This paper explains that
meditation, which is recognized as an element of Eastern religions, originating in Vedic Hinduism,
often is formalized into a specific routine including the practice of focusing the mind on a single object, such as a religious statue, one's breath or a mantra and a mental "opening up" to the divine, invoking the guidance of a higher power or reasoned analysis of religious teachings, such as impermanence for Buddhists. The author points out that its psychiatric use is to gain awareness of the
unconscious feelings, motives and values so that they can be deal with effectively. The paper relates that, as a method of stress reduction,
meditation often is used in hospitals in cases of chronic or terminal illness to reduce complications associated with increased stress, including a depressed immune system.