How Does Meditation Help?
~An Introduction to the Science of Meditation~
By Anna Caldwell
Did you know that the effects of meditation can be measured in the size, density and activity within our brains? Amazing, right?
Studies are now showing the profound ways in which meditation can cause our amygdala, which you may know as our “fight or flight” center, to shrink in size as we increasingly switch over into our “rest and digest” Parasympathetic Nervous System. This part of our brain is considered one of the more primal components, as its primary function is to regulate our body’s response to stress. Meditation allows us to switch form survival-based thinking by decreasing our emotional reactivity to the world around us.
As the amygdala shrinks, other portions of our brain dedicated to higher functioning are allowed to flourish, such as decision-making, concentration and intuitive awareness. As we meditate, our prefrontal cortex thickens and stimulates our brains ability to access more subtle realms of consciousness.
Some of the many benefits of incorporating a daily meditation practice into your life:
- Better health
- Better sleep
- More energy
- Less need for artificial forms of energy
- Increased creativity
- Increased productivity and clear thinking
As your meditation practice grows, you may notice that you have more energy regardless of the amount of sleep you get, or you may even need less sleep overall. You may notice a delightful lightness about your day. You may also notice that situations or people that used to bother you or cause emotional reactions just don’t seem as important anymore. Perhaps you even start to see more beauty in the world around you with more vivid colors and sounds. All of these changes are a result of meditation and sharpening our brain’s ability to focus and relax. In this way meditation is truly a fruitful practice, whose magic is imbued into more and more aspects of our life as we move our meditation off the cushion and into the world.
If you are interested in learning more about Meditation, Mindfulness and yoga, Shanti Atma Yoga offers a variety of trainings exploring the many avenues to self healing and teacher development:
Yin Yoga Teacher Training Online:
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 100 hour Functional Anatomy and Chinese Medicine
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 100 hour Pranayama, Meditation and Mindfulness
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 80 hour Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 50 hour Neuroplasticity and Mindfulness
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 50 hour Essential Oils and Emotional Intelligence
Residential Yoga Teacher Training:
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 100 hour Functional Anatomy and Chinese Medicine
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 100 hour Pranayama, Meditation and Mindfulness
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 80 hour Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 50 hour Neuroplasticity and Mindfulness
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 50 hour Essential Oils and Emotional Intelligence
Yin Yoga Teacher Training: 200 hour 5 Bodies Approach
Yoga Philosophy: 100 Hour Life Management with Yogic Values of 5 Koshas
Locations:
Yin Yoga Teacher Training Bali
Yin Yoga Teacher Training Thailand
Yin Yoga Teacher Training India
Yin Yoga Teacher Training Spain
Yin Yoga Teacher Training Australia
Yin Yoga Teacher Training Guatemala
We also have a variety of Yin Yoga Retreats and Yoga Holidays:
Yin Yang Yoga Retreat Spain: Rest and Revive Retreat
Yin Yoga Retreat Bali: Sacred Space Yoga
