Meditation experience as daily practice: A qualitative study

Meditation practiced as part of daily life produces subjective experiences of rest, relaxation, mental stability, peace, and inner self-encounter, and is viewed as training and process. Practitioners report improved emotional recognition, regulation, growth through reflection, better interpersonal emotion regulation, reduced negative emotions, and increased positive emotions. Changes in coping include increased self-reflection, more deliberate actions, gentler interpersonal attitudes, greater consideration in family relationships, new ways of responding to conflict, and more relaxed actions. The findings suggest meditation is a sustainable daily practice, not limited to specific spaces or times.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study aimed to explore meditation experiences as daily practice. For this purpose, focus group interviews were conducted with 36 meditation practitioners who practice meditation as part of their daily routine, divided into 5 groups. The research findings are as follows: First, in ‘subjective experiences through meditation as daily practice,’ five categories emerged: ‘experiencing rest and relaxation in daily life,’ ‘experiencing mental stability and peace in daily life,’ ‘encountering one’s inner self through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘considering meditation as daily practice as training and process,’ and ‘experiencing living with meditation in daily life.’ Second, in ‘emotional acceptance through meditation as daily practice,’ six categories emerged: ‘becoming able to recognize and accept emotions through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘feeling improved emotional regulation ability through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘experiencing growth through reflection on emotions via meditation as daily practice,’ ‘becoming able to regulate emotions in interpersonal relationships through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘experiencing reduction of negative emotions through meditation as daily practice,’ and ‘increased positive emotions through meditation as daily practice.’ Third, in ‘changes in coping through meditation as daily practice,’ six categories emerged: ‘increased self-reflection and awareness of behavior through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘becoming more deliberate in actions through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘experiencing changes toward gentler attitudes in interpersonal relationships through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘increased consideration in family relationships through meditation as daily practice,’ ‘changes in ways of responding to conflict situations through meditation as daily practice,’ and ‘actions becoming more relaxed through meditation as daily practice.’ This study has significance in confirming that meditation is not an activity limited to specific spaces or times, but rather a sustainable practice that can be implemented in daily life.