← Back to catalogue
Research draft

meditation

vr.tr.meditation · ACT.ACT

Let an agent describe meditation as a family of practices with attribution to the traditions that define them, relay research on health effects with attribution and appropriate caution, distinguish religious from secular forms, and route personal health and spiritual questions to qualified teachers and clinicians.

Thing Registry Activities and processes

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent describe meditation as a family of practices with attribution to the traditions that define them, relay research on health effects with attribution and appropriate caution, distinguish religious from secular forms, and route personal health and spiritual questions to qualified teachers and clinicians.

A practice of training attention and awareness to reach a calm, clear or focused mental state, found in many religious traditions including Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Christian, Jewish and Sufi forms, and in secular programmes for relaxation and health; techniques range from seated concentration and mindfulness to movement, chanting, breath practices and contemplative arts such as the Zen enso circle.

What it is for: Training attention and awareness for spiritual, contemplative or health purposes.

It can be describe traditions and techniques with attribution; relay research findings with attribution; distinguish religious from secular forms; route personal questions.

Distinguishing features

Attention and awareness training

Many traditions and techniques

Religious and secular contexts

Subject of health research

What it looks like

Not a visible object; a person sitting, walking or moving in a practice of attention.

How it is recognised

Deliberate training of attention or awareness

Religious and secular forms

Prayer, relaxation exercises and psychotherapy overlap but are distinct

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

religious concept

is a kind of - in secular use

relaxation technique

is part of - and other traditions

Buddhism

is studied by - the research field

contemplative science

In practice

Families and kinds

Buddhist meditation including zazen and vipassana

Hindu and yogic meditation

Taoist meditation

Christian contemplative prayer

Sufi practices including whirling

secular mindfulness programmes

contemplative arts such as suizen flute practice and enso painting

Standards and regulation

No regulation of practice; clinical programmes follow health research standards

Teacher certification within traditions and programmes

Failure modes and hazards

Presenting one tradition as the definition

Overstating health evidence

Adverse experiences in intensive practice, documented in research

Agents giving personal health advice

Also called

ensōSufi whirlingsuizenBuddhist meditationzazenTaoist meditationajikanBuddhānusmṛtiPatikulamanasikarashikantazasesshinyazaJewish meditationBuddha contemplationChristian meditationcentering prayerMysteries of the RosaryKumu chanchinkon kishinOmphaloskepsisLabyrinth Walkingheart rhythm meditationmokusoMuraqabaNgalSoDhammakaya meditationTranscendental Meditationguided meditationHua TouJangama dhyanajing zuoTonglenSoaking musiczuowangThigle

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What meditation is.

Attribution.

Definition

Definition and traditions.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is meditation, and how do traditions define and practise it, with attribution? definition
  2. Is the question about a religious practice, a secular programme or a health intervention? boundary

Techniques

Techniques.

Techniques

Techniques.

  1. What techniques exist, from seated concentration to movement and contemplative arts? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific practice? action
Traditions Religious contexts.

Attribution.

Religious

Religious meditation.

Religious

Religious.

  1. How do Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Christian, Jewish and Sufi traditions understand meditation, in their own terms? provenance
  2. Is the presentation respectful and attributed? boundary

Arts

Contemplative arts.

Arts

Arts.

  1. How do arts such as enso painting and suizen serve as meditation? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the specific art? action
Health Research and health.

Evidence.

Evidence

Evidence.

Evidence

Evidence.

  1. What do systematic reviews say about effects on stress, anxiety, pain and attention, with findings attributed? provenance
  2. Is the user asking about their own condition, which needs a clinician? boundary

Risks

Adverse effects.

Risks

Risks.

  1. What does research report about adverse experiences and who may be at risk? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
Practice Learning and teaching.

Practice.

Learning

Learning.

Learning

Learning.

  1. How do people learn meditation, and what do traditions and programmes say about teachers? provenance
  2. Which entry fits mindfulness-based programmes? action

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How did meditation practices develop and spread, including secular adaptation in the twentieth century? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of a specific tradition? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each tradition be a separate entry?
  • How should research reviews be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming specific practices and arts; should they be split off?
Draft as JSON