Benefits of Meditation

Science of silencing the mind

Peace.jpg

Meditation is an exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation is defined as engaging in thought, reflection or contemplation. The simple description would be to focus the mind on a particular element and keep your minds focus directed toward this element. The element may be breathing, a word, a goal, a dilemma, or even a feeling. The possibilities are limitless. Exercising meditation can be performed in different positions. One can sit or lie down, walk or swim. The goal is to calm the mind and train it to focus on the one element without distraction. The study of meditation is proving to be beneficial in an array of areas. Mediation can benefit the body, mind, relationships and communication amongst individuals. Scientific studies are confirming meditation can alter our body down to the cellular level. 

Forbes magazine published an article about meditation. The article describes the impact that meditation can have on our bodies. A Harvard study demonstrates what they define as “relaxation response.” The patient listened to a health CD for 15 minutes to create meditative state of mind aka “relaxation response.” This was an eight week long study. The patients had blood draws before and after the eight week treatment. The results were phenomenal. The study proved to lower blood pressure, calm anxiety, improve sleep and increase memory. On a molecular level the study also showed to “enhance gene expression associated with energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, insulin secretion and telomere maintenance and reduced expression of gene related to inflammatory response and stress related pathways.” This simply means metabolism and energy can be influenced down to the cellular level. Insulin production can be impacted and inflammation can be reduced by simply meditating.  

Another article I read exhibits how meditation can effect an entire community. This article discusses the effects of a social experiment called the Maharishi Effect. The theory of the Maharishi Effect is that if 1% of the population meditates the entire city will be positively impacted. The logic behind the experiment is reported “that there is an underlying connection between individuals in much the same way that physics has uncovered greater unity beneath the diversity of matter and energy fields.” The more this “underlying field” is influenced the greater the impact on the community. In 1960 this experiment was practiced on a small town. One percent of the community practiced meditation and the crime rate dropped 16%. Then in 2007 the same experiment was conducted on a mass level. Researchers gathered 1% of the US population and performed the Maharishi Effect. The national average homicide rate from 2007-2010 dropped 21.2% and violent crime rate dropped 18.5%. The benefits of meditation are phenomenal and can impact the world. 

I recommend meditation, prayer, gardening, or even just deep breathing exercise as a daily practice for all my patients. 

Resources: