Meditation and Inspiration

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-18T07:43:00.002-06:00

Meditation and Stress Relief

2012-01-18T07:42:00.000-06:00

Every time your heart beats, it sends blood filled with oxygen and nutrition through the arteries to reach your entire body. By the time you reach age 80, your heart will have done this more than three billion times. Your entire cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and blood vessels, works in harmony to send blood to every part of your body. When stress occurs, your body releases hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which causes your heart to pump faster, your arteries to constrict, and raise your blood pressure. Prolonged periods of stress can cause permanent damage to the cardiovascular system.

Researchers have suggested at least six different ways that psychological stress can kill you, all of which involve some sort of damage to the heart or arteries.[1] Cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurs when damaged arteries impact the amount of blood reaching the heart, making it so the heart itself is not getting enough blood. One common cause of CVD is stress.

The American Heart Association and other professional organizations recommend non-drug lifestyle changes as the first line of treatment for people with high blood pressure and as part of treatment for cardiovascular diseases. Transcendental Meditation (TM) has been suggested in a variety of studies to help reduce blood pressure, hypertension and other symptoms of psychological stressors.[2][3] (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-17T07:15:00.002-06:00

Prayer Versus Meditation? They’re More Alike Than We Realize

2012-01-17T07:13:00.000-06:00

You could call it a religious war of words, with the West Coast serving as one of its most intense battlegrounds.

The bid to win hearts and minds pits Buddhist meditation against Christian prayer, with meditation, especially so-called “mindfulness,” seeming to be gaining ground.

It’s been the focus of more than 60 recent scholarly studies. It’s being embraced by hundreds of psychotherapists, who increasingly offer Buddhist mindfulness to clients dealing with depression and anxiety. It’s been on the cover of Time magazine.

Even though polls show there are 10 times more Christians in the Pacific Northwest than Buddhists, the forms of meditation associated with those on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean are rising to the fore in North America.

Buddhist meditators, who tend to think of themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” claim what they do is not “religious.” That’s part of the appeal of mindfulness. Such medita-tors complain that Christian (as well as Jewish and Muslim) prayer over-emphasizes pleading with, confessing to or praising a God.

But meditation, Western Buddhists maintain, is simply a “practice.” It’s “secular,” with no traditional God, even while it may also be “spiritual.”

It turns out, however, that the gap between Buddhist meditation and Christian prayer might not be so huge. Indeed, some forms seem almost identical. (MORE)

Source: Vancouver Sun

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-15T12:57:00.002-06:00

Mindfulness Meditation Is Rediscovered

2012-01-15T12:56:00.000-06:00

Mindfulness meditation is being rediscovered as a very modern—and medical—path to personal nirvana.

In July 2008, I retired from my job as editor in chief of O, the Oprah Magazine , a move that mystified a lot of people. Editors tend not to exit willingly. They’re usually ripped out of their magazines, like pages. Their sales go south, and so do they. A media reporter wasn’t buying my “retired” line. He called to get the real story. “You can tell me,” he said. “Are you being pushed out?” The truth, I told him, was that I’d been doing Buddhist meditation for years and ached to dive into practice. My job was getting in the way of my life.

That answer didn’t explain anything to a business friend. “What is so compelling,” she asked, “that you would leave all this?”

“All this” encompassed powers and perks universally acknowledged to be worth killing yourself for. The magazine was a big hit. We were putting good ideas and good writing into the culture. We respected each other, we won awards, and we were paid well enough. I couldn’t have been happier.

And then things changed, as things do. (MORE)

Source: thedailybeast.com

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-12T08:48:00.001-06:00

ADHD Drug Shortage: Can Meditation Fill the Gap?

2012-01-12T08:46:00.000-06:00

Drugs designed to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) have been widely available for decades, but America now faces its most severe shortage of these drugs since they came on the market.

Adderall, Ritalin and similar drugs are used by an estimated 5.4 million children and 1.5 million adults who suffer from ADHD. Drug company marketing strategies are behind much of the shortages, says Gary Boggs, agent for the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.

Many who rely on these medications drive for hours to find them -- searching from one pharmacy to another.

Meanwhile, more and more health professionals are recognizing the viability of effective meditation for overcoming ADHD. As a meditation teacher, I routinely witness meditation's transformative effects on children and adults with ADHD. (MORE)

Source Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-11T08:15:00.000-06:00

Americans Are Stressed, But We're Getting Used To It

2012-01-11T08:13:00.000-06:00

Americans' stress is down for the first time in five years and at its lowest point since 2007, finds an audit of self-reported stress to be released today.

The USA's average stress level in 2011 was 5.2 on a 10-point scale, down from 6.2 in 2007, says the survey, by the American Psychological Association. But that doesn't mean we're not feeling stressed — 39% of those surveyed say their stress rose last year; 17% say it dropped and 44% say it stayed the same.

So why the decrease? The economic climate has improved little and stressors remain the same as in past years: Money was cited as a concern by 75% of respondents; two-thirds cited work stress and more than half say they struggle with relationships or health problems. (MORE)

Source: USA Today

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-05T07:46:00.003-06:00

Meditation: One Breath at a Time

2012-01-05T07:46:00.000-06:00

One writer found meditation finally led her to contented sobriety. Many believe that the two are profoundly linked.

For years after I quit drinking, I dreaded coming home to my empty apartment. Without the company of a bottle of wine, I faced loneliness, restlessness and uncertainty. My impulse to anesthetize myself, to drink to avoid my feelings, stayed strong and troubling.

Many turn to the 12 Steps to help them cope. Instead, like a lot of “dry” alcoholics, I repressed my cravings through shopping, eating, exercising, sleeping and dating jerks. This got me through hard times in much the same way drinking had. (MORE)

Source: thefix.com

Daily Inspiration

2012-01-02T09:44:00.003-06:00

Mindfulness Meditation Is Rediscovered

2012-01-02T09:44:00.000-06:00

Mindfulness meditation is being rediscovered as a very modern—and medical—path to personal nirvana.

In July 2008, I retired from my job as editor in chief of O, the Oprah Magazine , a move that mystified a lot of people. Editors tend not to exit willingly. They’re usually ripped out of their magazines, like pages. Their sales go south, and so do they. A media reporter wasn’t buying my “retired” line. He called to get the real story. “You can tell me,” he said. “Are you being pushed out?” The truth, I told him, was that I’d been doing Buddhist meditation for years and ached to dive into practice. My job was getting in the way of my life.

That answer didn’t explain anything to a business friend. “What is so compelling,” she asked, “that you would leave all this?”

“All this” encompassed powers and perks universally acknowledged to be worth killing yourself for. The magazine was a big hit. We were putting good ideas and good writing into the culture. We respected each other, we won awards, and we were paid well enough. I couldn’t have been happier. (MORE)

Source: The Daily Beast

Daily Inspiration

2011-12-30T12:35:00.000-06:00

How Mindfulness Meditation Can Help People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

2011-12-30T12:34:00.000-06:00

Research has shown that the benefits of mindfulness meditation are far-reaching, from minimizing pain sensitivity to helping us regulate our emotions. The newest study suggests it could also have benefits specifically for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

The small study, conducted by researchers from Oslo's Diakonhjemmet Hospital, shows that people who partake in mindfulness exercises had less fatigue and lower levels of stress than people who just receive standard treatment for the condition.

The research was published in the journal Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, and included 73 people with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis between ages 20 and 70. Half of the people were chosen to do mindfulness exercises that were done in 10 group sessions for 15 weeks, as well as one more session six months after the 10 sessions were completed. The other half of the people were just given regular care for the condition, as well as a CD that taught them how to do mindfulness exercises. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-12-18T20:04:00.002-06:00

Meditation Takes Practice But It May Be Just What You Need

2011-12-18T20:02:00.000-06:00

That nagging pain in your neck, the back pain that won't go away, the gritty strain of being under constant stress—each can be a condition for a medical doctor to assess. But what if, thankfully, all appears well, except for your suspicion that those symptoms would go away if you could just change something about your life?

Meditation could be the answer. But it's important to understand what meditation isn't, says Heidi Ash, a St. Joseph-Benton Harbor, Michigan, stress management expert who helps guide people towards more healthy, less stress-filled lives. Meditation isn't dogma nor religion. It isn't psychotherapy. Nor is it feeling blissful all the time; "That's a misconception," Ash says. "It's being conscious of the self on a deeper level, a different way of looking deeper into how you view life and how that can affect your health." (MORE)

Source: nwitimes.com

Daily Inspiration

2011-12-14T20:33:00.000-06:00

Understanding Meditation: How Attention Changes Our Brains

2011-12-14T20:31:00.000-06:00

Meditation has become increasingly popular, and at some point we may ask, "Why are we meditating? What does it actually do? What is happening that makes a difference?" This short article can only cover a small portion of the effects seen from meditation, but is meant to highlight an important aspect of what happens. Let us first set the stage.

The brain anatomy we inherit from our parents determines the original landscape upon which our brain's "empire" will be built. We inherit individual tendencies, these are like the weather patterns, and natural resources of an area -- largely predetermined, but can be nurtured or deteriorated by our habits. The landscape-anatomy of our brain determines which skills we perform best, and which habits become automatic, but there's a twist to this story. (MORE)

Source: Washington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-12-03T17:00:00.002-06:00

Combating Depression With Meditation, Diet

2011-12-03T16:59:00.001-06:00

In his book Spontaneous Happiness, Dr. Andrew Weil writes of an 'integrative' approach to mental health, warding off mild and moderate depression with an anti-inflammatory diet, exercise and activities such as yoga and meditation, rather than antidepressants.

About one in 10 Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant drug, according to a report from the CDC, and the number of Americans taking antidepressants hIn his book Spontaneous Happiness, Dr. Andrew Weil writes of an 'integrative' approach to mental health, warding off mild and moderate depression with an anti-inflammatory diet, exercise and activities such as yoga and meditation, rather than antidepressants.as gone up over 400 percent since 1988. Why the rise? Are we more depressed than we used to be, simply more medicated or both?

That's one of the questions my next guest, Dr. Andrew Weil, addresses in his new book "Spontaneous Happiness," and instead of taking medications to treat mild or moderate depression, Dr. Weil recommends a few alternatives, like meditation, daily exercise and what he calls anti-inflammatory diet.

What is the evidence that these treatments can actually be - put you in a brighter mood? That's what we'll be talking about. Dr. Weil is going to be joining us. Our number is 1-800-989-8255, 1-800-989-TALK. You can tweet us @scifri, @-S-C-I-F-R-I, or join us on Facebook. (MORE)

Source: npr.org

Daily Inspiration

2011-12-01T06:40:00.000-06:00

Stress Kills, So Try A New Action Meditation

2011-12-01T06:38:00.000-06:00

Ask any expert, stress kills, especially when there’s no let up. Like right now as the holiday season kicks into high gear. We all want to enjoy, be happy, have fun. Unfortunately today’s stressors not only won’t let up, they’re getting worse.

That’s right: Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse with the Congressional supercommittee’s super failure to deal with America’s economic problems, this news flash from Paris: The prestigious Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is now warning world leaders: “Prepare to face the worst.”

In its latest economic outlook, the OECD warns that the European Union is also a super failure. Not only is the EU’s debt crisis metastasizing across the developed world, there’s a danger it will become a global contagion with “highly devastating outcomes.”

Get it? More stress. Lots more. And it’s not going to let up, not for Americans, not for the EU and other developed nations. Thanks to inept leaders in the U.S. and EU the entire world may soon be in a global recession … upstaging Santa, elves, reindeer and his sledge full of toys that make the kid in each of us happy. Bah humbug. (MORE)

Source: marketwatch.com

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-29T07:16:00.002-06:00

Brain Marvel: Meditation Keeps You Focused While Day-Dreaming Causes Depression

2011-11-29T07:15:00.000-06:00

As it turns out, learning to apply meditation in your life is critical to mental health. It may just be what we all need to make our lives happier, encourage higher cognitive skills, and move us to advanced states of consciousness.

“Anything you train to do, you do it better” says Judson Brewer, Yale University Psychiatrist who is conducting a study of the brains of two types of meditators: 12 experienced meditators and 12 novice meditators. During the study, he found that the brains of experienced meditators were fitter and more “on task” than inexperienced meditators.

Meditation is described as an inwardly oriented personal practice that cultivates a state of consciousness, free from distraction. It is a form of discipline for the brain that when called upon to act is capable of performing at higher levels, as well as achieving well-being.

Meditation can positively affect vital organs of the body and has been known to reduce blood pressure, pulse rate, and lower body temperature.

Interestingly, persons who are new at meditation are likely to become depressed with less control over wellness. They are more vulnerable to factors such as stress, anxiety, and a lowered immune system.

The study, led by Brewer, compared the brains of highly experienced meditators and those of novices. They found that: the “Default Mode Network” – a newly identified cluster of brain region that allows daydreams—sparked up widely in the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex of novice meditators, but remained quiet in advanced meditators.

According to Brewer, “this is brain training at work.” Meditators have more skill in guiding their wandering thoughts and bringing the brain back to specialized attention.

What this means is that individuals who meditate are able to control brain patterns and functions. A trained brain can generate increased connectivity between cognitive pathways and default mode network (the wandering side of the brain). (MORE)

Source: Technorati

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-28T09:05:00.002-06:00

Meditation Relieves IBS Severity, Randomized Study Finds

2011-11-28T09:04:00.000-06:00

Benefits of Mindfulness Therapy Extend Beyond Formal 8-Week Treatment Program

Mindfulness meditation is as much as four times more effective than group support in relieving the severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, according to research presented at the 2011 Digestive Disease Week meeting (abstract 219). Patients with IBS who participated in eight weekly meditation sessions and meditated daily at home experienced residual symptom relief three months after ending treatment.

Lucinda A. Harris, MD, who was not involved in the study, said the research confirms that modalities like mindfulness need to be integrated into a holistic approach to treating IBS, which also includes diet, exercise and sleep modification, in addition to symptom-oriented pharmacotherapy.

“In my opinion, the most significant feature of IBS is that the pain and symptoms can be all-consuming,” said Dr. Harris, associate professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn. “Mindfulness therapy provides a way to break the cycle. It’s not ‘the answer,’ but it seems like a promising adjunctive therapy that can really benefit IBS patients without side effects.”

The study’s primary investigator Susan Gaylord, PhD, director of the Program on Integrative Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, described mindfulness meditation as a behavioral technique that teaches patients to “attend to present-moment experience and nonjudgmental awareness of sensations and emotions, as well as to let go of fixations on thoughts of past and future.” A growing body of evidence shows the approach reduces symptom severity and improves the quality of life in patients with a spectrum of conditions and diseases, ranging from fibromyalgia to anxiety.
(MORE)

Source: gastroendonews.com

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-26T17:37:00.000-06:00

Meditation May Help Brain Tune Out Distractions

2011-11-26T17:36:00.000-06:00

People who meditate may be able to use their brain in ways others can't to tune out distractions and focus on the task at hand.

A new study shows that experienced meditators may have less activity in parts of the brain associated with daydreaming and distraction while meditating and in their day-to-day lives.

Researchers say this brain network, known as the "default mode network," has also been linked to anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Alzheimer's disease.

"The default mode is when you ruminate, think about yourself, or daydream," says study researcher Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, medical director of the Yale Therapeutic Neuroscience Clinic. "Everybody has it, but experienced meditators have a different type."

Brewer found that people who meditate are able to link up other parts of their brains to monitor activity in the default mode network that tell them to get back on task when distractions arise and be present in the moment.

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Experts say the results help explain the benefits of meditation on concentration and open the door to future research using meditation to treat and potentially prevent a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Meditation Modifies Brain Networks
In the study, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to analyze brain activity in 12 experienced meditators (more than 10 years of experience practicing mindfulness meditation) and 12 novice meditators. The scans were done as they practiced three different types of mindfulness meditation as well as at rest.

The results showed that experienced meditators had less activity in the default mode network, regardless of the type of meditation they practiced.

In addition, the scans showed that when the default mode network was active, other brain regions responsible for self-monitoring and thought control were also activated in experienced, but not novice meditators.

"This new default mode in meditators has these other components that are monitoring and telling you to get back on task and be present," Brewer tells WebMD. (MORE)

Source: CBS.com

Brain Imaging Illuminates Neuro Basis of Meditation

2011-11-22T16:08:00.001-06:00

Sharon Salzberg said her mind might be very different if it weren't for meditation, and new neurologic research suggests that she might be right.

Troubled by a traumatic, stressful childhood, Salzberg traveled to India as a college student and discovered meditation. Not only did it help her deal with her painful past, Salzberg said, but the practice helped change the way her mind worked.

"I hadn't really looked within," said Salzberg, a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society and author of seven books on meditation. "I felt much more presence, rather than being distracted. It felt like the whole world opened up for me."
A new study from Yale University suggests that the brains of experienced meditators like Salzberg may actually work differently than brains of those who don't meditate. The study gives scientists a window into the meditating mind, providing evidence that the practice appears to change the way the brain works and could give meditators a leg up when it comes to dealing with mental disorders. (MORE)

Source: ABC News.com

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-20T07:14:00.002-06:00

10-Minute Meditation For a More Peaceful Holiday Season

2011-11-20T07:12:00.000-06:00

This is the first article in a monthly series of 10 minute meditations to nourish your body, heart and soul. Each entry will address the physical, psychological and spiritual facets of a unique life challenge. While stressful circumstances can't always change immediately, the ways we relate to them can. No matter what your situation, there is always room for meeting your experiences with a more tranquil mind and compassionate awareness.

While these meditations are intentionally brief, they are also intentionally deep, offering the potential for tapping immediately into experiences and perspectives that sustain a meaningful life. And they are simple, so even if you have never tried meditation or contemplation before, they are easy to do anytime, anywhere. If you are a seasoned meditator, whether part of a tradition or uniquely eclectic, my hope is that these will be touchstones that connect you to your practice in day-to-day moments.(MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-09T07:42:00.001-06:00

Please Meditate: Make a Gratitude List

2011-11-09T07:41:00.002-06:00

Why does the human mind have a tendency to drift toward the negative? Why is it effortless to complain mentally, while it requires some concentration and effort to direct the mind toward gratitude? It may be a leftover survival habit acquired after enduring, for generations, the recent history of our species, which seems to be riddled with war, religious persecution and crisis. But which came first, negative mental states or the conflict-ridden state of humanity? I'm not sure, and I've not yet figured out the chicken and the egg dilemma, either.

Certainly, the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday seems to have been initiated in a moment of peaceful and tolerant co-existence between humans. Could gratitude be a way to inner peace, and perhaps worldly peace? Indeed, there seems to be evidence for that possibility. And because gratitude leads to inner peace, it can also be qualified as a type of meditation. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-07T07:17:00.002-06:00

Street Dharma: Teaching Meditation to the Homeless

2011-11-07T07:15:00.000-06:00

A few months ago, I met a man named Kiley Jon Clark who teaches meditation to the homeless in San Antonio, Texas. My curiosity piqued. I asked him to tell me more about what he calls HMP Street Dharma (HMP stands for Homeless Meditation Practitioners).

What's the purpose of meditation?

"In Tibetan, the word for meditation means, 'To become familiar.' We are trying to become familiar with ourselves -- with how our minds work. It all starts with being here, in the present moment.

It can be very unsettling when you realize just how frantic your mind really is. Just try it. Stop, sit down, stay in the present moment and think of nothing but your own breathing. You may find, like Buddhist elders have said, that the mind is like a crazy monkey swinging from thought to thought and from past to future. Our brains do not know how to relax."

But how can the homeless meditate if they are in a critical situation like homelessness?

"Our main aim of working with the homeless is just being with them. It is about everyday interactions. And those who ask for meditation instruction will gladly get it.

"Like most of us, the homeless have been listening to the same negative thoughts in their heads for years. 'I'm so stupid.' 'I'm such a mess.' 'I can't do this anymore.' 'I wish I were dead.' Everyone has this negative mental chatter going on all the time and we don't even recognize it. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-06T07:23:00.002-06:00

Naomie Harris Doing Yoga For Next Bond Film

2011-11-06T07:22:00.001-06:00

Naomie Harris, who will play Miss Moneypenny in the latest Bond Film, has revealed that she is doing yoga, practising stunt driving and firing machine guns for the film.

The 35-year-old will be the first black actress to play the role.

Harris was announced for the franchise’s latest film ‘Skyfall’ just after the new Bond girl Berenice Marlohe was revealed.

The actress confirmed that she would play Eve, a field agent, at a London press conference for the film.

“I’ve been doing yoga three times a week, stunt driving and firing machine guns – which I discovered I had a real taste for. I’m raring to go!” People Magazine quoted Harris as saying.

The upcoming movie is the James Bond franchise’s 23rd instalment.

Source: Zee News

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-05T11:39:00.001-05:00

Christian Meditation Leader Says Practice Is Spreading Across Protestant, Secular World

2011-11-05T11:37:00.000-05:00

There was a time, the Rev. Laurence Freeman says, when meditation was taboo in much of Christianity.

“Protestants thought it was too Catholic, and Catholics thought it was too Protestant in that it was relying heavily on personal experience,” said Freeman, a Catholic monk who heads the World Center for Christian Meditation.

But that’s changed a lot in the past few years. His organization now has more than 2,000 groups around the world, including its U.S. headquarters in Neptune Beach and another 10 groups up and down the First Coast.

Freeman was in Jacksonville this week meeting with Christian meditation leaders from Canada to Mexico. The British priest sat down with the Times-Union to discuss the ancient Christian practice he said is sweeping across denominations and is even taking root in the secular world, Freeman said. (MORE)

Source: Jacksonville.com

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-04T13:21:00.002-05:00

Managing Stress Through Meditation

2011-11-04T13:20:00.000-05:00

There's usually a point in time throughout semesters where everything piles up. The homework, work, and projects all become too much to handle all at once. There are simple steps one can take to ensure that all of this gets done while maintaining positive energy and a lower stress level. Stress Management and Meditation workshops are held in Plymouth State University's Counseling Center lead by Regina Kelly PhD, APRN. These workshops are held in both the fall and spring semesters and include a full curriculum for a six-week period in learning how to manage one's stress via meditation. The classes are held in a homely environment of soothing music and burning incense.

To start the session, Kelly introduced herself as well as those weeks' new comers to get all attendees acquainted and comfortable. Handouts and activities are used to express individual's stressors and thought process to better comprehend how one deals with a stressful situation. (MORE)

Source: theclockonline.com

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-03T08:34:00.002-05:00

Why Mindfulness Meditation Makes Us Healthier

2011-11-03T08:32:00.000-05:00

Previous research on mindfulness meditation has shown that it aids in lowering blood pressure, improves immune system and brain function and minimizes pain sensitivity. A new review of past literature on mindfulness now breaks down what exactly it is about the practice that seems to have these beneficial effects.

Researchers defined mindfulness as "the nonjudgmental awareness of experiences in the present moment" in the Perspectives on Psychological Science study. They identified the four acting components of mindfulness meditation: regulation of attention, body awareness, self-awareness and regulation of emotion.

Each of these elements helps us in different aspects of our lives, according to the study. For example, regulation of attention may help us be extra-aware of our bodily state. And by being aware of our bodies, we are able to recognize the emotions we are currently experiencing, researchers said.

The findings "unveil the conceptual and mechanistic complexity of mindfulness, providing the 'big picture' by arranging many findings like the pieces of a mosaic," study researcher Britta Holzel, of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, said in a statement.

Previous research from Holzel has shown that mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of the brain, especially in the brain regions responsible for sense of self, stress, memory and empathy. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-01T11:26:00.002-05:00

Meditation Improves Quality Of Life

2011-11-01T11:25:00.000-05:00

Mindfulness meditation, which is an essential part of Buddhist and Indian Yoga traditions, is now entering mainstream due to its effectiveness in combating stress and improving quality of life.

According to the research conducted by Britta Holzel, mindfulness meditation can have benefits for health and performance, including improved immune function, reduced blood pressure, and enhanced cognitive function.

By using a framework approach to understand the mechanisms of mindfulness, Holzel and her co-authors point out that what we think of as mindfulness is a multi-faceted mental practice that encompasses several mechanisms rather than being a single skill.

The authors of the study specifically identify four key components of mindfulness that may account for its effects: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and sense of self.

Together, these components help in attending to and dealing with the mental and physiological effects of stress in ways that are non-judgmental.

Holzel says that although these components are theoretically distinct, they are closely intertwined and understanding the relationships between these components, and the brain mechanisms that underlie them, will allow clinicians to better tailor mindfulness interventions for their patients.

The study has been published in the latest issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science.

Source: Times of India

Daily Inspiration

2011-10-27T08:51:00.002-05:00

Depressed? How to 'Just Cheer Up!'

2011-10-27T08:50:00.002-05:00

This morning I woke up with a feeling of depression. This is not unusual for me. Perhaps you can relate. I have struggled with depression for my entire life since I was a child. I really don't know why and I sort of don't really care why anymore. Nonetheless, I have had to find a way to work with it because it has bordered on being debilitating at many different points in my life.

The feeling I woke up with was very familiar: A sense of heaviness throughout my body and a sense of being held down by unseen hands pressing on crown, chest and belly. A style of mental activity that no matter where I looked in my life: my work, my relationship, bank account, home, body, the future -- it all looked bleak. Very bleak. When this happens I become anxious and want to dispel this matrix immediately. To do so, I dive into stories about how it got to be this way and how it is all my fault. True stories, I might add. I missed this opportunity. I made that wrong choice. My abilities are limited. Yes, true -- on one hand. And utterly useless on the other.

Fortunately, I am old enough and practiced enough to recognize (at some point... ) that my mind is playing a very unpleasant trick on me. Trying to nail the "story" of my depression does not change my mood. I catch myself. At this point, a number of options are possible. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-10-25T09:27:00.002-05:00

What Does Meditation Mean to You?

2011-10-25T09:26:00.002-05:00

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
-- Lao Tzu

At a time of economic downturn, with corruption on the rise and countries at war, we wondered what could bring greater awareness, kindness and compassion to a world in so much chaos? Could something as subtle and understated as meditation possibly have any affect on business, the environment, conflict or even politics? Can meditation make a big enough change in consciousness to transform the way we see ourselves, each other and our world?

We have both been immersed in meditation since we were young. It is the foundation of our lives and often makes us wonder what life would be like without it when we look around and see the massive confusion and suffering that many people experience. So, for our book, "Be The Change, How Meditation Can Transform You and The World," we wanted to paint a more varied picture by including many of the cool people who do it, how it affects them and why you should do it too! (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

Daily Inspiration

2011-10-24T08:56:00.002-05:00

Pain Is No Matter for the Meditative Mind

2011-10-24T08:55:00.000-05:00

Remove your opinion about that which appears to give you pain and you stand painless.
— Marcus Aurelius

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
— Dalai Lama

The insight of Marcus Aurelius and the Dalai Lama about the nature of pain alludes to the practical knowledge that physical pain can be managed effectively through proper training and mental discipline, neatly summarized by the popular phrase “mind over matter.”

In the West, the notion of “mind over matter” has been circulating for centuries (at least since Aurelius and previous Stoic philosophers), yet it has been relatively recently that a technique that puts this insight into practice became the subject of serious scientific examination, namely mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation achieves this effect by cultivating a sense of equanimity through objective observation of the internal processes of the body. Over the past decade, the science of mindfulness meditation has revealed a wide range of cognitive and emotional benefits conferred on practitioners including enhanced attention, lower pain sensitivity, and reduced emotional reactivity. The evidence for these benefits has also been supported by brain imaging studies in long-term meditators showing that change occurs at the physiological level. (MORE)

Source: Brain Blogger

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2011-10-19T10:02:00.002-05:00

Meditation Techniques to Curb Stomach Pain

2011-10-19T09:58:00.001-05:00

Stress and anxiety may often cause pain in your stomach, according to reports.

Here are a few suggested meditation techniques, that may relieve any pain that lasts more than a day or so.

Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing.

Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.

Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment.

Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.

Tai chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.

Transcendental meditation. You use a mantra, such as a word, sound or phrase repeatedly silently, to narrow your conscious awareness and eliminate all thoughts from your mind.

Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind.

There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques that have meditation components that don't result in people having to resort to a number of costly methods to fight stress and anxiety.

Source: International Business Times

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2011-10-16T08:08:00.001-05:00

HBO's 'Enlightened' Take On Modern Meditation

2011-10-16T08:05:00.000-05:00

Can people really change? That's the question Laura Dern and Mike White ask in their new HBO series, Enlightened, which premieres Monday night. The show features Dern as Amy Jellicoe, an ambitious executive who has a nervous breakdown at her workplace. She goes to a rehabilitation center in Hawaii, where she experiences an awakening.

When Amy returns home, she wants to put her new philosophy into practice — meditating, communicating better with her mother (Diane Ladd), and fostering a healthier relationship with her ex-husband (Luke Wilson). But she finds her lessons of enlightenment being put to the test.

Show creator Mike White wrote the series and also directed some of the episodes. White and Dern join Fresh Air's Terry Gross for a conversation about Enlightened. (MORE)

Source: NPR.com

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2011-10-14T07:28:00.002-05:00

Meditation More Powerful Than Morphine to Relieve Pain

2011-10-14T07:27:00.000-05:00

New research published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows meditation produces powerful pain-relieving effects in the brain, according to a report by Sciencedaily.com. In fact, meditation proved to be more helpful in pain reduction than morphine.

“This is the first study to show that only a little over an hour of meditation training can dramatically reduce both the experience of pain and pain-related brain activation,” Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D., lead author of the study and post-doctoral research fellow at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center said in the report “We found a big effect – about a 40 percent reduction in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness. Meditation produced a greater reduction in pain than even morphine or other pain-relieving drugs, which typically reduce pain ratings by about 25 percent.” (MORE)

Source: Elevated Existence

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2011-10-13T08:06:00.002-05:00

Healing Retreat Draws Medical Doctors, Cancer Patients and Students From Across the Country

2011-10-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

Isaac Eliaz, M.D. L.A.c, M.S., leads a meditation, transformation, and healing retreat in Sonoma County, California at EarthRise at IONS Retreat Center. The event draws people from across the country, including medical doctors, acupuncturists, cancer patients, counselors, students of integrative medicine, and those interested in learning more about meditation and healing. The retreat offers a rare, in depth opportunity to learn and experience Dr. Eliaz's profound techniques for deepening the mind-body connection and facilitating long lasting regeneration and healing.

The Healing Powers of Heart and Mind

Retreat attendee, Tana Madrigal says, "This has been the most inspiring healing retreat I have ever attended." During the retreat Dr. Eliaz creates an environment where a profound sense of intimacy and safety is felt. This enables each person to go deeply into their own healing process as well as experience deep compassion for the suffering of others. The sense of trust, deep relaxation and hope is foremost. "I was touched at how much emotion and healing came through in each individual. The meditation sessions and chance for self reflection gave everyone who participated the opportunity to open their hearts and minds to true healing," says Dr. Eliaz. (MORE)

Source: Wall Street Journal

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2011-10-11T20:51:00.002-05:00

John Lennon's Letter To A Fan About Transcendental Meditation Goes Up For Auction

2011-10-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

A 1967 letter John Lennon wrote to a fan who asked him about transcendental meditation is going under the virtual hammer.

Nate D. Sanders Auctions of Santa Monica, an online auction house, says the handwritten letter is expected to fetch up to $30,000 (£19,000). Bidding closes October. 11.

In the letter, Lennon tells Jean Harrison she is "searching for something (truth) the same as everyone else."

He says the Beatles were lucky to have met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, but that other teachers could instruct her. And he gives her the address of a school in London.

Last month, Sanders sold a contract for a Beatles concert for more than $23,000. The pact, for a 1965 concert in San Francisco, stated the group would not perform for a segregated audience.

Source: The Telegraph

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2011-10-10T08:31:00.002-05:00

Mindfulness Can Give Your Brain an Edge

2011-10-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

When we practice mindfulness meditation, one of the first things we notice is how un-mindful we are. It is like going back to the gym and realizing how out of shape we have become. It can actually be a little irritating. We might think, "I don't know about this meditation thing" because at first we mostly notice how out of sync we are.

Some people get frustrated right away, but this is actually a great place to start -- just like going to the gym with our little pot belly and oxygen-deprived body is also a great place to start. We just have to be patient, kind to ourselves and willing to try.

To practice mindfulness properly, we have to cut through a kind of daydream quality in our mind. Often we are engaging in some activity -- riding the subway, driving a car, having a business meeting -- but our mind is somewhere else, lost in a daydream. If you look at people sitting on a bus or a train you can see this quality in their eyes. Whether we're having a pleasant or unpleasant daydream, we are cutting through all of that with mindfulness practice. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

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2011-10-09T10:36:00.000-05:00

How He Transformed The Beatles

2011-10-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

Martin Scorsese's stunning documentary, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," will air on HBO Oct. 5-6. Among the locations selected for preview, Scorsese and Olivia Harrison chose a small Iowa town whose theatre audience was comprised of 500 meditators. Why?

The exclusive screening -- held Sunday evening in Fairfield, Iowa -- was a gift supporting the David Lynch Foundation's initiatives to teach Transcendental Meditation to veterans, inner-city school kids, homeless people, prisoners, Native Americans and other at-risk populations.

Fairfield is known as a middle-America oasis of progressive thought, entrepreneurship and sustainability -- dubbed "Silicon Valley of the Corn Belt" for its concentration of high tech businesses. The town boasts a community of over 2,000 meditators, and is home of the university founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who taught meditation to The Beatles. (MORE)

Source: AOL News

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2011-10-06T07:06:00.000-05:00

Meditation Room In Student Union To Provide Space For Thought, Prayer

2011-10-06T07:04:00.000-05:00

Student demands for a designated space for meditation and reflection were answered Monday when the Tilden room in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union reopened as the temporary meditation space on campus.

The room — which was previously used for commercial space — will serve as the location for meditation space on campus until a permanent location is established in the renovated Lower Sproul Plaza.

Though the Tilden room was originally built as a chapel, about five years ago the ASUC Auxiliary began to rent the room out to groups for commercial purposes, said Tom Spivey, associate director of the ASUC Auxiliary.

However, after the Auxiliary received complaints about Muslim students using the fourth floor of the student union building for prayer, the campus Muslim Students Association and other student groups led a campaign for a temporary meditation space on campus. (MORE)

Source: The Daily Californian

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2011-10-05T06:54:00.002-05:00

If Stressed, Try Meditating: Psychiatrist

2011-10-05T06:53:00.000-05:00

If you’re stressed, meditate, says a world-renowned psychiatrist.

“Your nervous system is constantly being assaulted all day long -- stresses from within, from other people, obstacles occur. When you meditate regularly, you don’t get bent out of shape so easily,” says Dr. Norman Rosenthal, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical.

"Often times when we snap at people, we’re under stress,” he says.

This can be especially true for those living in large cities like New York City.

“Getting to work, getting to the bus, the deadlines that you have to make, and the hours that you have to work – these are constant stresses stressing us and if we don’t have a quiet place to go and a special technique that enables us to settle down our bodies and our minds, then we don’t have protection against the frequent batterings to our nervous system – that have consequences,” Rosenthal says. (MORE)

Source: NBC New York

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2011-10-04T06:45:00.002-05:00

Goldie Hawn Talks Children and Meditation

2011-10-04T06:44:00.000-05:00

Goldie Hawn recently appeared on ABC’s “Nightline” to speak about The Hawn Foundation, which develops programs to help children thrive and find happiness. One of its programs is called MindUp, which is helping kinds with mindfulness meditation, or what Hawn calls “brain breaks.”

“It’s not anything magical. It’s all biological and neurological,” Hawn told “Nightline” anchor Cynthia McFadden. “So let’s just take a breath and take a break. Teachers need it. Kids need it.”

Hawn, who meditates herself, also spoke about her new book, “10 Mindful Minutes,” which is meant to help parents and teachers work with their children. The MindUp program, which is now being used in hundreds of schools in the United Kingdom and United States, suggests children should have two-minute moments of self-reflection and meditation three times each day to help them calm down and focus, the ABC report stated. (MORE)

Source: Elevated Existence

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2011-10-03T08:26:00.000-05:00

Compassionate Meditation Can Help Difficult Relationships

2011-10-03T08:24:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been stung by how someone spoke to you? And then worried about getting stung again? This seems to me to be a fairly common concern within organizations, friendships and families. Perhaps you remember assertiveness training. The advice was to respectfully address the person and request to be treated differently. That may work in some situations but in my work as a psychotherapist and in my personal experience I found that there was a side effect. The offshoot often resulted in the other person walking on eggshells. That may feel more protective, but also more strained.

I found that meditation can be just as effective in curtailing the offensive behavior and without the negative side effects. Years ago an acquaintance in a volunteer organization in which I served always spoke to me in condescending tones. I couldn’t understand the basis for this. We were the same age, there was no power differential in our relationship. Every time I considered bringing this to her attention, I ended up feeling it would make things worse. (MORE)

Source: AnnArbor.com

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2011-09-26T11:18:00.002-05:00

The Purpose of Buddhist Meditation Is to Be Real

2011-09-26T11:17:00.000-05:00

I often say when I teach meditation, "We meditate not just to be calm, but to be real."

Meditation has become quite popular in the West, and Buddhist teachers abound, but I wonder if we have yet learned this profound lesson well enough. The Buddha himself, beginning his spiritual pilgrimage, studied with many meditation teachers. For the most part, these teachers taught a type of meditation designed to induce calm, even trance. The young Siddhartha mastered all these techniques. He was so good that some of his teachers urged him to teach with them, but he was not satisfied. He had an intuition that these meditation practices, while deep, were but a temporary respite from the primal suffering of human existence, and that once one emerged from trance the suffering was still there. He left these teachers and vowed to look deeper.

As meditation is finding its way in the West and looking for authentic cultural roots, we are bound to re-enact Siddhartha's own search, re-discover his own disappointments and illuminations. As Kalu Rinpoche, one of the young Tibetan teachers (he is in his early 20s) said recently in a public gathering, "Dharma is reality." I thought this was quite profound, especially coming from one so young. He went on to explain that most religion, including Buddhism, offers an escape from reality, rather than a transforming insight about it. But Dharma is not like that. It is about what is true and real. Buddhist meditation is ultimately a way to discover that truth. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

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2011-09-25T07:31:00.000-05:00

6 Practical Meditation Tips

2011-09-25T07:29:00.002-05:00

Meditation is the art of focusing on a single point, your quiet place within. Of the thousands of thoughts going through your mind every day, each one of them trying to grab your attention. Meditation helps you calm them down, and then you can focus on what really matters. In addition, meditation can be a reminder that all the feelings, emotions, thoughts and behaviors are originating from you and your view of life, not so much the other way around.

Research backing the many benefits of meditation is strong. Meditation can help people physically, emotionally and mentally. It is just the matter of getting it into the routine of life and practicing it until it becomes natural. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

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2011-09-24T08:26:00.000-05:00

Meditation Can Counter Neurological Diseases.

2011-09-24T08:25:00.000-05:00

Meditation, spirituality and a proper diet could be just the panacea for neurological diseases, said renowned Jaipur-based neurologist, Dr Ashok Panagariya.

Panagariya was delivering a lecture on ‘Living larger, living happier: A journey from clinical neurology to the complexities of brain and mind’ at the 19th annual conference of the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN) held at city-based Marriott Hotel and convention centre on Friday. Panagariya, who is the head of department of neurology, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, is also the president of IAN. In his interesting lecture, Panagariya explained how individuals could relax their minds and function amid stressful conditions of life to keep neurological diseases at bay.

According to the doctor, increasing stress coupled with smoking and drinking habits of people has given rise to diabetes and hypertension that in turn has given rise to neurological diseases. “However, science is probing how individuals can control their minds to become stress-free and prevent and cure diseases,” Panagariya said. (MORE)

Source: Daily News and Analysis

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2011-09-23T07:40:00.001-05:00

Om, Don't Sweat It

2011-09-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

The stormy economy and weather has me practicing more yoga than ever. And while these ancient techniques balance body and mind, perspiration is all part of the process. So what's an active yogi to do when she loves fashion?

Sweating is a healthy way to get rid of toxins -- but not when you're a yogi swathed in Lycra. Sure, the bike riding set loves this fabric and that makes perfect sense; it is uniquely aerodynamic and dries quickly.

But if you're not moving at 30 MPH then these threads defeat their own purpose, keeping you wet longer than necessary. So, au revoir, Lycra. I liked you in the '80s, when I was doing Jane Fonda workout videos and didn't know better.

Yoga teachers have their hands in some seriously sweaty places. Spotting down dog puts my entire body flush against the sweat zone, and whatever seeps out of my clients seeps all over me. I may aspire to the warrior goddess mantle, but after teaching a challenging class I run home to bathe. I like fabrics that breathe like my students do in a yoga class.

In an attempt to move toward more natural fibers and away from synthetics, I discovered Prancing Leopard, an organic and eco-conscious lifestyle brand made in Turkey. (MORE)

Source: Huffington Post

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2011-09-22T06:54:00.002-05:00

Youngsters Embrace Meditation

2011-09-22T06:51:00.003-05:00

Scores of people from Tricity got together to meditated at Maha Kriya and grand musical event- Sumeru Sandhya, organized by Art of Living Foundation, Chandigarh chapter on Wednesday at Bawa White House in the district.

The event was preceded by a mass pranayam and sudarshan kriya round, where the audience meditated together. This was followed by a musical concert by Rishi Nityapragya, who is a senior international art of living teacher and singer. Rishi highlighted three social issues to be addressed urgently in Punjab namely, female foeticide, drug de-addiction and child education.

He motivated the volunteers and listeners to contribute towards these areas and help the nation become a better place to live. Several youngsters were also spotted meditating at the event and enjoying the concert. They later pledged to work towards eradicating the problems of drug abuse among youth.

Meghna Verma, a volunteer cum student, said, "I have been attending such events for a long time now and they provide a great relief to the mind, body and soul."

One of the organizers said, "It's good to see so many people together. The best part is that youngsters are also actively participating in large numbers. Tonight, we are also featuring the best singers of Art of Living Foundation. 'Sumeru Sandhya' is a devotional concert or satsang that enthralls one's being." (MORE)

Source: Times of India

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2011-09-21T13:11:00.002-05:00

Eat, Smoke, Meditate: Why Your Brain Cares How You Cope

2011-09-21T13:09:00.000-05:00

Most people do what they have to do to get through the day. Though this may sound dire, let’s face it, it’s the human condition. Given the number of people who are depressed or anxious, it’s not surprising that big pharma is doing as well as it is. But for millennia before we turned to government-approved drugs, humans devised clever ways of coping: Taking a walk, eating psychedelic mushrooms, breathing deeply, snorting things, praying, running, smoking, and meditating are just some of the inventive ways humans have found to deal with the unhappy rovings of their minds.

But which methods actually work?

Most people would agree that a lot of our unhappiness comes from the mind’s annoying chatter, which includes obsessions, worries, drifts from this stress to that stress, and our compulsive and exhausting need to anticipate the future. Not surprisingly, the goal of most adults is to get the mind to shut up, calm down, and chill out. For this reason, we turn to our diverse array of feel-good tools (cigarettes, deep breathing, and what have you). Some are healthier and more effective than others, and researchers are finally understanding why certain methods break the cycle and others exacerbate it. (MORE)

Source: Forbes

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2011-09-20T07:10:00.002-05:00

Entrepreneurs More Likely To Turn To Prayer, Meditation

2011-09-20T07:09:00.000-05:00

Entrepreneurs behave just like most Americans when it come to religion — but with one spiritual twist.

They're significantly more likely to pray several times a day or to meditate, says sociologist Kevin Dougherty, a co-author of the Baylor Religion Survey.

The survey can't answer whether prayerful, peaceful folks are more likely to take a business risk or whether the stress of a start-up drives folks to their knees or to the lotus position, Dougherty says.

Questions on entrepreneurs were a part of the survey underwritten by Baylor's sociology department, the National Study of Religion and Entrepreneurial Behavior and the National Science Foundation.

Either way, 34% of entrepreneurs say they frequently look up to the Lord, compared with 27% of non-entrepreneurs. Nearly as many, 32%, say they look inward in meditation while just 22% non-entrepreneurs say they practice any of the eight forms of mediation, including Christian, Jewish and Buddhist variations, on the survey.

Leading the way: Christian meditation, reported by 18% of entrepreneurs. (MORE)

Source: USA Today

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2011-09-19T08:05:00.002-05:00

Indian Women Most Stressed In The World

2011-09-19T08:03:00.000-05:00

The Nielsen survey has found that Indian women are the most stressed in the world today..

A recent survey by Nielsen ratings has found alarming results. The country that gave the world, stress reduction techniques like Transcendental meditation is having the world’s most stressed out women. Yes, Indian women are the most stressed in the world.

According to the survey conducted in 21 countries and covering nearly 6500 women, 87 percent of Indian women felt stressed out all the time due to work and family related pressures while 82 percent said that they do not have time for themselves. India is considered a booming economy and naturally the women work force experiences the same challenges and opportunities as men in Indian companies and workplaces. The joint and extended family systems that are still prevalent in many families often lead to expectations at the home front too. As a result, married women between 25 to 55 years of age experience the biggest amount of work and domestic stress. According to a prominent sociologist, the reason for this is there is little or no social help and physical infrastructure like daycares, reliable domestic help etc. Many experts also feel that the rigid social structure and class society of India could be stressful not only to women but also men. (MORE)

Source: wiki peers

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2011-09-18T22:22:00.002-05:00

Meditation Creates Substantial Reduction in Health Care Costs

2011-09-18T22:21:00.000-05:00

Meditation is among the complementary health care practices, like massage, shown to have several benefits; and many massage therapists use meditation as a self-care or spiritual practice.

New research shows medical costs decreased 28 percent among high-spending health care consumers after five years of transcendental meditation practice.

The study shows people with consistently high health care costs experienced a 28-percent cumulative decrease in physician fees after an average of five years practicing the stress-reducing transcendental meditation technique compared with their baseline.

"In most populations, a small fraction of people account for the majority of health care costs," a press release noted. "In the U.S., the highest-spending 10 percent in the general population incurred 60 to 70 percent of total medical expenditures annually."

Chronic stress is the number-one factor contributing to high medical expenses, the press release added. (MORE)

Source: Massagemag.com

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2011-09-16T07:25:00.002-05:00

The Why of Meditation

2011-09-16T07:23:00.000-05:00

Be good and do good for a decent living. But for a much better living with a vision, mission and ultimate fulfillment, one must practise meditation daily. Meditation enables one to delve deeper within one’s true self and it widens the expanding horizon of consciousness. If one wants to live life with proactive fulfilment and constant ecstasy, then one must practise mediation. Once one learns the basics of mediation, it becomes easy and the more we meditate the more we would like to meditate.

The process involves awareness, affirmation, prayer, relaxation, visualisation and intuitive attunement with the core of cosmos within and outside our own self. We need to prepare our own process sheet for better adherence to the same. Let us sit down with spine erect, chest out, abdomen in and chin parallel to the ground to develop the essentials.

Awareness is the key. It is the beginning, middle and end of meditation. It can be developed by paying keen attention to the incoming and outgoing breath without any regulation or control. Observe how it is entering the whole body from crown to the toe filling them up with vitality and taking the fatigue away with outgoing breath.

In this process, we can observe our motionless body from outside, the blood circulation, heart beats and gradually expand awareness from body to mind and pure consciousness. (MORE)

Source: Hindustan Times

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2011-09-15T08:48:00.002-05:00

Say "Om" And Stay Young

2011-09-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that we YOU Docs are big fans of meditation (we do it every day). It helps with stress, sleep, blood pressure, staying young and finding calm in the middle of chaos. But even we were surprised by this: Meditating also makes your brain bigger. Yep, if you meditate regularly, you'll actually have more grey matter and keep all those smart brain signals flashing.

Just sit down and say "om." Your brain will develop stronger connections and show less atrophy. Translation: Meditating protects your brain from shrinking and slowing down. It also helps you feel less stress and cope better with nagging aches and pains.

How does om-ing do its stuff? Each deep, steady breath you take generates alpha brainwaves that let you relax and mentally move away from things that are bothering you. It decreases stress hormones and releases feel-good chemicals in your brain. That may partly explain why meditation has such positive effects on your immune system and memory. (MORE)

Source: Healthzone.ca

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2011-09-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

Meditation Can Reduce Health Care Costs

2011-09-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

Stress can contribute to a wide array of health problems, and finding ways to reduce stress could presumably impact overall health care costs as well. A new study suggests that meditation can do just that.

According to the research, people with consistently high health care costs experienced a 28 percent cumulative decrease in physician fees after an average of five years practicing the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique compared with their baseline.

The study is published in the September/October 2011 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.

Experts have recognized that in most populations, a small fraction of people account for the majority of health care costs.

In the U.S., the highest spending 10 percent in the general population incurred 60 percent to 70 percent of total medical expenditures annually.

In the Medicare population, the highest spending 5 percent incurred 43 percent of total Medicare costs, and the highest spending 25 percent of seniors accounted for 85 percent of total expenses.

Individuals in these groups have consistently high medical bills year after year. (MORE)

Source: Psych Central

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2011-09-12T16:12:00.002-05:00