Meditation, Yoga, and Research Publications
Mindfulness Meditation
Life is a dance; mindfulness is witnessing that dance. — Amit Ray Mindfulness involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. The opposite of mindfulness is forgetfulness. Mindfulness is when you are truly there, … Read more
Mindfulness meditation affect the white matter as well as gray matter in the brain. Researchers observed that eight weeks of mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of the brain. To get the benefits, you just need to practice 10 to 40 minutes of mindfulness meditation a day at home or office. Mindfulness meditation is … Read more
Have you ever felt workplace spirituality movement? Workplace spirituality involves a sense of wholeness, connectedness at work, and deeper values. If you’re stressed out, worried, fearful or lonely, the impact is not only on your health but also on the performance of the company. This article is for people who need to get information, support … Read more
Meditation and oxytocin hormone are linked with positive emotions. Meditation generates oxytocin hormone and the oxytocin generates positive emotions. Emotional warmth associated with loving kindness meditation (LKM) produces the hormone, oxytocin. The most common positive emotions as joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love. What is Oxytocin? Generally, oxytocin is a hormone produced … Read more
Meditation is the most effective and easy way to alter the gene expression. The meditation techniques like mindfulness meditation, om meditation and vipassana meditation is closely related to change the gene expression. Meditation can make our gene turned “on” or turned “off”. Om meditation has several techniques that works in target specific gene expression. Genes … Read more
Transcendental experience during yoga and meditation is well known for centuries. Here we discussed the safe and scientific process of transcendental experience. We also discussed neuroscience of transcendental experience during meditation. How to achieve transcendental experience? What are the risks in transcendental experience? Is it possible to transcend the limits of the material universe and entered into the realm of infinite? What are the brain dynamics and brain network connectivity during during transcendental experience? These are the few questions that I tried to explain in this article. True transcendental experience increases gray matter in the brain. It activates the prefrontal cortex—the newest part of the human brain. It creates many new pathways in the brain. The right insular cortex in the brain is activated by true transcendental experience. The insular cortex involved in compassion. moral decision making and pain control. The cortical thickness of the brain increases. Reduces the amyagdal activity in the brain.
Blood pressure is effectively lowered by mindfulness meditation. Downward-Facing Dog Pose Standing Forward Bend Pose and Bridge Pose are the three most important yoga poses for stress reduction. Stress is not an illness itself, but it can cause serious illness. Yoga and mindfulness meditation is the easiest cure for that. Age-related stiffening of the arteries is a key contributor to high blood pressure and the propensity to develop blood clots. Yoga and mindfulness can increase the flexibility of the arteries.
Yoga stretching is an excellent exercise. It is simple and easy. It increase flexibility, improve balance and prevent falls. With all types of yoga poses, you need to engage in stretching regularly in order to get lasting benefits. Yoga stretching gives immediate release from stress. We can’t avoid all sources of stress in our lives, nor would we want to. But we can develop healthier ways of responding to them. You can practice these yoga exercises in office. Paying attention to the breathing is important during yoga stretching exercise. The mindful stretching can help you cope with the stresses in daily activities.
Yoga and mindfulness improve the blood circulation and thereby reduces the causes of hypertension, heart attack or stroke. Yoga detoxifies muscles and organs and thereby improves blood circulation. Yoga brings harmony in heart and lungs. Yoga and mindfulness pumps the immune system and balance the cardiovascular system. Scientist observed that dispositional mindfulness is positively associated with cardiovascular health. During yoga session the massaging effect on the internal organs improve blood circulation.
Mindfulness is relaxing with present moment awareness. Mindfulness is a science developed around 3,500 years back. Mindfulness was popular before Buddha, but Buddha formalized it and popularized it among common people. In modern Western society, mindfulness has been adapted for use in treatment of stress and depression, especially preventing dementia and alzheimer’s and also for assisting with emotional regulation. The seven factors of mindfulness are discussed. There are about 200 scientific articles on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation. Scientist observed that mindfulness practice reduces stress and decreases volume of grey matter in the amygdala.