Mindfulness from Meditation Associated With Lower Stress Hormone

'Focusing on the present rather than letting the mind drift may help to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, suggests new research from the Shamatha Project at the University of California, Davis.

The ability to focus mental resources on immediate experience is an aspect of mindfulness, which can be improved by meditation training.

"This is the first study to show a direct relation between resting cortisol and scores on any type of mindfulness scale," said Tonya Jacobs, a postdoctoral researcher at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and first author of a paper describing the work, published this week in the journal Health Psychology.'

Read more...

Read more »

Meditating Measurably Changes The Brain Even When Not Actively Meditating

'A new study has found that participating in an 8-week meditation training program can have measurable effects on how the brain functions even when someone is not actively meditating.

Published research has demonstrated that the practice of regular meditation can increase brain density, boost connections between neurons, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, provide clarity of thought, and increase positive mood endorphins. Other published studies have shown meditation can improve physical functioning, decrease chronic disease risks, and enhance overall quality of life.'


Read more...

Read more »

The Science Behind Good Vibes: How Mindfulness Actually Works

Photo Credit:Seeds of Mindfulness



'Achieving mindfulness through meditation has helped people maintain a healthy mind by quelling negative emotions and thoughts, such as desire, anger and anxiety, and encouraging more positive dispositions such as compassion, empathy and forgiveness. Those who have reaped the benefits of mindfulness know that it works. But how exactly does it work?'


Read more...

Read more »

Antidepressants Could Make Your Brain Bleed, Cause Hemorrhagic Strokes

'Thickened arteries, heart disease, depression, suicide, and now, we can add bleeding of the brain to the long list of side effects of antidepressants. Though the risk is admittedly very small, researchers declared on Wednesday that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may raise the risk of hemorrhagic strokes, which happen when the brain bleeds.

SSRIs include a wide variety of common antidepressents, including Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Paxil. These drugs are also linked to an increased risk of stomach bleeding.'


Read more...

Read more »

Don’t Be Afraid To Reflect or Daydream — It’s Critical For Health and Well-Being

Photo Credit:http://www.trancealert.com


'Many have speculated that our consciousness is activated during daydreaming. Past research has shown that the brain seems to contain a “default mode” in which certain regions become more active at rest. While moments for reflection may be hard to come by, a new study suggests that the long-lost art of introspection — even daydreaming — may be an increasingly valuable part of socioemotional functioning.'


Read more...

Read more »

Between Awake and Asleep – Achieving Deep Relaxation with Qi Gong

'Most Eastern arts seek ways for the practitioner to spend more time in a deeply relaxed state, that is, with a meditative mind. This deep level of meditation is an essential step for achievement in all Eastern disciplines: seeking enlightenment (meditation), better performance (Kung Fu), higher quality of life (Taoism), and better health (Qigong). Through centuries of accumulated experience, the Eastern arts discovered that the mind is usually in an active state, even during sleep. This has been scientifically researched and verified in modern times.

A common realization is that in order to achieve a deep level of relaxation and high skill in internal arts, one needs to develop a concentrated and meditative mind, which can be difficult to reach for any person. In fact, achieving this skill is an art in itself, which has been explored by many disciplines, if not all, such as Buddhism, Zen, Yoga, martial arts, dance, and various sports.'

Read more...

Read more »

HUNGRY FOR CHANGE (summary)

span style="font-size: 100%;">

Read more »

Research On 'Iceman' Wim Hof Suggests-- It is Possible to Influence Your Autonomic Nervous System and Immune Response

© Wikipedia 

Iceman" Wim Hof 

'At the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, professor of experimental intensive care medicine Dr. Peter Pickkers and his team have performed research on "Iceman" Wim Hof. Hof claims that he can influence his autonomic nervous system and immune response through concentration and meditation. 

 The results obtained are remarkable, however, the investigators emphasize that so far, these results have only been obtained in a single individual. Therefore, they can not serve as scientific evidence for the hypothesis that the autonomic nervous system and the immune response can be influenced through concentration and meditation techniques. Further research with larger groups is warranted.' 

Read more...

Read more »

Discover the art of meditation and supercharge your mental abilities

 

'Results of ongoing research shed new light on the mechanisms of meditation. Recent studies now confirm that you don't have to be a monk to enjoy deep relaxation, increased attention span, better cognition and other health benefits meditation is offering.

Until recently, it was believed that one has to spend many years training in meditation in order to see any real and lasting improvements in health. However, both everyday experience and psychology research are now starting to agree that our mind may be easier to cognitively train than we previously thought. In fact, just four days of practicing mindfulness meditation for 20 minutes might be enough to boost your mental abilities.'

Read more...

Read more »

Meditation really does work

Meditation really does work because it rewires parts of the brain which regulate emotions and behaviour, researchers have found.

'Just 11 hours learning a meditation technique called integrative body-mind training (IBMT) produced dramatic changes in the brains of volunteers.

Scans revealed that neuron connectivity was boosted in a part of the brain important for regulating emotional behaviour and dealing with conflict.

Previous work by the same team has shown that meditation reduces levels of anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue.

The new study involved 45 students at the University of Oregon in the US.

Half were given IBMT training while the rest were taught relaxation techniques.

A type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to examine brain connectivity in the volunteers before and after training.

''The importance of our findings relates to the ability to make structural changes in a brain network related to self-regulation,'' said Prof Posner, from the University of Oregon.

The research is reported today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

IBMT, adapted from traditional Chinese medicine in the 1990s, is practised by thousands of people in China.

Based on Taoist and Confucian concepts of harmony with nature, it combines different mind-body techniques including body relaxation, breath control, mental imagery, and ''mindfulness'' - calmly paying attention to moment-to-moment feelings and experiences.'

Source: London Telegraph

Read more »