Meditation and Being Well

Research on meditation is increasing as clinical results and patient accounts of how powerful and helpful meditation is becomes impossible to ignore. In a study published in the January 30, 2011 issue of the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, investigators found that in just 8 weeks of daily meditative practice, test subjects changed the physical structure of their brains.

Areas of the brain associated with emotional balancing, attention, empathy, compassion, learning and self-awareness actually changed in density as measured by MRI studies. In just 8 weeks! This is one of the first studies showing the physical changes in the brain that go along with the improved mental and emotional well being people consciously feel as a result of beginning meditative practices.

How does this study affect our view of consciousness and the brain? It was the conscious decision and conscious activity of meditating that initiated the physical changes in the brain. Does that agree with the theory that consciousness arises directly from brain activity; or does it indicate that consciousness comes first? What do you think? Meditate on it!