Meditation simply put, is a way of connecting with your higher self. It’s all about blocking out all the noise, the distractions and delving in to the inner world. People meditate for various reasons to achieve various results.
Meditation has been used to heal diseases, manifest almost anything you desire, achieve states of elevated emotions such as peace, love etc, access past lives, over come anxiety. This list could go on and on.
The last answer posted is very comprehensive. I would add that achieving a meditative state can look like many different things, and doesn't always require the traditional sitting in one place and trying to empty your mind of thoughts. Many artists, whilst painting or writing, will experience a meditative state - that is - a state where they do not feel attached to the thoughts in passing through their minds or the emotions in their bodies, rather, due to the flow state they are in, they can observe both with gentleness and curiosity, thus learning more about the nature of their true selves, and of the world around them.
