Meditation

Meditation

Effect of Meditation on Cortical Thickness of the Brain

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Scientific evidence suggests that meditation alters the functional and structural plasticity of the brain. In the milestone study, Sara Lazar, et al. in 2005, demonstrated that meditation increases the cortical thickness of the brain. Since then a large number of studies, mostly with varying sample sizes are conducted to identify the relationship between meditation techniques and development of cortical thickness in different brain areas. The results have been remarkably consistent. There is increasing evidence that the insula undergoes structural refinement through meditation. Meditation stops insular cortical thinning process. Insular cortical thinning occurs due to age and depression. In this article we focus on the impact of meditation on overall cortical thickness of the brain. Advancements in developmental biology, neuroscience, and medical imaging have brought us closer than ever to understand the effect of meditation on brain.

There are several meditation methods, such as Yoga, Om meditation, Zen, mindfulness, breathing awareness, and Samatha. Specially, Om chanting and meditation has several benefits. The chanting of Om improves the somatic relaxation and the meditation on the meaning of Om increase cognitive relaxation. Special cognitive relaxation of Om meditation and somatic relaxation of Om chanting improves the cortical characteristics of the brain. Moreover, the practice of Om improve immune competence, especially in older populations who often experience a loss of immune function. Om mantra stabilizes the fight-and-flight response of the amygdala. Which improves the gyrification and cerebral characteristics.

Meditation for Beginners

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Welcome to the meditation for beginners Quick-Start Series. In this first series of lessons we are going to help you learn meditation. If you already have experience with meditation this series will help you to go into deeper aspect of meditation.  Everyone has their own reasons for meditation. Some people do meditation for physical well-being. Some … Read more

Theory of Karma in Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita

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Karma is a spiritual law of Hinduism. It is equivalent to Newton’s Third Law of Physics, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In Sanskrit the word karma means “actions” or “deeds.” Good karma brings good result and bad karma brings bad result. That is the basic karma theory. Everything that you think, feel and do is recorded in the cosmic hard-drive. Hindu texts prescribed a number of activities, such as service to cow, service to wise person, service to the humanity, service for environment protection ( particularly rivers and trees), giving donation, giving foods and clothes to people, giving foods to animals, pilgrimages to holy places, taking bath at river Ganges, doing charity, and acts of devotion to God, that can reduce the effects of bad karma. Such positive actions are sometimes referred to as “good karma.” Hindu saints have developed many meditation techniques to kill or dissolve the effect of aagami Karma. In Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna said “Perform work that will give benefit of all, otherwise work causes bondage in this material world.” Meditation, fasting, caloric restriction, yoga postures, yoga breathing, om chanting, regular exercise, diet control, keeping clean environment, helping others are the normal practice for karma clearing.

Meditation and the Default Mode Network

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Default Mode Network

Default mode network are a multilayer, hierarchical network of neurons not some isolated regions of the brain. Understanding how meditation and DMN work together is central for understanding deeper levels of meditation. Here we present a basic model of DMN and its role in meditation. The DNM is active when one is engage in internal tasks such as daydreaming, envisioning the future, retrieving memories, and thinking others’ perspectives.The DNM releases unresolved tensions in our lives. The default mode network is more active for creative people. During wakeful rest, the brain consolidates recently accumulated data, memorizing the most salient information, and essentially rehearses recently learned skills, etching them into its tissue. Normally, default mode of humans appears to be that of mind-wandering. In my earlier article I have discussed about the effect of meditation on brain structure. In this article I discussed the effect of meditation on default mode network.

Sirtuins for Restoring Youthfulness and Extending Longevity

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Emerging from current research on the sirtuins there is a growing appreciation that the sirtuins are playing major roles in regulating cell proliferation, cell survival and apoptosis (programmed cell death). Sirtuins block multiple key processes in neurodegeneration. Sirtuins restore protein homeostasis by reducing accumulation of toxic proteins, improve neural plasticity by elevating transcription of genes, enhance mitochondria function by reducing oxidative stress, and suppress sustained chronic inflammation with epigenetic mechanisms. In this article we review the role sirtuin genes for restoring youthfulness and extending longevity. Telomere attrition has been shown to be accelerated by oxidative stress and inflammation. SIRT3 expression increases by exercise, fasting and caloric restriction and decreased by high-fat diet. SIRT1 genes are linked in inflammatory responses. SIRT1 can block the neuropathogenic inflammatory loops.

How to Live Longer Life to the Fullest

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The science behind long, happy and healthy life is continuously emerging. The maximum lifespan of human being is about 120 years. How to increase that? How to add more life into those years? How can we preserve our youth? What cause aging? Can human bodies become immortal? These are the most fundamental questions in biology. Aging is almost universal, but the causes of aging are complex. The rate of aging also differs from person to person. Scientific evidence suggests that proper diet, regular exercise, regular learning and calorie restriction, during middle age and beyond is enormously effective to promote health and disease free life. Through discipline life, it is possible to make the rejuvenation and extend lifespan and possible to achieve stop senescence, reverse aging or at least significantly delay it.

How to Increase Gray Matters in the Brain

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Gray matters in the brain are directly responsible for seeing and hearing, memory, executive functions, impulse control, emotions and speech. With age gray matter in the brain decreases. However, meditation, yoga, omega-3 and many other things can increase the gray matter in your brain. In this article we focus on the techniques and methods to increase the gray matter in the brain.

Impact of Meditation on Brain Structure

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Angular Gyrus

Effect of meditation on the brain structure can be broken up into two categories: short-term changes and long-term changes. In this article we focused our attention both on short term and the long term impact of meditation on brain structure. There are three types of meditation practices. The first is the Open Monitoring or Mindfulness … Read more

Anapanasati Breathing Meditation

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Anapanasati is the heart of satipatthana, the heart of all four foundations of mindfulness. Anapanasati means to feel the sensations caused by the movements of the breath in the body, as is practiced in the context of mindfulness. Anapanasati is a core meditation practice in Buddhism, as well as in many ancient Indian meditation teachings.  In order to … Read more

Bija Mantra Meditation

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Bija means seed. The term bija mantra means “one syllable seed”. These seeds do not have precise meaning. They represent divinities or cosmic powers. The best-known bīja mantra is Om. Normally, pure Bij mantras are secular in nature. Not associated with any religious belief. Bij mantras are always free from meaning and mental association. “Bija mantras” are used to expand the consciousness at various levels. Bija mantra are the best way to get out of the circle of birth and death.
Generally, bija mantra should not be mixed with any other word or name. If you mixed these seed words with other word or name, its power will be diluted. Then, it will be very difficult to get any fruitful result.