises.
Attending yoga and meditation classes has lately become a noticeable trend in the developed countries. Both male and female students attend these classes in groups, their age ranging from 20 to 50. Experts related to yoga and similar breathing control and exercise sessions discover in the trend the role of rising health awareness among youths. Stress and anxieties prompt many to take recourse to the 'parallel exercise' with an underlying spiritual message. In the West, however, objects and practices linked to ancient India enjoy a special fascination. It began in the Middle Ages, and continues till today. But the practice of yoga, meditation etc has long been claimed by a section of medical persons as beneficial to human body and mind. Thanks to the near-mechanised life of people in the highly developed countries, their leaning towards mystical things and beliefs is quite implied. Thus the Westerners attach special value to the paranormal. Perhaps this is the reason why their fascination for yoga, meditation, faith-healing etc continues to increase. The negative aspect of this phenomenon is the gullible people are quite often overtaken by occultism and different types of supernatural studies. Thus an ostensibly innocent physical exercise based on the movements of the major limbs draws many people's disapproval. It should not have been the case.
In this country, lots of people have reportedly been benefited by the regular practice of yoga. They have enjoyed the fruits both physically and psychologically. Few people are aware of the fact that yoga and meditation leaves positive impacts on people's mental health as well. According to instructors, the breathing-control sessions help one fight chronic fits of depression and melancholy. Moreover, it keeps one vibrant, tension-free and strengthens his or her positive attitude towards life. Many have groomed faithful disciples. Thanks to their passion for transmitting the love for this unique discipline to others, the meditation courses continue to attract the younger generations. It's amazing to see how an ancient spiritual-cum-physical ritual has survived all these centuries. It amply proves that it has the capability to enthrall the health conscious people with its latent power, which the ritualistic exercises have derived from nature.

shihabskr@ymail.com