What is Meditation — and What It Is Not
In the modern wellness world, the word “meditation” is everywhere. Apps promise instant calm, YouTube videos guide you into relaxation, and many people believe sitting cross-legged with eyes closed means they are “meditating.”
But when we turn to Yoga and the classical teachings of Patanjali, the reality is very different. Meditation is not a quick fix for stress, nor a vague sense of feeling relaxed. It is a precise state of consciousness — and it is important to understand what it is, and what it is not, before you practice it.
What Meditation Is Not
Unless you are already a very advanced practitioner, the mind needs training to progress through certain stages before meditation becomes possible. You cannot simply sit, listen to a recording, and “achieve” meditation. Yoga philosophy makes this very clear:
Meditation is not relaxation. Relaxation is a necessary preparation, like a warm-up, but not the goal.
Meditation is not imagination. Visualisations or guided imagery may have benefits, but they still keep the mind engaged with thoughts.
Meditation is not reflection. Even self-reflection or contemplation involves the thinking mind, which means you are still moving among thoughts.
In Yoga, meditation is never about engaging the mind with more content. It is the opposite: training the mind to be free of distractions until it dissolves into stillness.
What Meditation Is
In the Yogic tradition, meditation is usually taught as focused meditation — holding the mind on a single object until only that object remains. The process can be broken down into three stages:
Mind is busy with many thoughts. This is our daily state, moving from stimulus to stimulus, pulled in every direction.
Mind is busy with one thought. This is concentration: holding awareness on a single object so fully that everything else fades away.
Mind has no more thoughts. This is meditation proper. In reality, it is the mind itself that disappears; only the object remains.
Meditation is not about “letting go” of the object — it is about not letting go. The practice is to find one thing, focus on it, and hold it steadily. The secret is persistence: staying in one place, bringing the mind back each time it wanders. Just as the body grows stronger through physical repetition, the mind grows stronger through these “mental push-ups.”
Why the Mind Resists
Anyone who has tried to meditate knows how restless the mind can be. It leaps from thought to thought, connecting everything new to everything old, triggering memories and imagination. This is natural — the mind is a storehouse of impressions. But the practice is not to stop this by force; it is to continually return, again and again, to the chosen object.
Over time, the mind’s pathways are reshaped, concentration deepens, and meditation becomes possible.
Meditation in the Yoga Sutras
According to Patanjali, meditation (dhyana) is not a technique but a stage — the outcome that follows deep concentration (dharana). The three steps flow seamlessly into one another:
Dharana: concentration — steady attention on a single object.
Dhyana: meditation — continuous flow of awareness toward that object.
Samadhi: absorption — only the object remains; there is no awareness of self.
These three are called samyama in the Yoga Sutras. They are not rigidly separate but form a continuum, one stage naturally dissolving into the next. You rarely notice the moment you cross the line from one to the other.
This is why it is so important to first understand meditation. If you do not know what you are aiming for, how can you practise correctly? A teacher cannot always see whether you are “doing it right” — because it happens entirely within. Clarity of aim is essential.
Five Ways to Summarize Meditation
To bring it all together, meditation in Yoga can be summed up as:
Meditation is beyond thinking.
Meditation is focusing on something until it becomes nothing.
Meditation is the outcome, not the process.
The secret of meditation is to stay in one place and wait for it to happen.
You don’t get peace from meditation — you get meditation from peace.
A few more pieces of guidance:
Focus on intention, not expectation.
Hold the object in your mind, but do not analyse or think about it.
Choose a simple object; complexity only distracts.
One object is enough. Find the one that works for you and stay with it.
The SKY Perspective
At SKY Yoga and Meditation, we respect meditation for what it truly is: not relaxation, not imagination, but the fruit of long, steady concentration.
We guide students in developing the strength and clarity needed for meditation through asana, pranayama, and focused concentration practices. Only then can meditation naturally arise — as Patanjali teaches, it is the outcome of practice, not something to “do” on command.
Key Takeaways
Meditation is not relaxation, imagination, or reflection — these are preparations, not the goal.
In Yoga, meditation is a thoughtless state reached after sustained concentration.
Dharana, dhyana, and samadhi form a continuum, gradually leading the practitioner beyond the mind.
The secret of meditation is persistence: keep bringing the mind back to the object until only the object remains.
At SKY, meditation is taught as an authentic process rooted in the Yoga Sutras, not as a quick fix.
Learn and Practice with SKY Yoga and Meditation
We’re SKY Yoga and Meditation, a Yoga school and studio located in a beautiful jungle eco-village in Pejeng, Bali. Our mission is simple but profound: to share Yoga as authentically as possible, rooted in tradition and lineage, while offering a space for deep practice and transformation.
If you feel inspired to explore these teachings further, we welcome you to join us:
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Bali — a foundational, immersive program designed to give you not only teaching skills but also a living experience of authentic Hatha Yoga.
300-Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training — for those ready to deepen their path, refine their practice, and step into the next level of teaching and self-mastery.
Weekly Yoga and Meditation Classes — open to all, held in our bamboo shala overlooking the lush Ubud jungle, offering a taste of SKY’s unique blend of traditional teaching and supportive community.
Whether you are preparing to teach, seeking to deepen your personal practice, or simply curious to begin, SKY provides the guidance, environment, and authenticity that allow Yoga to unfold in its truest sense.
For more details or a fast answer to your questions, send us an email or WhatsApp us directly. We’d love to welcome you into our community here in Bali.
