Strongest Study Yet Shows Meditation Can Lower Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/11/14/mind-over-matter-strongest-study-yet-shows-meditation-can-lower-risk-of-heart-attack-and-stroke

Most doctors say meditation can’t hurt you, but now there’s reassuring evidence that it may help you as well when it comes to warding off disease.

Previous studies have linked better health outcomes among heart patients who practiced meditation compared to those who did not, but none of those trials could definitively credit the brain-focusing program with the better health results. In the latest trial to address those limitations, however, meditation does appear to have an effect on reducing heart attack, stroke and even early death from heart disease, at least among African-Americans.

MORE: Losing Focus? Studies Say Meditation May Help

“The main finding [of our research] is that, added on top of usual medical care, intervention with a mind-body technique — transcendental meditation — can have a major effect on cardiovascular events,” says Robert Schneider, lead author on the study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes and a professor at the Maharishi University of Management, an institution in Iowa that was founded by the creator of transcendental meditation.

He and his colleagues followed 201 African American men and women, who are at higher risk of heart disease than whites, but who also had addition reason to worry about heart attacks and strokes since they were also diagnosed with coronary heart disease. The participants were randomly assigned to participate in either a health education class about heart-friendly diet and exercise, or to attend a transcendental meditation program. Transcendental meditation involves shutting out the outside world and focusing thoughts inward, or resting while remaining alert. All of the participants continued to receive their normal medical care as well, including appropriate medication.

MORE: Medical Meditation: Say Om Before Surgery

After roughly five years of follow-up, the researchers found a 48% reduction in the overall risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from any cause among members of the meditation group compared to those from the health education group. The meditating group enjoyed an average drop of 4.9 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure compared to the control group and also reported less stress and less anger. “It’s like discovering a whole new class of medications,” Schneider says of the power of meditation in improving the patients’ health.

But while the magnitude of those results is remarkable, the study involved a relatively small number of participants, and did not reveal how meditation may be lowering heart disease risk. On the surface, it’s intuitively obvious that stress management can affect heart health for the better; anxiety and stress cause blood pressure to shoot up and leave us on edge, triggering spikes in heart-harming stress hormones like cortisol.

But many experts are skeptical of the alleged benefits of techniques such as transcendental meditation that claim to reduce stress by a substantial amount. In the past, these benefits have been hard to test scientifically, largely because study participants who volunteered for meditation programs may have been biased to see them succeed. Practitioners have also made strong and essentially unsubstantiated claims about the powers of meditation, leading heart experts and scientists to be especially skeptical. In fact, in 2005, more than 500 brain researchers signed a petition (albeit an unsuccessful one) to protest a scheduled lecture on the neuroscience of meditation by the Buddhist spiritual icon, the Dalai Lama, at a major conference organized by the Society for Neuroscience.

MORE: Mind Over Matter: Can Zen Meditation Help You Forget About Pain?

The great lengths to which the researchers of the Circulation study went to make their trial scientifically rigorous, however, should reinforce the results in the eyes of some skeptics. The scientists adjusted for the effects of weight, smoking behavior, and diet, all of which can influence heart attack, stroke and early heart death rates. And while the participants in both groups exercised more and cut back on alcohol during the study, they did so at similar rates, making these changes unlikely to be responsible for the differences in health outcomes either.

While the findings aren’t likely to resolve questions over whether meditation should become a standard part of heart disease care, the results should give more doctors confidence in discussing the practice with their patients and giving them some scientifically based information that’s an improvement over the advice that “it can’t hurt to try.”

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/11/14/mind-over-matter-strongest-study-yet-shows-meditation-can-lower-risk-of-heart-attack-and-stroke/#ixzz2KXYbjaBi

Τα 10 απλούστερα οφέλη του διαλογισμού

Ο διαλογισμός έχει χρησιμοποιηθεί για εκατοντάδες χρόνια που αναζητούν την εσωτερική ειρήνη, την φώτιση και ένα διάλειμμα από το στρες της καθημερινής ζωής. Ωφελεί το μυαλό, το σώμα και το πνεύμα κατά πολλούς τρόπους. Παρακάτω είναι οι 10 πιο σημαντικές θετικές επιδράσεις του διαλογισμού:

1. Θεωρείται ότι προωθεί την καρδιακή υγιεινή επιβραδύνοντας τους ρυθμούς της καρδιάς και τον ρυθμό της αναπνοής, καθώς και αυξάνουν την ροή του αίματος προς την καρδιά. Αυτή η δράση πιστεύεται ότι μειώνει την αρτηριακή πίεση, αυξάνει την ικανότητα για άσκηση και μειώνει το στρες. Όλα αυτά προάγουν την καρδιακή ευεξία.



2. Ο διαλογισμός μπορεί να βοηθήσει άτομα με χρόνιες ασθένειες να διαχειριστούν την πάθηση τους, μειώνοντας τα επίπεδα του άγχους, κάτι που είναι γνωστό ότι οδηγεί σε υγιέστερο μυαλό και σώμα.



3. Η άσκηση του μυαλού και του σώματος σε τακτική βάση μπορεί να συμβάλλει στην ενίσχυση του ανοσοποιητικού συστήματος τονώνοντας την ροή του αίματος, προκαλώντας χαλάρωση και βοηθώντας το σώμα να αποβάλει τις ελεύθερες ρίζες, οι οποίες είναι γνωστό ότι προκαλούν κυτταρικές βλάβες.



4. Πολλές μελέτες έχουν αποδείξει ότι ο διαλογισμός μειώνει την αντίδραση ενός ατόμου στον πόνο. Αυτό μπορεί να είναι ιδιαίτερα ευεργετικό για άτομα με χρόνιες ημικρανίες, ινομυαλγία ή άλλες παθήσεις στις οποίες υπάρχει έντονη δυσφορία.



5. Τα άτομα που διαλογίζονται σε τακτική βάση μπορεί να διαπιστώσουν ότι έχει βελτιωθεί ο αυτό-σεβασμός τους και έχουν μια θετικότερη άποψη για τη ζωή. Αυτό μπορεί να οφείλεται σε μια σειρά φυσιολογικών παραγόντων, όπως τα αυξημένα επίπεδα σεροτονίνης, καθώς και μια πιο συγκεκριμένη εικόνα για τον εαυτό του που απορρέει από την ενδοσκόπηση.



6. Οι άνθρωποι με φόβους και φοβίες μπορεί να ευεργετηθούν από τον διαλογισμό, δεδομένου ότι η άσκηση μυαλού-σώματος βοηθάει τα άτομα να επιλύσουν τα εσωτερικά τους προβλήματα.



7. Ο διαλογισμός έχει πολλά οφέλη για τους καριερίστες, καθώς μπορεί να αύξηση την δημιουργικότητα, να ενισχύσει την ικανότητα ενός ατόμου να συγκεντρωθεί και να βελτιώσει την μνήμη. Επιπλέον, τα αντιστρές οφέλη του έχουν βοηθήσει επιχειρηματίες να μειώσουν την ένταση στον χώρο εργασίας για πολλά χρόνια τώρα.



8. Οι άνθρωποι που διαλογίζονται μπορεί να γίνουν πιο συμπονετικά άτομα, καθώς με την ενδοσκόπηση υπάρχουν μεγάλες πιθανότητες να αυξηθεί η ενσυναίσθηση.



9. Ο διαλογισμός μπορεί να βοηθήσει τα άτομα να εμβαθύνουν την πνευματική τους σύνδεση με το υψηλότερο τους «είναι» ή απλά να αποκτήσουν μεγαλύτερη επίγνωση για την πνευματική τους πλευρά. Σήμερα, δυστυχώς, πολλοί άνθρωποι δεν βλέπουν αυτή την πτυχή του εαυτού τους.



10. Ζώντας την στιγμή, βάζοντας στην άκρη τις ανησυχίες του παρελθόντος ή του μέλλοντος, είναι γνωστό ότι βοηθάει τους ανθρώπους να επιτύχουν μια πιο ολοκληρωμένη ύπαρξη. Η συγκέντρωση στο παρόν είναι αυτό που είναι ο διαλογισμός, έτσι οι άνθρωποι των οποίων τα μυαλά είναι συνεχώς απασχολημένα με ανησυχίες μπορεί να θέλουν να κάνουν μια δοκιμή.

Διαβάστε περισσότερα http://alttherapy.blogspot.com/2012/10/10_9935.html#ixzz2Ah6qvduN

Still the Mind with Yoga

Yoga is a rich, broad, beautiful fabric that weaves through every aspect of existence: our physical bodies, our environment, our mind, intellect, ego, emotional being, our daily interactions, and our spiritual Self—our soul. Yoga connects them all through the practice of the eight limbs outlined by the yogic sage Patanjali 2000 years ago. Most yogis think of yoga in terms of the physical practice of asana. Yet even in this most physical realm, we can harness that dynamic interplay between stillness and activity where Asana becomes a magnificent expression of consciousness in motion.

We have 60,000- 80,000 thoughts a day – that’s one thought every 1.2 seconds. In fact, the thought that you have so many thoughts is probably the most profound thought that a yogi could ever have!

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali writes Yoga citta vritti narodha, meaning “yoga is the progressive quieting of the fluctuations of the mind.” Yoga means union. Therefore, yoga is meditation. And meditation is yoga. Any practice that brings about a state of present-moment awareness or a quieting of the mind is a form of meditation: that moment during running or cycling or swimming or dancing or writing or having an orgasm, or making a big sale, or riding a roller coaster, or practicing all of the eight limbs of yoga. That moment when you are totally present--in which there is no past or future, in which time has no meaning, where there is no thought, when you are totally in the zone--that moment when you are in total sync with your body, your mind, the moment, the universe. In that blink of an eye, there is only a state of pure present-moment awareness. It is this one-ness that is the true definition of yoga—pure being, pure unity.

Three out of the eight limbs of yoga are immersions into the quieting of the fluctuations of the mind. The sixth limb, Dharana (concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness) is the very first step in the process of meditating: attention. Dharana is the evolutionary expression of attention and intention – the active practice of refining one’s ability to maintain a single point of focus, such as using a dristi or practicing pranyama.

The seventh limb, Dhyana (meditation) is the second step in the process of quieting the fluctuations once attention has been mastered. Patanjali referred to dhyana this way:...

http://www.myyogaonline.com

Mandala Symbols: How To Draw The Path To Your Subconscious Gateway

Mandala drawing is a great way to get in touch with what’s going on inside you through symbols, imagery and circles.

For those not in the know, a mandala, is a geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically. But mandalas don’t have to represent only the cosmos “out there”, they can also be meaningful images of your “inner cosmos”. In other words – what’s going on inside you.

Art Therapist, Joan Kellogg, spent a lot of time building a system to understand the wisdom behind mandalas. She believed that the specific shapes or patterns people include in their mandalas usually corresponded to their overall condition emotionally, physically and spiritually at the time of the drawing.

Carl Jung put it a little simpler when he said mandalas are “a representation of the unconscious self.” In addition to making his own mandalas, he also incorporated them into his therapy as he believed they were a projection of the psyche and represented a safe place of the mind, and a movement towards growth and healing.

Therefore the solitary act of drawing a mandala can be incredibly therapeutic when you’re going through challenging circumstances or when you just want to connect with your subsconscious.

The Mandala Challenge

To see what kinds of symbols and patterns emerge, and find out what’s going on in our inner cosmos, why not make a mandala everyday for a week? This is a fun (and colorful!) way to look inside of you. Here’s all you need to do:

How To Draw A Mandala

1. Supplies
A set of colored pencils or oil pastels for drawing, paper, a ruler, and something round (a plate or compass will do) for making the circle.
2. Size
Start with a 10-inch diameter circle, but feel free to go larger if you want.
3. Experiment
If you’re using pastels, you can also experiment with black paper. This adds a totally different dimension and feel to your mandala.
4. Mood
Since this is a kind of meditative activity, you might want to create a nice mood with pleasing music and an uncluttered space.
5. Begin
Once you’ve drawn the circle, try not to over-analyze. Just select colors and draw shapes and images intuitively, based on what makes you feel good or what inspires you.

After the week, lay out all your mandalas and just sit with them for awhile. Notice which symbols and patterns tend to repeat, which ones changed or morphed over the week. Most importantly, notice what feelings or memories or thoughts those patterns inspire in you.

Do you draw mandalas to get in touch with your thoughts? Tell us what your “common design” is (if you have one) and whether it takes you into a meditative like state when you draw them. 

http://www.finerminds.com

Before You Self-Medicate, Prescribe Yourself Some Exercise

By Chris Freytag

Frenetic lifestyles can put people on edge and then they turn to quick fixes to feel better. It’s commonplace now to hear of people popping pills when they have angst, too much stress or they can’t sleep. Some people become turn to food or cigarettes when stressed, or they drink too much as a way to soothe frayed nerves.  And while I don’t want to knock medication since it sometimes is needed, I want to remind you that the ultimate prescription, the best medicine for you may be exercise. Here are a few reasons why. 

Exercise alleviates stress and boosts mental clarity. Exercise, especially an intense cardio workout, creates feel good neurotransmitters in your brain … those endorphins that make you feel relaxed and happy. Exercise fights against the stress hormone cortisol by releasing those endorphins into your bloodstream. It can help you reduce depression and anxiety while keeping you healthy. Exercise energizes the body and empowers the mind, and can make you feel like you can accomplish anything—and then you become better equipped to handle stress.

Exercise as meditation. Exercise can make you feel more optimistic and calm. When you concentrate on your body’s movements, you aren’t concentrating on the stressful parts of your day. In this sense, exercise becomes a form of meditation, in which you let go of daily stressors, focus on a single task, release tension and increase your energy. One way to take your mind and body connection even further is through yoga. Yoga is a way of linking the body and mind together in peacefulness and relaxation. Yoga reduces stress and improves strength, flexibility, coordination, circulation and posture. It uses stretching postures, breathing, and meditation techniques to calm the mind and tone the body. The varying types of yoga all incorporate breathing techniques that can make you feel better.

Exercise helps you sleep. According to Harvard Health report, one in five Americans sleeps less than six hours a night—a trend that can have serious health consequences. Sleep deprivation increases the risk for a number of chronic health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Sleep is essential to relax your muscles and repair and recharge your body and daily exercise can be your cure to get your zzzz’s. Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Exercise also fights the mental stress that’s keeping you awake at night by improving your mood and making you feel like you are in command over your body. 

Exercise prevents and protects you against disease. Exercise has a role in the treatment and prevention of more than 40 chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, obesity and hypertension. When you feel better about your health, you tend to be happier. And by improving one's health slightly, most people feel like a cloud is lifted from above their head.  Removing underlying health worries about issues such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, or blood sugar issues …can do wonders for your happiness levels.  

Before you medicate with pills, food, cigarettes or alcohol, prescribe yourself exercise. If you aren’t a believer of the power of exercise, at least give it a try as an experiment. It’s the perfect remedy for the stress that ails you. Remember, it’s not always what you are eating that’s the problem to your health; it’s what’s eating you.

About Chris Freytag 
Chris Freytag is a health and fitness expert, author and speaker. She has been teaching fitness classes and personal training for over 20 years. She is a contributing editor for Prevention Magazine; the fitness contributor for the NBC affiliate in Minneapolis; and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Council on Exercise. Chris has authored 5 books; has created dozens of fitness DVD’s; and sells her signature line of healthy kitchen and fitness products on QVC. Find out more about Chris Freytag or contact her at chrisfreytag.com, Facebook.com/ChrisFreytagpage or on Twitter@ChrisFreytag

http://www.mindbodygreen.com

A Quick Guide To Meditation.

 

A lot has been written about meditation – how to do it, it’s benefits, it’s history. Today I wanted to share with you a quick guide to mediation based on my own simple practice.

For a basic mindfulness meditat

ion here’s what to do:

1. Find a place that is quiet and still - It would be wonderful to have a “meditation room,” but, hell, I live in a 2 bedroom apartment. Frankly, quiet and still is sometimes a little difficult. If that’s the same for you, find a place that is mostly quiet and still. But you do need to be alone.

2. Sit in a comfortable, but upright, position – When I first learned how to practice, I would sit in a formal posture, and we had different props to help us do this. But now I simply sit in a chair in my bedroom. I think this is fine.

3. Set an alarm for the amount of time you want to sit – This way you don’t have to worry about when you are done.

4. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths – When you first sit down, you will probably feel harried and your breath may feel shallow. Take a few breaths where you exhale all the air you have and inhale a large breath. That will make you feel more centered.

5. Focus your attention on your breath – Just breathe normally and pay attention to your breath. Don’t worry about “clearing” your mind. You will have thoughts (and feelings) come up. Notice your thoughts and then gently bring your attention back to your breath. No judging allowed! Don’t get angry or upset with yourself for having thoughts. Just expect you will have them, but be committed to focusing your attention back on your breath when you notice them.

6. When you hear your alarm, stop – That’s it! Enjoy the peaceful feeling.

The Benefits

In my own life, I find several benefits to meditation:

1. Increased intuition – I find it easier to follow intuitive hunches. I don’t feel quite so foggy.

2. Increased ability to limit distractions in my daily life - Practicing bringing my attention back to my breath carries over to my life where I can bring my attention back to a “focal point” when there are numerous distractions.

3. Increased awareness of thoughts and feelings - Noticing the thoughts and feelings that come up during meditation makes me aware of patterns in my life.

4. Relaxation – The pleasure of silence and stillness is one that is unusual for most people. I love the feeling of simply sitting still and not doing anything.

Make it Simple for Yourself

We all have many things in our lives that compete for our attention. It can be difficult setting aside a time and place to meditate. Just make it simple on yourself.

1. Practice for a short amount of time - You don’t need an hour.

2. Just be consistent – Being consistent is very important (otherwise you’ll find yourself drifting from your practice). Pick a time limit – 5 min, 10min, maybe 20min that you can be consistent with.

3. Find a peaceful place – You may have to be a little creative. You need quiet and solitude, but little else. A chair may be helpful, although you could sit on the floor too.

Divine Evolution

Διαλογισμός

This article will first present a brief overview of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). With a basic understanding of how the ANS works, we can then consider how practise of meditation influences the ANS which can help us re-educate the mind.
Function of the ANS

The ANS controls involuntary functions of the body, operating for the most part well below the level of consciousness. It differs in these respects from the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary bodily fun

ctions, is consciously perceived, and is therefore easier to influence. The parts of the body are influenced by the ANS are cardiac muscles, smooth muscles and glandular tissues. Smooth muscles include (lungs, liver, intestines, reproductive organs etc) & Glandular tissues include hormone producing glands (thyroid, pituitary, exocrine etc)

Two divisions of the ANS

The ANS has two divisions: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is a system for short term survival. It excites the body, preparing it for action. Any signal of danger or disturbance – real or perceived, can set in motion a process known as a stress response. The SNS alerts your heart rate, blood pressure, clotting mechanism, blood sugar level, respiration and voluntary muscle contractions to prepare for action. At the same time, it signals your digestive and elimination systems, sensitivity to pain, and other systems not needed for self defence to slow down or shutdown. The effects of the SNS are immediate, widespread and long lasting.
In contrast, the PNS is a system of long term survival. It promotes rest and regeneration. This system works the salivation, lacrimation, urination, defecation and digestion. In addition this system redirects blood flow back to the core of the body. The PNS system is characteristically slower to take effect than the SNS, and its effects are less wide spread. While the two divisions activate under different circumstances, both are vital to our survival and wellbeing.

The Stress Response

The stress Response (SR), which is characterized by the sympathetic activation, occurs in three stages: an initial fight-flight response, which mobilises the body for immediate action, a slower resistance reaction and possibly a stage of exhaustion. When a stressor provokes the flight – fight response, the hypothalamus and pituitary glands send nerve impulse from the brain to SNS. The impulse redirects energy to the muscles and organs needed for immediate survival in an emergency, and away from those not needed for immediate survival. For example the digestive, reproductive and urinary systems become impaired or shut down.
The second stage, the resistance reaction is initiated by the hypothalamic hormones, and thyroid hormones. By producing increased energy and by helping the body repair damaged cells and reduce inflammation, these hormones enable the body to continue to fight the stressors after the initial response dissipates.
Most of the times, these two stages suffice to get the body through stressful situations. Sometimes they do not, and the body moves into the exhaustion stage, in which it continues to produce large amounts of stress hormones. Prolonged exposure to these hormones (particularly Cortisol) can have devastating effects. In our daily lives we encounter many internal and external stressors, and if we fail to discharge our response to stress through physical activity we may become chronically stressed. A sustained high level of Cortisol destroys healthy muscles, bones and cells and suppresses the immune system, impairs digestion, and weakens the endocrine function. The destructive effect of chronic stress puts people at greater risk of chronic disease and premature death.

While the SR is extremely useful as a survival mechanism, it is equally detrimental if invoked when not needed for survival or chronically invoked. Therefore it is vitally important that we activate the SNS only when there is real danger or need for physical activity when we can discharge its effect through appropriate action. THROUGH CONDITIONING AND REPETITIVE PRACTISE WE HAVE LEARNT TO INVOKE THE (SR) ON INAPPROPRIATE OCCASIONS. AND WITH MEDITATIVE PRACTISES AND TECHINIQUES WE CAN CONDITION AND PRACTISE TO REVERSE THIS BEHAVIOURR.

Can Meditation change our relationship to the ANS?

It is widely recognized that most of what activates the fight – flight response is in reality not a matter of life and death. When the source of stress is psychological rather than physical danger, there is the opportunity to change the habitual pattern that triggers the sympathetic nervous system. In particular, Meditative techniques offer the possibility of reducing inappropriate activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

The calming effects of savansana, yoga nidra and pranayama have been widely studied and reported the effects of those practises provide a great service to many yoga aspirants by giving them a short term “time out” from stress, and also by creating a positive physiological in the body systems ( including the nervous system). FOR EXAMPLE DEEP BREATHING ACTIVATES THE PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, POSSIBILY BECAUSE REGULAR MOVEMENT OF THE DIAPHRAM STIMULATES THE VAGUS NERVE. THESE PRACTISES CAN INDUCE THE RELAXATION RESPONSE, WHICH PROVIDES A HEALTHY RESPITE FROM CHRONIC STRESS.

While these techniques are valuable, they may only calm us temporarily. If underlying patterns in our psyches continues to trigger the fight – flight response inappropriately, we end up simply repeating the same old patterns. Such patterns are often deep, long – standing and subconscious. Unless we choose to change them and develop tools to do so, the fallback position is to repeat and reinforce the patterns making already strong tendencies ever stronger. In yoga we can practise repetition to change deeply embedded physical, psychological or emotional patterns. We can use repetition in meditation to observe and understand our behaviour patterns and then create new ones. Imagine the profound and lasting effects that could result from changing these deeper patterns that affect the way we view ourselves and the world.

The Change process.

A good way to increase our understanding of our behaviour patterns is through meditation on the patterns themselves. Cognitive reframing is a term equates to reprogramming our individual mind or energy field as a part of the process of transformation. How does this work? Through our thoughts and out actions we are continually recording certain patterns in our Mind or Energy field (Citta). We always have a choice of reinforcing old patterns and thus repeating the same behaviours or creating new patterns in the mind which actually change our behaviour. By choosing to focus the mind, we can end the distractions that cause the mind to be agitated. An agitated state of mind calls up unconscious tendencies associated with the stress response, while a focused mind evokes patterns associated with the parasympathetic, rest and regeneration response.

Each time we consciously focus the mind on ending the disturbances and distractions (aka vritti) we are reprogramming our individual mind and energy (Citta). Patanjali calls this process nirodah parinama (which mean avoiding / stoping). Hence the very definition of meditation in the patanjali sutras is citta viritti nirodha. When we do this continually, a new pattern emerges, the old pattern recedes and we experience the calm flow of transformation. Because transformation is a journey inwards, the old pattern being replaced is externalizing.

Meditation.

Meditation as we know requires focus attention in a sustained way on an object such as the breath, a word with positive connotations (such as contentment) or a mantra (Om). Patanjali in the Yoga sutras gives an example of object meditation along with expected results. By practicing meditation consistently, we become imbued with the qualities upon which we are meditating and we change. With repeated meditation, the quality grows stronger in us, until the object of meditation becomes our reality.
To experience this phenomenon, try meditating on the strength of an elephant and notice how strong you feel after even a short meditation. This idea of taking on the quality of your object of focus helps to explain why the company we keep is such a strong influence on our character.

How does this relate to the ANS? By turning our attention (through meditation, visualization, and company) to positive qualities, the positive qualities become dominant and our negative qualities become weakened or dormant. Negative reactions (fear, anger, anxiety, resentment) that trigger the SNS inappropriately are less likely to occur.

Meditation and Change in the Brain

Researchers conducted a randomized controlled study to determine the effects of an eight-week training program in mindfulness meditation on the brain. Brain electrical activity was measured in a group of 25 participants before the eight-week training, at the end of the training, and four months later. A control group of 16 non-meditators was also tested. The study reported significant increases after eight weeks in left-sided frontal activation in the brains of the meditators, as compared with the control group. The left side of the frontal cortex is associated with positive feelings such as joy, happiness, compassion, and lower levels of anxiety. After 16 weeks, the shift in brain activity remained. There was also a significant reduction in self-reported experience of anxiety among the meditators after the eight- week training, and this state of reduced anxiety persisted four months later. There was no change in anxiety level for the control group. These results (increased positive feelings and decreased negative feelings) would likely correlate with less frequent activation of the sympathetic nervous system’s stress response. This study is a good example of how the process of repetition in meditation practice can create meaningful change.

https://www.facebook.com/FuzionYogaFitness

Meditation & Sex Are Same to Your Brain

By MindBodyGreen

A new study suggests that your brain reacts the same way to meditation as it does to sex. Both dissolve our sense of self-awareness, separating ourselves from our ego.

The lead researcher, Gemma O'Brien found that people meditating and having an orgasm both experience "diminution of self-awareness" and "alterations in bodily perception."

When you meditate, the left side of your brain lights up and when you have sex, the right side of your brain lights up -- both experiences leading to a stoppage of mental chatter in your brain and helping you lose physical and mental boundaries.

You can check out more on the study at Scientific American.

So what do you think?

Who's ready to get their meditation on?!

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Διαλογισμός μετά μουσικής

Υπάρχουν είδη διαλογισμού όπου η μουσική αποτελεί αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι. Όμως, ένα από αυτά πραγματικά ξεχωρίζει. Πρόκειται για τo λεγόμενo Sound Bath, που είναι ιδιαίτερα δημοφιλές στην Αμερική και στοχεύει στον καθαρισμό των τσάκρα, τα οποία είναι τα ενεργειακά κέντρα του σώματος, επτά στον αριθμό, που επηρεάζουν άμεσα την υγεία των οργάνων με τα οποία σχετίζονται. Tο Sound Bath χρησιμοποιεί μια σειρά από ασυνήθιστα όργανα, όπως μουσικά κύπελλα του Θιβέτ, γκονγκ, κρυστάλλινα κύπελλα, καμπανάκια και φλάουτα, για την παραγωγή ήχων, που καθένας τους επιδρά και σε ένα συγκεκριμένο τσάκρα. Σύμφωνα με τους θεραπευτές, οι δονήσεις που προκαλούνται από τον ήχο βοηθούν να αποβάλουμε την αρνητική ενέργεια και να αποκτήσουμε αισιοδοξία, αρμονία και ηρεμία. Έρευνες του Πανεπιστημίου του Νέου Δελχί έχουν δείξει ότι η συγκεκριμένη πρακτική μπορεί να μειώσει τους καρδιακούς σφυγμούς, την αρτηριακή πίεση, αλλά και τις ορμόνες του στρες. Οι γκουρού του fitness έχουν βρει στο Sound Bath έναν εξαιρετικό τρόπο χαλάρωσης. Ακόμη και μετά την άσκηση μπορεί κάλλιστα να αντικαταστήσει την κλασική σάουνα ή το χαμάμ. Το πρόγραμμα διαρκεί μόλις 30΄, ενώ πολλοί θεωρούν πως πρόκειται για μια new age εκδοχή των κλασικών πρακτικών διαλογισμού. Στην Αμερική, συγκεκριμένα στην Καλιφόρνια, υπάρχει ένα κέντρο αφιερωμένο αποκλειστικά στη συγκεκριμένη μέθοδο (www.integratron.com), ενώ στην Αγγλία εφαρμόζεται από μεμονωμένους θεραπευτές.

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