Over the weekend the New York Times revealed what many of us have suspected for years, that meditation may change the brain. My New Year's resolution was to meditate every day, so I found this article particularly fascinating. An excerpt below, sums up the findings:
"M.R.I. brain scans taken before and after the participants’ meditation regimen found increased gray matter in the hippocampus, an area important for learning and memory. The images also showed a reduction of gray matter in the amygdala, a region connected to anxiety and stress. A control group that did not practice meditation showed no such changes."
You can read more about the study here.
Around 2004 Prof. Richard Davidson researched the brains of Tibetan monks meditating - his research also revealed a change in brain structure; specifically he found enhanced brain waves in the area of the brain tied to empathy and compassion. Prof Davidson started his study with French monk Mathieu Ricard who has been called the "happiest man alive" (!): listen to him here.
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Neuroscience aside, I'm learning, as I practice my mindfulness meditation, that a still mind is a beautiful thing. Henry David Thoreau wrote: "Renew thyself completely each day". Meditation is the ultimate way to do that. Ricard says that, "practicing meditation can give your day an entirely new "fragrance."" My day definitely changes with meditation in the morning.
"M.R.I. brain scans taken before and after the participants’ meditation regimen found increased gray matter in the hippocampus, an area important for learning and memory. The images also showed a reduction of gray matter in the amygdala, a region connected to anxiety and stress. A control group that did not practice meditation showed no such changes."
You can read more about the study here.
Around 2004 Prof. Richard Davidson researched the brains of Tibetan monks meditating - his research also revealed a change in brain structure; specifically he found enhanced brain waves in the area of the brain tied to empathy and compassion. Prof Davidson started his study with French monk Mathieu Ricard who has been called the "happiest man alive" (!): listen to him here.
.
Neuroscience aside, I'm learning, as I practice my mindfulness meditation, that a still mind is a beautiful thing. Henry David Thoreau wrote: "Renew thyself completely each day". Meditation is the ultimate way to do that. Ricard says that, "practicing meditation can give your day an entirely new "fragrance."" My day definitely changes with meditation in the morning.
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