The Brain on Meditation

Many have often wondered, "Are there really any benefits to meditation?", and "Can those benefits be measured and proven?" Well the answer to those questions is yes! The benefits of meditation are documented and proven to have through MRI imaging, a positive effect on the neuroactivity of the brain. During the meditative process it was shown that most parts of the brain, the frontal lobe, responsible for reasoning, personal awareness, emotions and planning, the thalmus considered the gate keeper, being relaxed, the parietal lobe, which processes sensory information about our environment, being significantly reduced in activity and the reticular formation, which puts the brain in respond mode, are all affected in a positive way by their processes be slowed to a minimum.

This relaxation in a specific part of the brain called, the medial prefrontal cortex, responsible for personal awareness has a positive effect in that it weakens the normally strong neuro pathways, to this area. This area is where the fear response is triggered and/or simply having a stronge reaction to environmental event.

Studies have found that through consistant meditation, we can reduce or weaken these normally strong nuropathways, which are reflected in the bodies fight or flight response's to external perceived threats, while at the same time strengthing the area of the brain that controls reasoning and assessment, of these same events.

This one two puch benefit of meditation allows the brain to process external events rationally, thus reducing anexiety or fear, about a perceived threat.

Our society is full of external stimuli and images are always being projected into out mind. Think about it when was the last time that you where in total silence, relaxed doing nothing but allowing your mind to drift into you!



Disclaimer: The previous information is the opinion of the author, who is not a physcian, or does he claim to be. The information presented is given by researched authors and leaders in their fields and presented here for your information.