Meditative practices have been a part of various religious traditions across time and space, particularly those originating in the East such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism. Plagued by perennial worries - money, status, and power - the Buddha and his disciples engaged in meditation to quiet the mind, gain insight in the nature of existence, and achieve liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Today, modern science has given credence to the benefits of meditation. Through awareness of the process of thinking, often by constantly returning one’s focus to a mantra or images, we can break thought loops. Detaching from the process of thinking, we can gain awareness into ourselves alongside increased equanimity, presence, and gratitude.