Disenchantment with materialistic values has led to an awakening of interest in the many forms of meditation, from the 1960s onwards, especially mindfulness meditation, which has been adapted from Buddhist techniques. Its medical use as a contribution to various forms of psychotherapy has been widely embraced.
Meditation can also serve as a special preparation for a demanding task, such as a musician, dancer, or actor before a performance, or when we are faced with a major responsibility. Meditation may take the form of repeating a specific word or text, as with the Hindu and Buddhist mantra, the Islamic dhikr, and the Jesus Prayer. It can also focus upon a visual image, as in the Tibetan Buddhist use of the mandala (a Sanskrit word which means circle) as a focal point for one’s meditation.
