Danny’s posted many articles on meditation in this blog. One of my favorite themes is watching scientists validating what Chinese have understood for millennia. This Mind Unleashed article combines both themes. I’m only quoting the beginning of the article. For the whole thing, you need to go to their website. And do go to their website. I’ve enjoyed almost everything I’ve read on there.
Enjoy!
David
4 Scientific Studies On How Meditation Can Affect Your Heart, Brain And Creativity
Many people have tried to sell me on the idea of meditating. Sometimes I try it, and have an incredible, refreshing experience. But usually, as I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, while I know that I’m supposed to be letting all thoughts go, more and more fly through my mind. Soon I have a laundry-list of “to-dos” in my head … and then my legs fall asleep. It’s all downhill from there.
This TED Talk, however, might actually convince me to give meditation another shot.
“We live in an incredibly busy world. Our pace of life is often frantic, our minds are always busy, and we’re always doing something,” says Andy Puddicombe at the TEDSalon London Fall 2012. “The sad fact is that we’re so distracted that we are no longer present in the world in which we live. We miss out on the things that are most important to us. The crazy thing is, people assume that’s just the way life is. But that’s not really how it has to be.”
In this talk, Puddicombe — who is as equally as turned off by incense as me — shares the fascinating story of how he become a monk, and gives a convincing argument for why it is worth it to take 10 minutes a day to refresh the mind.
“Most people assume that meditation is all about stopping thoughts, getting rid of emotions, somehow controlling the mind, but actually it’s much different than that,” says Puddicombe. “It’s more about stepping back, seeing the thought clearly — witnessing it coming and going — without judgment, but with a relaxed, focus mind.”
To see a demonstration, with juggling, watch this surprising talk. And after the jump, four recent scientific studies that bear out that there might actually be something to this meditation thing.
Follow this link to continue reading: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/06/4-scientific-studies-meditation-can-affect-heart-brain-creativity.html