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Understanding Meditation And It’s Health Benefits

June 10, 2009 by

For centuries meditation has been a widespread practice in many cultures throughout the world, and originated in the East. The word meditation can describe any number of methods and practices, including transcendental meditation, mindful meditation, or guided meditation. Many different techniques are used, whether it’s following the breath, or focusing the attention on a particular word or object. Sometimes people use a special posture while meditating, but not always.

Meditation can be learned by anyone, doesn’t require getting special equipment, and can be done anywhere. Even after the first session, you may experience a reduction in stress. It’s been found by researchers that just 20 minutes a day is all one needs to do to reap the long-term benefits. Even meditating 10 minutes a few days a week could produce positive results.

Meditation, if practiced regularly, can improve psychological and physiological health. The brainwave pattern can be brought into the alpha state by meditation. This is the state of consciousness which encourages healing. Meditation promotes relaxation, mental clarity, psychological health, healing from different diseases, and mind/body health generally.

Scientists have found that meditation encourages the release of parts of the brain that affect the autonomic nervous system, controlling involuntary bodily functions like blood pressure and digestion. Because these functions can be inhibited by stress, the relaxation effect from meditation can definitely have a positive impact on conditions that are related to stress, like digestive problems or heart disease.

In one study that was published in Psychosomatic Medicine, there were 90 cancer patients who practiced mindful meditation for a period of seven weeks. At the end of this time, the patients in the study reported that they had much less depression, confusion, anxiety and anger. They also reported having higher energy levels and not as many heart and gastrointestinal issues.

At the Maharishi School of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, a group was studied whose members had meditated for four months. Researchers found reduced levels of cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone, and these people who had meditated reported they could better handle stress in their lives.

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While research findings are helpful, it’s not necessary to wait for science to validate all claims. Meditation has many benefits to offer and there are no negative health impacts from it.

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