6 Things Atheists Can Learn From Religion

There is no telling when meditation was first practiced, especially considering some claims by researchers that meditating could have contributed to human evolution, but there’s no doubt that the practice was popularized by religions like Hinduism and (later) Buddhism.

It is a central part of both religious traditions for a reason: it is useful. Sam Harris and others have described the scientifically established benefits of meditation — such as stress reduction — that are especially helpful when the metaphysical aspects are removed. As Dan Harris (no relation), co-anchor of Nightline and the weekend edition of Good Morning America on ABC News, pointed out, meditation isn’t just for people who live in yurts and collect crystals and Cat Stevens records.