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Meditation: Building Muscles For Your Mind
Health | December 27, 2014
The positive psychological effects of meditation have been relatively common knowledge for a number of years in the scientific community. Numerous studies have demonstrated that meditation can benefit individuals suffering from anxiety, substance abuse and chronic pain. However, until recently, how meditation affects us on a physiological level has been somewhat of a mystery.
Researchers from Harvard and the University of Sienna teamed up to examine the effects meditation has on our neurophysiology. The results were quite startling. The researchers discovered that participants who actively meditated for the duration of the eight-week study experienced actual physical changes in their brains. In particular, the areas of the brain associated with emotions and perception grew. These areas known as the right insular lobe and the somatosensory cortex became noticeably thicker than before. Amazingly enough this resulted in a pronounced decrease in stress, anxiety and depression for the participants as well.
If the statistics are true, stress is at an all-time high for us, especially here in the U.S. According to an extensive study done at Carnegie-Mellon University, stress has increased 18% for women from 1983 to 2009. I’m guessing it’s even higher today. Stress is also a major factor in causing us to make poor dietary choices and sabotage our hard-fought fitness gains and goals. This is all the more reason to find positive, productive ways to deal with our hectic lives.
Recently I discussed how exercise positively affects our brains, strengthening areas that are responsible for motivation and mood. In addition, exercise has been repeatedly demonstrated in various studies to limit and curb depression and anxiety. Alongside exercise, meditation is another powerful way to not only strengthen our minds, but also to do battle against stress and anxiety.
Do you meditate? How often? Have you noticed a positive difference with your sense of wellbeing? Share your experiences with me.
Private Member |
seattle, washington
I have a suggestion. Look up research in deep diving.
Private Member |
This is so strange that you should post something about meditation… Since my daily ritual has for months (and years, for your programs) been this one:
getting up in the morning and doing your workout of the day, and meditating for 20 minutes before shower time…
In the beginning, it is quite difficult to observe the effects of meditation, you sort of feel like if it’s useless, sometimes… so then you just fall off the wagon and stop meditating for a while… and that is exactly when you start to see why you started meditating in the first place…
I personally follow Shambhala’s warrior path, initiated by Chogyam Trungpa.
Try to read one of Pema Chodron’s books for more info on how meditation can help you and transform your vision of life…
Or for something a bit less related to buddhism, try Chade Meng Tang’s “search inside your mind”, full of easy hints to help you through your first steps.
Zuzka, thanks for sharing this with us, and for your huge generosity.
Private Member |
Thanks for the tips Charlotte! I’m going to check out “Search inside your mind.” As always thank you for your wise words Zuzka. I have been working out with you for about two years and I absolutely love your short but intense workouts. Perfect for my lifestyle and I get compliments all the time on my fit physique:)
Private Member |
montreal, canada
Thanks for your comment Charlotte, I just bought Meng’s book on Amazon.
I would love to medidate everyday, but i find it sooooooo difficult. Can’t get rid of my inner thoughts.
Private Member |
i just bought the book here in CZ, thank you
Private Member |
Guylaine, I am glad my comm helps 🙂
Remember, the point is not to get rid of them, just to notice them, label them as “thoughts”, and dismiss them softly.
And for finding the time, start with a simple target. Try doing it just one minute per day… a one minute commitment, you’ll see, you’ll end up creating space for it.
But you can meditate anywhere, you know! even washing the dishes!
keep up the good reading, check out Pema Chodron’s work, she’s awesome too 🙂
Private Member |
I feel i really would need daily meditation, but I dont know how I could come along with it. The funniest thing is that my husband is a meditation teacher, but now we have such big problems in our relationship that either he can teach me nor I take teachings from him. Also I think it would help my struggling in this relationship if I was able to meditate. Please tell Zuzka if you know any good and easy to learn meditation method!
Private Member |
It’s a very interesting note.
I bought a meditation book but fell asleep every time I tried to meditate.
I think I’ll have to take a more serious meditation course.