We have all heard of meditation, but we all have our own definitions, thoughts and experiences with it.
And whilst there are many forms and standards for ‘meditation’, it comes down to the individual and what works for you.
Firstly, why Meditate?
Studies have been conducted on the benefits of meditation and it has been proven to:
*lower blood pressure *slow down the cardiovascular system *restore balanced function to the digestive system *relax the nervous system *relieve muscle tension *diminish the intensity of headaches *relieve insomnia *reduce anxiety *improve depression And it also has the ability to: *free the mind from self-doubt and internal chatter *generate optimism *improve self-esteem, confidence and motivation
So why not meditate?
The Benefits of Meditation... from a scientific point of view...
Do you want to be less angry, more self-reflective and more loving....
The brain waves of meditators show why they're healthier. Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex—brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. In other words, they were calmer and happier than before.
Maybe meditation isn't so mysterious after all. Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex - brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. There is also less activity in the amygdala, where the brain processes fear.
Meditation may help squash anxiety!
To explore exactly what part of the brain meditation acts on, researchers at Harvard Medical School used MRI technology on participants to monitor brain activity while they meditated. They found that it activates the sections of the brain in charge of the autonomic nervous system, which governs the functions in our bodies that we can't control, such as digestion and blood pressure. These are also the functions that are often compromised by stress. It makes sense, then, that modulating these functions would help to ward off stress-related conditions such as heart disease, digestive problems and infertility.
So why aren't more people taking up the practice? "Because it puts us in the middle of ourselves, which is not always where we want to be," suggests Thomson. "Often, we want to fix things rather than accept them the way they are. Many of us feel as though we can't afford the time and energy to meditate, when in fact we can't afford not to."
Epstein and several other experts feel that meditation's effectiveness has to do with putting aside attachment to one's ego. As he says, "When you look directly at a star at night, it's difficult to see. But when you look away slightly, it comes into focus. I find it to be the same way with the ego and meditating. When one zeroes in on a sense of self through a practice of meditation, the self-important ego paradoxically becomes elusive. You become more aware that you are interconnected with other beings, and you can better put your own worries into their proper perspective." [http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/the-benefits-meditation]
Blessings
Mim
コメント