Meditation, from the Latin word meditari (to meditate), means deep or continued reflection and is often seen as preparatory to contemplation, a state of direct spiritual or intuitive seeing. Meditation is found in all religious traditions but varies as to method, focus, and religious objectives. Practices range from the apophatic, an emptying procedure to clear consciousness (via negativa), to the cataphatic, where a specific image, idea, or deity is kept in mental focus (via positiva). Apophatic practices tend to be more cognitive and intellectual (mind), whereas cataphatic practices are more emotional and devotional (heart). Meditation is the focus of scientific research to determine the neurophysiological conditions productive of meditative awareness.

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