There are hundreds of specific types of meditation.The word
, 'meditation,' means many things dependent upon the context of its use. People practice meditation for many reasons, within the context of their social environment. Meditation is a component of many religions, and has been practiced since antiquity, particularly by monastics. A 2007 study by the U.S. government found that nearly 9.4% of U.S. adults (over 20 million) have used meditation within the past 12 months, up from 7.6% (more than 15 million people) in 2002.[4]