This story originally appeard in MindBodyGreen.com.
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, yoga is described as the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. As one of the eight limbs of yoga that leads to union or "oneness," meditation helps us do just that. A daily meditation practice can promote a gradual slowing of the thoughts to reveal a deeper level of consciousness, awareness, and sense of stillness.
The silent repetition of a mantra, or "mind vehicle," is one method of transportation we can mentally hop into in order to navigate beyond our thinking mind.