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Mindfulness Meditation
Take a moment to feel where your body contacts your chair as you read this.
Feel the solidity of your body and the inhale and exhale of your breath. Just notice your thoughts and feelings in a non judgemental, open way.
Congratulations! You are practicing Mindfulness Meditation.
Tuning into the present moment by focusing the mind on the breath, emotions and bodily sensations has been shown to reduce stress, relieve depression and anxiety, and even change the structure of our brains!
A study done by Sara Lazar, PhD, of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program, showed that after only 8 weeks of Mindfulness Meditation the brain structures of the study participants showed increased grey matter density in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is an area known to be important for learning and memory and is involved in self awareness and compassion.
There was a decrease in grey matter density in the brains of the participants in the amygdala-the area of the brain which is the seat of anxiety and fear.
Additionally, the meditators self reported reductions in stress and increased happiness after the eight weeks of daily meditation.
Listening to a guided program is the best way to learn the process of meditation.
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