Did you know that we ourselves have the power to change our minds and improve our well-being? One of the best ways to do this is through the practice of meditation. What are the benefits of meditation?
Meditating is the path we can choose to reduce the pressure, stress and concerns that address us on a daily basis. When we meditate we provide a space to restore our inner nature.
"The truth in itself can only be achieved within one through the deepest meditation and consciousness." ~ Buddha
Meditating can Change our Mind
An interesting article published in the Scientific American magazine written by Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk and cell biologist, Antoine Lutz, leader in the study of the neurobiology of meditation and Richard J. Davidson, pioneer in the study of the science of meditation, affirms that through meditation we have the power to change our mind.
This study was carried out for almost 15 years by the University of Wisconsin, in collaboration with 19 other universities, in more than 100 Buddhist monasteries. And in it brain scans were compared with tens of thousands of hours of meditation practice, obtaining very interesting conclusions. According to the results, meditating generates that:
- The levels of anxiety and depression go down.
- Activate some areas of the brain, specifically those associated with feelings of empathy, compassion and altruistic love.
- The volume of the amygdala is reduced, the region of the brain involved in the fear process.
- It has positive effects on the telomerase molecule, responsible for lengthening the DNA segments at the ends of the chromosomes; It is the enzyme that facilitates the immortality of cells in most of the carcinogenic processes.
Practice meditation. It is fundamental. Once it is enjoyed, it can no longer be abandoned, and the benefits are immediate. ~ Dalai Lama
Other benefits of meditation
But meditating not only has these benefits, but its range is very broad and its practice can help us numerous times. Here are some other benefits that we provide:
- It helps to rest and relax our mind.
- Reduces blood pressure
- Improve memory
- Improve emotional stability.
- It helps to increase personal awareness.
- Facilitates and improves the quality of sleep.
- Improves health in general.
- Relaxes muscle tension.
- Improve concentration.
- It contributes to improve the state of mind.
Amazing, right? At this point, we should question whether meditation should be a habit in our daily routine if we want a better quality of life. Perhaps we should think about starting in the practice of meditation more seriously, as we do with the incorporation of a healthy diet or exercise in our lives.
On the other hand, referring to the aforementioned benefits of meditation, the truth is that we all feel more and more the need to feel a little more altruistic and empathetic in a competitive society that often devours us, as well as more relaxed and less tense...
How can we start with meditation if we have never done it before?
Meditating is something that seems very simple, but in reality where we have to do more emphasis is on the constancy of their practice so that little by little we get what we really want. Therefore, we offer you some small guidelines to help you:
- Reading a book about meditation written by a good expert can be an important first step. We recommend The Buddhist Meditation, Ramiro Calle, teacher and writer of yoga and pioneer in introducing this discipline in Spain.
- Go to a meditation course. There are numerous free courses that include food and lodging or even others that can be one day a week. The best one for you is the one that adapts to your rhythm and needs.
- Ask for help from a friend or acquaintance who knows how to meditate. Someone who has been immersed in this practice for some time or who has experience is a good option to start getting into the wonderful world of meditation.
- Learn to meditate for ourselves. Another option is to start on our own with small simple practices. To do this, we have to choose a quiet place where no one will interrupt us, sit comfortably with the spine straight and begin to take deep breaths.
If you are a curious person, learn and choose the type of meditation that may be more in keeping with your personality: Zen meditation, Vipassana meditation or any of the other existing modalities. We encourage you to explore the different types of meditation and choose the one that goes with you the most.