For thousands of years ancient societies and cultures understood the gift of silence, of silencing the mind, they understood inherently that stilling their mind, being grateful and sending love to others indeed made changes.
Science over the past 2 decades has undertaken research into mindfulness, and gratitude-from scientific machinery that shows the brain and brain patterning they can scientifically prove that beneficial changes do occur in the brain, that body temperature and brain patterning does change to a beneficial state.
Happy, calm people are productive people
A greater number of major corporations are now incorporating wellness rooms and wellness practices within their business, they understand that happy, calm people are productive people, who are less likely to take sick days or to leave their place of employment.
It is believed that meditation as a wellness practice has been around for approximately 5000 years, it is believed to have started as Vedas in India approximately 1500BCE. Meditation was introduced to Westerners in the ‘70’s when the Beatles became interested in using the ancient practice of Transcendental meditation. At that time it was believed that it was a spiritual practice used by individuals who were separate or different from the rest of western society. Hippies, radicals and those whose views did not corresponded with modern day consciousness.
Today mediation is a part of daily life throughout the world, it is being used by sporting individuals, corporate giants and the general population to bring about change in their daily lives.
Meditation can and does change the patterning of the brain
Research which has been undertaken by a number of respected Universities including the Harvard Medical University which concluded that meditation can and does change the patterning of the brain, that it helps to reduce stress, anxiety, sleeplessness and allows the mind to be receptive to learning and knowledge. The research undertaken by the Harvard Medical University was called “Mindfulness research Collaborative”, Imagining was taken of individuals brains pre-meditation and post meditation and showed significant changes .
They concluded through functional MRI’s an activation in the amygdala (an almond-shape set of neurons located deep in the brain’s medial temporal lobe shown to play a key role in the processsing of emotions). After just 8 weeks of training in meditation the amygdala is less activated (fear, anxiety, stress). The amygdala is activated and present in a variety of non-positive emotional states including , fear, anger and sadness and aggression. So, it makes perfect sense to calm the amygdala down.
Meditation will lead to better emotional and physical health
Meditation practices can become part of individuals lives and used daily to be a part of a personal’s overall wellness programme and an adjunct to individuals exercise and diet regime. Diet and exercise for the body and meditation for the mind will lead to better emotional and physical health.
Over the past few decades I have delved into many meditative practices including Transcendental Meditation, Zen Meditation and many other meditative practices including several visits to Vipassana Meditation centres where one spends 10 days in silence.
In the past few years I have looked at the scientific approach on silence – mediation based on based on neuro-plasticity where well known and respected neuro-scientists applaud the practice of silence/mediation. Dr. Joe Dispenza is just one of the worlds leading neuro-scientists that advocates meditative practices.
What is meditation?
There is a lot of confusion out in the public arena as to exactly “what is” meditation. In its purest form, silence or mediation allows the mind to settle, to move the brains waves from flights or flight back to calm. It’s removes one from the clutter and chatter going on inside their heads to allow space for free flow and clarity of thought.
Meditations are varied and can include a focus on just one thing including watching breath or listening to your heartbeat. Or it could focus on a word “mantra” that is listened to, there are guided meditations which takes your focus to the voice of the speaker, and again there are meditative practices that utilize breath – holding and releasing.
I find that a simple meditation is enough to start your daily practice without complicating matters too much. Many people stress themselves out believing that they are not meditating properly and this adds to their already stressed out lives, so take it easy, experiment and enjoy.
You will find a free easy meditation download HERE.
Enjoy!
Spiri.