Meditation

History of Meditation

Meditation is an ancient practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve mental clarity, emotional calm, and heightened awareness. Its roots trace back thousands of years, originating in spiritual traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism, where it was used as a tool for self-discovery and enlightenment.

In modern psychiatry, meditation has been adapted into therapeutic approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Developed in the late 1970s by Jon Kabat-Zinn, MBSR teaches people to pay close attention to the present moment in a non-judgmental way. This practice helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression by encouraging awareness of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without reacting to them.

Today, meditation is widely recognized as a valuable mental health tool, supported by research showing it can improve emotional regulation, reduce symptoms of various disorders, and enhance overall well-being.

Meditation is the practice of being present. It's not about emptying the mind or achieving perfection. It's about noticing—your breath, your thoughts, your emotions—and returning to the present moment with kindness.

Mind, Body, Spirit & Curiosity

There are many paths to meditation. Gary found his way to meditation via a grief therapist. She was instrumental introducing him to the practice and benefits more than 15 years ago. The meditation around is called the Mind, Body, Soul Group and was founded by a small group of physicians in Milwaukee at the Milwaukee Mindfulness Center. The group meditates for 30 minutes once a week and then discusses a topic of interest each week that a member presents. Topics are determined by biannual board of director meetings and spirited discussions. The group also takes time to remember members who have passed including the two original founders, Todd Davidson and David Shapiro .

Dr. Schnell started meditating with a focus on nature and developed it into breathing practices and later compassion practices. One of the first meditations I enjoyed was BlissCoded Sound, "Golden Sequence," produced by Marcus Knudsen. Here is an overview to other Bliss Coded sounds. His work can be found on Youtube or his bliscodedsound.com and on SoundCloud. I really appreciate his work.

  • Nature-Based Meditation – Return to natural roots with birdsong and natural sounds.

  • Mindful Breathing – Inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh's simple, powerful techniques.

  • Compassion Practice – Cultivate gentleness toward yourself and others.

“Peace is every step.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Here you'll find simple tools to help you:

  • Breathe mindfully

  • Listen deeply

  • Let go of stress

  • Be here now

Follow Your Breath, Meet Your Mind

Try this simple meditation:

5-Minute Breathing Meditation

  1. Sit comfortably.

  2. Close your eyes or soften your gaze.

  3. Inhale slowly… exhale gently.

  4. Notice the breath, without changing it.

  5. If the mind wanders, bring it back to the breath.

You don’t need to go anywhere. You’re already here.