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Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

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February 22, 2016 By Admin

Your Brain on Meditation

Mindful Happiness – Brain on Meditation

Reports from various MRI and self-report measure studies support the proposition that your brain changes (neuronal plasticity) when you practice meditation on a regular (daily) basis.   The same is likely true when you practice yoga on a regular basis. Here are some noted changes in brain brainmeditation-mindfulhappionessfunctioning that produce differences in psychological and emotional adjustment – all for the better. This list will focus on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the center for (among other things) executive functioning.  Other research shows changes in other parts of the brain; these studies are not the focus of this post.

    MEDITATE REGULARLY                       VS                        DO NOT MEDITATE

  1. More calm in stressful decision making                                 Less so
  2. More peaceful generally                                                             Less so
  3. Show more compassionate action                                            Less so
  4. Once in samadhi, PFC highly active                                         Less so – cannot achieve samadhi
  5. Less afflictive emotions (suffering)                                          More so – more afflictive emotions
  6. Signs of brain symmetry (whole brain)                                   Less so
  7. More able to dis-identify with unpleasant emotions            Less so
  8. More passively reflective in thinking                                       Less so
  9. Better executive PFC strengthening (plasticity)                    Less so
  10. Less reactivity in the amygdala (limbic system)                    More so – impulsive, reactive
  11. Somewhat due to the above – generally happier                    Less so

So, what is in your way? Yes, we humans are creatures of habit. With these documented benefits, motivation should not be a problem.  Short time periods in meditation (12-15 minutes) can be helpful if practiced on a daily basis.  Do it!

For more information refer to Perlmutter, D. and Villoldo, A. (2011). Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, pp. 1-10.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

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Filed Under: Featured, Meditation, Mindful Awareness, Training Tagged With: BRAIN, DR ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, MEDITATION

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