background preloader

A Little Meditation Goes a Long Way

A Little Meditation Goes a Long Way
I consider myself something of a prospective meditator—meaning that a serious meditation practice is always something I’m about to start… next week. So for years, I’ve been making a mental note of new studies showing that meditation can literally change our brain structure in ways that might boost concentration, memory, and positive emotions. Jacob Wackerhausen The results seem enticing enough to make anyone drop into the full lotus position—until you read the fine print: Much of this research involves people who have meditated for thousands of hours over many years; some of it zeroes in on Olympic-level meditators who have clocked 10,000 hours or more. Pretty daunting. Well, a new study offers some hope—and makes the benefits of meditation seem within reach even for a novice like me. The researchers tracked 16 people who were participating in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, the training program developed more than 30 years ago by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/a_little_meditation_goes_a_long_way/

Related:  Brain chemicals, depression and mental health

SEX ADDS YEARS TO YOUR LIFE ... The Flashing Images above are designed to provide a "Mental Image" of what takes place when your brain's Pleasure Pathway is stimulated by activities associated with feeling good. Science now believes positive stimulation of your built in reward system can add many quality years to your life. Few activities stimulate our pleasure pathway more than Sexual Intercourse........... Science has concluded our Pleasure Pathway plays a much greater role in our lives than just the survival of the species. It is now believed this Reward System has to be sufficiently stimulated as often as daily, if we are to feel, function and perform to our maximum potential. We don't have to become "Thrill Seekers" to stimulate our Reward System.

» Decluttering as Zen Meditation Post written by Leo Babauta. Decluttering your home or workspace can often seem overwhelming, but in truth it can be as peaceful as meditation, and can be a way to practice living mindfully and in the moment. Decluttering can be your zazen, as it is often mine. MIT Student Develops $3 Cutting-Edge Healing Device, Field Tested in Haiti No one really knows why, but for an open wound, simply applying suction dramatically speeds healing times. (The theory is that the negative pressure draws bacteria out, and encourages circulation.) But for almost everyone, that treatment is out of reach--simply because the systems are expensive--rentals cost at least $100 a day and need to be recharged every six hours.

Do What Thou Wilt Is The Whole Of The Law Aleister Crowley, an early 20th century occultist, asserted that “Do what thou wilt is the whole of the law.” (Crowley 1978). Crowley’s statement is the closest maxim I have found to be representative of human ethical theory. By acting upon this maxim, each individual is forwarding the well being of all humanity. This is because through the process of competing forces the most useful for that specific set of circumstances will arise as the victorious force. How to Meditate: What you didn’t know about Empty Mind Techniques and your bliss Sow a thought and you reap an act; Sow an act and you reap a habit; Sow a habit and you reap a character; Sow a character and you reap a destiny. Empty mind meditation is one of the most popular and yet misunderstood types of meditation. I love it because it trains you to still (or control, depending on what you want) your thoughts and emotions. Why should this matter?

Brain Wave Entrainment and Hypnosis During hypnosis the brain shows a characteristic sequence of brain wave activity. This can now be artificially reproduced through the use of audio tones; a process known as brain wave entrainment. If you are in a particular state, for example, very anxious, then you will produce a unique 'signature' of brainwaves. This applies equally to other states, such as learning and the focused concentration of competitive sport. These are states that can take a long time and a lot of physical effort to attain. Audio: Meditation Guided Meditations with Malcolm Huxter Body Scan gives instructions on bringing awareness to bodily sensations. For the most part this exercise is relaxing.

Driving High on Marijuana Not an Impairment, Study Says August 17, 2010 by Aaron Turpen Despite what the nation’s “Drug Czar” Gil Kerlikowske might say and what his office might promote, it’s being proven that driving under the influence of marijuana does not make you a dangerous driver. In fact, a new study shows that it makes virtually no difference in the driving abilities of most drivers. Of course, that may not be saying much given the state of some highways in this nation, but at least the road hogs and blind spot lurkers don’t drive any worse while high. Most of the studies for stoned and drunk driving were conducted in the 1970s. Driving simulators, measurement tools, and even drug potency were different then.

The (real) secret to hot sex - Love and Sex Looking for the hot new position that will transform your sex life? The bedroom technique that will bring ultimate satisfaction? Look no further. Not that sex therapist Marty Klein is actually selling any of those things — but his new book, “Sexual Intelligence: What We Really Want From Sex and How to Get It,” offers something better: an alternative to chasing that erotic mirage. His message is antithetical to the sex advice found everywhere from self-help books to the supermarket checkout line: The secret to a fulfilling sex life is mental, not physical. It isn’t the sexiest directive, but it might actually get you somewhere.

Binaural Beat Brain Wave Experimenter's Lab Intro | Mailing lists | Downloads | FAQ | TODO Intro Welcome to the world of Binaural Beats! The theory behind binaural beats is that if you apply slightly different frequency sine waves to each ear, a beating affect is created in the brain itself, due to the brain's internal wiring. If, in the presence of these tones, you relax and let your mind go, your mind will naturally synchronize with the beat frequency. In this way it is possible to tune the frequency of your brain waves to particular frequencies that you have selected, using of the four bands: Delta: deep sleep, Theta: dreaming and intuitive stuff, Alpha: awake, focussed inside, and Beta: awake, focussed outside. Free Qigong Exercise: Easy, Step-by-Step, Free Qigong Lessons Looking for free tai chi qigong exercise? Here are a range of free lessons, with precise, detailed descriptions and easy step-by-step instructions. Qigong (a.k.a. chi kung) lessons do not have to be expensive. Although there seems to be a growing "qigong industry" where commercial classes can range in tuition prices from $20 a lesson to two or three thousand dollars per qigong workshop—there are inexpensive classes that you can take and still get many of the benefits. If you are interested in benefiting from tai chi qigong but can't afford the pricey lessons, or if you don't want to pay the heavy price of taking commercial lessons without first trying them out, try the following qigong exercises below.

Related: