Question

Does meditation have anything to do with religion?

Answer 1

Nope.


Meditation is just done to relax oneself ..it has nothing to do with religion!

Answer 2

There are dozens of different forms of meditation practiced around the world. Some meditations like a mantra meditation where you are chanting a name of God is explicitly religious. Although one could make it secular by substituting another emotionally significant word or phrase as her or his mantra.
Most meditations are not religious on their own, but become religious in a context. For example, my housemate is Christian and I am Buddhist. She has described her experience of “The peace that passes all understanding “ and it sounds just like my kensho experience. An atheist could have the same experience. I would love hear how they would interpret it.
Meditation is same way. One form of secular meditation is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). There are online guided meditations that are secular. Headspace and Calm are the two I know about.
I think of meditation as a tool. Right now the best instructions on how to use it are probably written by the dharmic religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. I am looking forward to what science will say as more types of meditation are studied.