Meditation is presence: the act of Being present. It is a time in which we can observe our mind; a moment we choose to dedicate to being with ourselves. HERE and NOW.

It is a practice that enables us to exercise our cognitive flexibility and sensitivity, allowing our thoughts to become freer. Yet meditation is also a social practice.

Across all ancient cultures—particularly Eastern traditions—meditative practices emerge as a key element in the individual’s process of self-regulation. Within the eight limbs of Yoga, alongside ASANA (postures), PRANAYAMA (breath control), YAMA (restraints) and NIYAMA (observances), we find DHARANA, DHYANA and SAMADHI: concentration, meditative absorption and pure awareness.[1]

Taoism uses meditation as a means of preserving vital energy (Qi) and cultivating mental stillness.[2]

Moving towards the Mediterranean world, Stoic philosophy and the wider Hellenistic culture likewise speak of a vigilant attention to the present moment.[3]

Modern mindfulness[4] and some of the world’s most prestigious universities[5] have produced landmark studies demonstrating the biological, neurological and psychological impact of meditation. While only a few years ago approaching this subject often required adherence to a spiritual or religious practice, today understanding how meditation works has become a biological imperative.

An important distinction must first be made between focus or concentration and meditation itself. Yet the former must be cultivated in order to practise the latter.[6]

While meditation as a private act is better known and more widely explored—even across social media—its impact on the relational field is perhaps even more compelling: meditation can become a powerful regulator of human interactions and, according to certain long-standing theories that are becoming increasingly relevant as quantum physics advances, of collective consciousness.

Two examples are particularly significant: Buddhist monasteries across the world—although, on closer reflection, prayer within our own monastic tradition often takes on the characteristics of a meditative act—and an experiment conducted in Beirut in 1983, during the war.

Within monasteries, meditation is also used as a means of transforming the way individuals relate to the other members of the community—the sangha. Studies conducted on monks suggest that, over the long term, meditation modifies brain plasticity and strengthens emotional regulation. Beyond meditation itself, this translates into less conflict and reduced aggression. Consider, for example, our schools and the impact of some of the meditation programmes currently being introduced.

The deconstruction of attachment and resentment is a specific focus of certain forms of meditation, such as Metta. Yet the most compelling development is undoubtedly the discovery that the mental stability of those who practise intensively can create a field of calm, positively influencing the people around them and reducing collective stress—even among those who do not meditate.

The Beirut experiment helps us understand more clearly what we are discussing. It was 1983: the International Peace Project. Between 65 and 241 Transcendental Meditation practitioners gathered in Jerusalem. By monitoring their practice, researchers recorded a decrease in violence—including a dramatic reduction in the number of deaths caused by the conflict in Beirut—positive social indicators, such as a decline in ordinary crime, and an increase in the Tel Aviv stock market index.[7]

In a contemporary context in which aggression has become a dominant driver in the regulation of human interactions, it is easy to understand how exploring meditation more deeply may offer managers, professionals and, more broadly, all of us as human beings a powerful key to meaningful change.

[1] Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

[2] Zhuangzi, 4th century BCE; Tao Te Ching, 6th–4th century BCE.

[3] Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.

[4] Jon Kabat-Zinn transformed Buddhist meditation into a secular, scientifically grounded practice by developing the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction protocol (MBSR). He defined mindfulness as the ability to pay attention to the present moment, intentionally and without judgement. His insight brought Eastern awareness practices into Western medicine, helping to validate their clinical effectiveness in addressing anxiety and chronic pain. Today, his method is used around the world in hospitals, schools and organisations to promote mental well-being.

[5] Harvard University, 2026: Neural Correlates of Meditation-Induced Changes in Self-Related Traits: A Resting-State fMRI Study; Multi-System Brain–Body Mechanisms of Mental Health in Long-Term Meditation.

MIT, 2026: Meditation and Neurofeedback: A Systematic Scoping Review, Synthesis, and Framework; Mindfulness, Cognition, and Long-Term Meditators: Toward a Science of Advanced Meditation.

[6] Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, ABC of Meditation. In-person course led by Venerable Constance Miller.

[7] David W. Orme-Johnson, Charles N. Alexander and John L. Davies, International Peace Project in the Middle East: The Effects of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field, 1988.