When I say I meditate, oftentimes, I am met with questions about what that actually means.
Why should one meditate? What are the benefits? What is meditation, anyway?
Meditation is an active training of the mind to help focus your attention. There are thousands of thoughts per second that runs through our mind that interfere with our focus, attention and concentration. For this reason, when you sit in meditation the primary goal is to quiet the mind by bringing yourself back to the present moment, over and over again.
As a result, this focused concentration of the mind yields many incredible health benefits.
Presently, many Studies have shown that the practice of daily meditation even after a short period of time improves alertness and visual attention.
Moreover, additional studies on meditation have shown improvements in the areas of concentration, patience, tolerance, creativity and happiness.
Effects of Meditation on the Brain:
I just learned a lot about the Default Mode Network. Have you ever heard of the DMN part of the brain?
The default mode network (DMN) is the part of the brain that always seems to be “on.” Thus, it is the part of the brain that tends to overthink and ruminate over things.
Consequently, this type of thinking creates unease and confusion which, understandably may contribute to a sense of “unhappiness.”
The good news is that meditation through its’ quieting effect is able to deactivate the default mode network (DMN) of the brain.
According to philosophers, yogis, and contemplative teachers; mindfulness, a type of meditation that focuses on living in the moment, tends to increase the feeling of “happiness.”
Furthermore, a study coming out of Yale University tested the default mode network of the brain and they were able to find deactivated DMNs in experienced meditators like monks and other practitioners across all meditation types.
The development of modern brain-imaging technologies, allows scientists and researchers to see how the different structures of the brain responds to meditation.
Additionally, this technology is advancing and facilitating future studies on the effects of meditation on the brain.
Click here for free meditation guide.
Meditation:
- Improves gyrification which allows the brain to process information faster and is highly correlated with intelligence.
- Increases whole brain function, by synchronizing the right and left hemisphere of the brain.
- Improves the ability to focus by increasing the cortical thickness in the part of the brain responsible for attention.
- Elevates and stabilizes mood by increasing dopamine and serotonin levels that are the hormones associated with happiness and positivity.
- Reduces stress and anxiety by creating a state of deep relaxation.
- Improves cognition, mindfulness, and the ability to sustain focus by increasing grey matter, brain volume and cerebral blood flow.
Physical, Emotional & Mental Benefits:
Presently, the research done on meditation is strong and continues to grow. Listed below are some of the medical, physical, emotional and mental benefits of meditation.
- Stress reduction
- Greater emotional balance
- Increased creative thinking
- Lower blood pressure
- Higher productivity
- Increased happiness
- Improved concentration
- Improved heart health
- Higher self-awareness
- Increased imagination and creativity
- More patience and tolerance
- Reduce anxiety and depression
- Reduces pain
- Help addiction recovery
- Better preserved brain as we age
- Helps you sleep
Spiritual Benefits of meditation:
What is the primary focus of meditation?
Many people practice meditation in search of balance between their inner and outer world. For example, the inner world consist of the quiet, interior experiences we have and carry around with us.
Conversely, our outer world comprises of all the external factors that we interact with.
There are many ways to attain higher and deeper levels of awareness through different types of meditations (guided meditation, yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, kundalini, etc.). Assuredly, they all have their benefits.
Listed here, are some spiritual benefits of the practice:
- Higher Awareness of Self
- A Knowing that you are not alone
- There is a universal intelligence
- A connection to Oneness
- Understanding of synchronicities
- Understanding that you are not your mind
- Greater love and compassion for self and others
- Manifest more deliberately
If you are just starting to meditate, you may benefit from a guided practice to help frame your process.
Here is one of my favorite videos from Gregg Braden, a renowned author, scholar and scientist. This is a guided meditation for heart-brain coherence. .
If you like, you can visit Gaiam for free resources and advice to help you build your meditation routine. Hopefully, you will begin to see gradual changes and improvements in your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life.
In closing, I hope you are able to reap massive benefits of the practice and that you will weave it into your daily life. 🖤