MEDITATION IN FOCUS

When we deliberation of meditation successful Australia, we mightiness ideate rising early and sitting silently successful a cross-legged position, wearing a matching athleisure set.

In this imagined meditative state, our mind is quiet arsenic it seeks soul peace. 

This taste obsession extends to world curiosity. Meditation and mindfulness are immoderate of nan most celebrated and hyped investigation topics successful psychology, psychiatry, medicine and neuroscience.

However, meditation has been astir agelong earlier nan connection ‘athleisure’. 

It covers a immense scope of practices and techniques, pinch heavy roots successful divers traditions, cultures and religions. 

So, aft thousands of years and varying world practices, does meditation unrecorded up to nan hype?

BREATHE IN

Our existent position of meditation is rather narrow. It’s much than a TikTok fad – it’s a believe pinch prehistoric origins.

Meditation appeared successful ancient Indian texts astir 1500–1200 BC. 

Around nan aforesaid time, early Chinese philosophers explored breath-focused meditation successful Daoism. Buddhist monks were besides refining mindfulness techniques to execute enlightenment.

Caption: Six precocious people hotties meditating together.
Credit: Created by Kassandra Zaza, image via Canva

Christian monks and Sufi mystics embraced meditative prayer to deepen their belief connection.

Ironically, these ancient traditions person influenced societal media influencers’ greeting routines.

Despite nan improvement from ancient temples to neuroscience labs, meditation has ever been astir unlocking nan mind’s potential. But does it really work?

FROM STRESSED TO BLESSED (AND LESS DEPRESSED?)

Professor Jennifer Rodger is Head of Brain Plasticity Research astatine nan Perron Institute and The University of Western Australia. 

She says location is still a batch to discover.

“The disposable imaging techniques person revealed that meditation causes structural and functional changes successful large-scale encephalon networks,” says Jennifer.

“We still don’t really understand what that means, but nan changes are linked to cognition, temper and affectional processing.

“There is besides a batch of grounds that meditation tin change brainwave patterns, which is besides linked to cognition, concentration, emotion, slumber and more.”

MIND OVER MATTER

A 2014 meta-analysis recovered targeted meditation could summation our compassion.

Yet nan day-to-day consequences of these changes stay unclear.

Some studies propose meditation tin beryllium awesome for accent relief, but there’s small statement successful research. 

Some research recovered meditation’s effectiveness is variable. It depends connected who is school aliases whether nan participants judge it will work. 

Another study recovered its effects weren’t overmuch different from watching scenic quality videos.

Some group who consistently meditate reported broadside effects. This includes worry aliases emotion disconnected from reality, especially if they’re already prone to intelligence wellness struggles.

So while meditation whitethorn make you consciousness much connected, it’s not guaranteed to move you into Yoda.

Caption: Solo meditation during sunrise is each nan rage.
Credit: Created by Kassandra Zaza, image via Canva

REWIRING THE MIND, ONE BREATH AT A TIME

Meditation’s mind benefits whitethorn widen beyond addressing intelligence health. Recent investigation recovered imaginable benefits for patients pinch Parkinson’s disease.

David Blacker is 1 of nan researchers down this study. He’s a objective professor and nan Perron Institute Medical Director. 

David says location are roadblocks for integrating belief practices into mainstream healthcare, contempt promising evidence.

“There is emerging information for nan usage of meditation successful a assortment of neurological conditions,” says David. 

“Parkinson’s illness would look to beryllium a very applicable information that whitethorn respond good to meditation.

“But really good it becomes integrated into curen plans will dangle connected really open-minded nan practitioner is and funding.”

BREATHE OUT

The champion measurement to trial meditation’s effectiveness mightiness not beryllium technological grounds but really we consciousness wrong our ain mind, Jennifer says.

“I deliberation that is difficult to measure scientifically, arsenic each personification will person their ain subjective acquisition of those goals.”

For blogging enthusiasts, sceptical scientists and hopeful researchers alike, nan assemblage is still retired connected meditation’s beingness and belief benefits.

With truthful galore kinds of meditation and varying outcomes, subject whitethorn beryllium incapable to beryllium if meditation could thief you.

The reply whitethorn beryllium waiting successful nan quiet of your ain mind.