Generally, people experience life in permanent connection with everything that is outside them. We allow the circumstances, situations, experiences, and people around us to impact us and influence our belief system which, as we have discussed in previous articles, refers to the filter with which we interpret reality.
Meditation is the tool that gives us the opportunity to connect with our interior and, being there, we can really understand who we are and the unlimited power we have to transform and create the reality and fullness that we want in our lives; regardless of the circumstances that we experience and the opinions of the people around us.
Meditating is an ancient practice, whose origin is attributed to India and that all of us should incorporate into our daily routine. It is about training our mind, reaching a certain state of consciousness and promoting relaxation, fixing our attention on the present, and avoiding judgments or thoughts that distract us.
The psychologist Juan Armando Corbín, from the University of Buenos Aires, tells us about the various types of meditation and techniques, among which he highlights:
Sound meditation is based on the use of mantras.
The transcendental also uses mantras but are different from those of sound meditation.
Zazen, known as zen, is of Japanese Buddhist origin, which is performed sitting down and in which there is a deep concentration of posture and breathing.
Tonglen, which allows you to connect with suffering.
Metta, or benevolent love, is of Tibetan Buddhist origin and that helps increase empathy, compassion, positivity, etc.
Vipassana, of Buddhist origin, which is used in the West through Mindfulness and is currently very popular, is a form of meditation that allows full awareness of the here and now and aims for people to learn to live reality as it is. is, detaching it from any kind of emotion or personal judgment. It is used to treat anxiety, depression, pain, cancer, and hypertension, as well as in educational, sports, and business settings.
Everyone can choose the type of meditation they prefer; The important thing is to understand that developing this habit, in addition to being economical, will bring many advantages: increasing our well-being, effectiveness, and quality of life.
In recent years, exciting scientific studies have been conducted on meditation revealing its myriad benefits. I share some of the ones that I found most interesting:
A study by medical professors Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin and Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts showed that after eight weeks of meditation, activity increased in the left side of the brain, which is associated with positive emotions.
Dr. Herbert Benson, the founder of the Mind-Body Institute at Harvard University, reported that meditation generates a relaxation response that positively impacts metabolism, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and brain chemistry.
Other Harvard studies have shown that meditation improves the physical and mental condition of people with fibromyalgia, cancer, chronic pain, and coronary artery disease.
A 2008 study by Barbara Frederickson, a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina, found that after eight weeks, people who meditate experience more positive emotions and feel happier.
German neuroscientist Brita Hölzel revealed in a 2011 study that after eight weeks of meditation, people built brain tissue, increased gray matter in regions of the default network, and improved the motor part of the cerebellum.
Michael Mrazek, Director of Research at the Center for Mindfulness at the University of California, in 2013, discovered that those who meditate improve their memory and obtain better results in their entrance exams.
Cendri Hutcherson and her colleagues at the Department of Psychology at Stanford University, in 2008, observed that those who meditate on love and kindness establish more and better social connections.
Based on the above, meditation:
Helps combat stress that affects the immune system.
Reduces anxiety, stress, and depression.
Improves insomnia.
Improves pain.
Powers the appearance of positive thoughts and attitude.
Improves the quality of human relationships.
Provides clarity.
Improves attention and concentration.
Improve memory.
Power creativity.
Facilitates learning.
Learning to meditate is a process. If you have never done it before, it will be helpful to start with someone who teaches you or with people who practice the type of meditation of your choice and who serve as inspiration and motivation. You will be surprised at how good you will feel, the effectiveness and well-being that it will bring to your life. So why wait? I invite you to start developing this healthy habit now, to enjoy its benefits and a better quality of life.
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