Buddha means “he who is awake”

Buddha means “he who is awake” and everyone probably recognises this deity. But his story reveals why he so central to the practices of meditation and yoga, and why his symbolic presence is so central to meditation.

Buddha was born Siddartha Gautanana in Nepal in 623 B.C. into a royal family. His life was privileged yet sheltered, however, when he decided to leave the kingdom, he was suddenly faced with harsh realities of life, such as death, poverty, and suffering. Wanting to understand more; why people suffer, if it can be stopped, he wandered the Earth as a holy man teaching meditation and performing austerities that almost lead him to starve to death, but still felt he didn’t understand the meaning of life.

At this point, he started to eat again, and sat under the Bodhi tree where he vowed to stay until he had found enlightenment. After 40 days, he found his freedom in enlightenment and continued to travel the world, teaching what he had learned. His dedication to searching for enlightenment is why his depiction is so central to meditation and yoga. 🌀✨🌀🌟🕉🌟📿
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻