Category: Meditation

1. “What’s the point? It’s just a New Age fad. A hippie thing.”
Meditation is not a fad – it is something that people from different countries, cultures, and religions have been doing for centuries. Meditation can change your state of mind and  prompts relaxation in your body. Meditation uses introspection (looking inside yourself rather than outside) coupled with awareness of body or breath to drive you to deeper states of consciousness.

2. “Meditation is too hard. I can’t calm my mind.”
Don’t think about emptying the mind, or making it quiet. Simply follow the meditation instructions, and let everything else be. If your mind is agitated, there is even more reason for you to meditate! As you listen to the meditation your mind will calm on its own.

3. “I don’t have time to meditate.”
Sorry, but that is probably not true. Think about some of the unproductive time that you spend in front of a screen (TV, smartphone, or tablet). You can start with as little as 1~3 minutes a day, and increase slowly.

4. “Meditation is boring.”
There are several different types of meditation  practices if you haven’t found the right one, you may feel like this. Meditation releases Dopamine, the “pleasure chemical” of the brain. If you learn to enjoy the process itself – and desire to get better at it you may find peace and enjoyment on a daily basis.

5. “I need to be spiritual or do weird things.”
Meditation is a very old practice that has been used in religious contexts. However, many people practice meditation exclusively for health and well-being benefits. You can practice meditation without needing to believe in anything. A Christian, Muslim, or Athesist can practice it, without any conflict with their own faith.

You don’t need to follow any rituals, or burn incense, or wear special clothing, or do weird things, to meditate. Some people may choose to do so because they find it helps them prepare the mind for meditation – but they are not essential to the practice

Someone shared this great article with me and it came from http://thepowerofideas.ideapod.com

Not all of us are neuroscientists but we do know that meditation is somewhat good for the brain. How is it good for the brain though? What kind of benefits does it actually bring? And are they significant? So many questions yet little do we know.

Having read some research by one of the world’s top neuroscientists Richie Davidson and his group of colleagues, we’ve learnt three key things about the brain:

1. You can train your brain to change

2. The change is measurable

3. New ways of thinking can change the brain for the better

According to Davidson, the practice of meditation even at a period of 30 minutes can display measurable changes in the brain which is trackable by a brain scanner. This means that daily meditation can significantly adapt your brain and improve it’s functionality.

So here are the 4 key benefits to your brain that daily meditation practice allows:

1. Increased Grey Matter

An increase in grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is located just behind the brain’s frontal lobe is known for it’s ability to monitor things like cognitive flexibility and attention conflicts.The prefrontal cortex, also found close to the frontal lobe has functions based on problem solving, regulating emotions and planning. The hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system facilitates the learning and memory side of things and is sensitive to stress-related disorders.

2. Decreased Amygdala Size

The decrease in amygdala size means a decrease in cell volumes relating to fear and anxious emotions, creating a more peaceful mind.

3. Changes in Functionalities in Certain Networks

In addition to a smaller amygdala size, certain networks also start weakening after a practice of meditation. This allows the brain to strengthen and focus on higher brain functional networks instead of focusing on reactive networks.

4. Reduction in Activity in the Brain’s Center

After a meditation session, there is a decreased activity level of our Default Mode Network (DMN), which is often when our minds go walkabouts when we get distracted. After repeated levels of mindfulness, the brain becomes more efficient with its regulators. This allows us to be less reactive and actually stop, be more aware and more accepting to certain thoughts.

~ http://thepowerofideas.ideapod.com