Screen shot 2011-06-01 at 11.25.31 PM

The Benefits Of Meditation

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Jon Rhodes | CATEGORIES: health and fitness, self improvement

There have been several scientific studies that have revealed that mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of the brain ion a positive way. It is only now that we can more appreciate the positive benefits of meditation, since modern technology is allowing us to delve deep into the recesses of the mind.

Details Of Research

Here are some details of such research, and a simple explanation of how to perform mindfulness meditation.

In a study in the January 30 2011 issue of ‘Psychiatry Research’, results show that by participating in an 8 week mindfulness meditation program, significant changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress can be made.

Mindfulness meditation essentially involves focusing on your own inner mind, and tuning out or ignoring the world around you, whilst you focus on your inner mind. There are many different ways of achieving this, and I will show you one such method later in this article.

MR images were taken of the brain structure of 16 participants two weeks before and after they took part in an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. During the 8 weeks they received weekly meetings and had guided meditation audio sessions to take home with them. It was found that the participants spent an average of 27 minutes per day practicing mindfulness exercises.

The analysis of MR images after the 8 weeks found increased grey matter density in the hippocampus, which is important for learning and memory. It also revealed an increase in grey matter density in areas associated with self awareness, compassion and introspection. This shows that meditation literally improved the brain in almost every way.

Most subjects also reported reductions in stress. This was confirmed by the decrease of grey matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in stress and anxiety.

In 2007 researchers at the University of Pennsylvania also conducted a study on mindfulness meditation and they concluded that practicing even small amounts daily improves performance and the ability to focus attention.

Benefits Of Meditation

Therefore it would seem that science firmly points to mindful meditation helping our minds in many ways. Just these two studies showed improvements in learning, memory, self awareness, compassion, introspection, and a reduction in stress and anxiety. It is likely that further studies will reveal even more improvements, such as improved energy, sleep patterns, and even happiness.

This is why we owe it to ourselves to practice meditation. It is not difficult, and you do not need to be some sort of obsessed spiritual guru to benefit from meditation. I will show you one quick and simple method.

Meditation Method

In order to do mindfulness meditation, try these following steps.

1. Get your self seated in a comfortable position with good posture.
2. Focus on your breathing. Listen to the sounds of the air as it is breathed in, and as it flows out.
3. Any stray thought that comes into your mind, simply allow them to pass. Remind yourself that you are meditating and you can think about these things later. This is your time.
4. Continue to focus on your breathing and enjoy doing nothing. There is no right or wrong, so don’t judge yourself. By doing nothing you are actually achieving so much by improving your mind.
5. If you have any stray thoughts, simply remain calm and continue to focus on your breathing.

It is better to do this little and often. 10 minutes per session, once or twice per day if you can. After some practice you will be able to build this up to much longer periods of time.

Conclusion

It should quickly become apparent that your mind is improving, and you will feel calmer, happier, and more relaxed. It is also likely that you will experience improvements in other areas that I have not even mentioned in this article. For variety, you may soon wish to discover different methods of meditation. There is almost a limitless amount of different techniques to experiment with. With a little experience you can probably develop your own unique techniques, specifically tailored for yourself. Enjoy!

Jon Rhodes is a clinical hypnotherapist, musician, author, and meditator. He is owner and operator of the Meditation Den. If you want some help meditating, then please click here for details of our collection of Meditation Mp3s.

Don’t Forget to Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter!


Related Articles:

How To Be Happy At Work:Employee Motivation
How To Increase Your Will Power

  • http://dreamlandmachine.com/ Jonathan

    Hi Jon, thanks for sharing!

    What I always wonder is: Isn’t counting or focusing on your breathing just the first step of meditation that helps you concentrate? Is there a point where you’d say you should stop with focussing and become aware of the moment? Or is that another kind of meditation altogether?

    The reason I ask is that to me meditation (as far as I understand it as a beginner) isn’t meant to relax but rather about raising my awareness. At least that’s what the site I’m currently reading suggests: http://www.meditationiseasy.com/mCorner/what_is_not_meditation.htm
    Would you say that the author is mistaken by saying that meditation is neither about relaxation nor about concentration? And what would you say meditation is all about then? Thanks in advance!

  • http://www.meditationden.com/ Jon Rhodes

    Hi Jonathon,

    There is no right or wrong with meditation, and there are many different methods that can be employed to achieve a meditative state. You may repeat mantras, focus on an object, heart beat, breathing etc.

    If you can, then yes you could stop counting your breathing if you have the skills to retain your meditative state. Very experienced practitioners can quickly slip into a meditative state without using such techniques. However most people need to use them in order block out intruding thoughts. So this very much depends on your ability level, which can be improved over time.

    I would agree that meditation is not necessarily about relaxation or concentration, but having either or both present does not mean that it isn’t meditation either. You can meditate whilst jogging or sitting still and relaxed in a chair.

    There is no universal definition of meditation. I would say that meditation is about training your mind and changing its consciousness in order to bring benefits. Stillness of mind is a state I usually aim to achieve.

    Don’t get too bogged down with what meditation is as this can lead you to questioning yourself whilst practicing, which is very likely to distract your efforts. Just go for it and enjoy!

  • http://www.Mazzastick.com Justin | Mazzastick

    Hi Jon,
    I think meditation got a bad “rap’ in the seventies but the perception and value of it has changed. Professional, athletes, and even “ordinary” folk have begun daily meditation rituals.

    Meditation really does work at reducing stress, improving sleep, and keeping us sane. The question is will we be disciplined enough to do it for the long-run.

  • http://www.meditationden.com/ Jon Rhodes

    You’re absolutely right Justin. Meditation can be simple yet still effective. Just 10 minutes per day can make a great difference. It’s not that much of a commitment when considering the gains, but people do seem to quite often ‘fall out of the loop’ and stop, even though they know they benefit from it. I find it is best to put aside a specific time of the day and give it the priority and importance it deserves.

  • http://www.balancedworklife.com/blog Bryce Christiansen

    Don’t hate, meditate.

  • http://www.21tiger.com/ebooks Michael A. Robson

    It should almost ALMOST feel like you’re about to fall asleep, that’s ok, just practice breathing deeper and deeper.. your mind will wander, and play, and that’s cool too.By focusing on counting breath you can very quickly achieve intensely deep states of concentration, which transcends thought, it’s feeling.

    I once heard a great line from a Yogi master (i think): he said to count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10, then back down to 1, then up to 9, then down to 2, and so on. If your mind wanders you’ll lose your place, and direction, and start all over again. If you stay on track, and remember your place, you’ll be in a very deep state.

    I first started meditating in college, when I would get a little jittery/nervous before a big night (social anxiety) or big presentation. This is so empowering I made it a part of my daily routine.

  • http://gmail.com hitanjan

    can i meditate in laying down?

  • http://www.meditationden.com/ Jon Rhodes

    Yes you can meditate laying down.

  • http://actionmaxims.com Allan Gregoire

    It’s true that you can meditate anywhere. If you’re involved in physical training of any sort, you enter that state of meditation when you are “in the zone”. By far the best time to meditate is when witnessing the beauty of nature. Connect within….

  • http://www.meditationden.com/ Jon Rhodes

    That’s right Allan. Many long distant runners meditate whilst running. You can be in a meditative state when playing competitive sports, walking in the park etc. You can be really open minded about your meditation experience, and try many different things. I say do whatever works for you, and don’t worry too much about what so called gurus or experts tell you.

  • http://www.selfdefenselessons.co Allan

    I’ve been meditating for the last year for 20minutes a day. It’s unbelievable how much positive effect it has had on me.

    Helped my stress levels and also being able to enjoy the present much more.

  • Pingback: Linkswitch #71, Email Newsletters, Pen and Paper, Benefits Of Meditation

  • Pingback: Linkswitch #71, Email Newsletters, Pen and Paper, Benefits Of Meditation | oDesk Guide

  • http://www.meditationden.com/ Jon Rhodes

    Yes you can achieve so much with 20 minutes per day. You do need some self discipline to keep this up, so well done Allan!

  • http://www.clintcora.com Clint Cora

    I have tried numerous ways to meditate as part of my martial arts training and the most effective way for me is to be in a lying position rather than sitting. The only danger to this is that one might fall asleep but if you focus on breathing and what we refer to as our chi, you will be okay.

  • http://7des7iny.wordpress.com 7des7iny

    Hi Jon,

    Thanks for the meditation advices. This part is really good “It is better to do this little and often. 10 minutes per session, once or twice per day if you can. After some practice you will be able to build this up to much longer periods of time.”

    The fact is that we tend to get distracted easily and lose our focus. This could be due to how modern life conditions us. So, meditating at a shorter time but higher frequency each day is actually more suitable for most of us.

    Meditation is actually so important. Thanks for sharing the methods again. Hope one day I can write something as informative as you did on meditation :)

  • Pingback: | my name is not matt

  • Pingback: 3 Steps to Mastering Empathy | PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement

  • Pingback: Best Self Improvement Blog