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Meditation found to increase brain size

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People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't. Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that experienced meditators boasted increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input.

In one area of gray matter, the thickening turns out to be more pronounced in older than in younger people. That's intriguing because those sections of the human cortex, or thinking cap, normally get thinner as we age.


Meditators did Buddhist "insight meditation," which focuses on whatever is there, like noise or body sensations. It doesn't involve "om," other mantras, or chanting.

"The goal is to pay attention to sensory experience, rather than to your thoughts about the sensory experience," Lazar explains. "For example, if you suddenly hear a noise, you just listen to it rather than thinking about it. If your leg falls asleep, you just notice the physical sensations. If nothing is there, you pay attention to your breathing." Successful meditators get used to not thinking or elaborating things in their mind.
celestialceiling

24 responses // Meditation found to increase brain size

  • watch this comment being used here, here and here
    We can change the size and shape of the body...why not the mind? It's probably true of most kinds of meditation, not just insight meditation. Drop the egotistical attempts to guide the discourse and just listen. All kinds of weird and unlikely shit might stream in. We can all be radio receptors (with bigger brains).
    24French
  • For those interested - check out openfocus.com - it is the best method of achieving a 'witness' let go consicousness I have found. I'm surprised and pleased an ariticle like this has found it's way into the top ten on current and I believe techniques such as this one of the few ways humanity has of saving itself from itself. The brain is elastic in nature and methods such as this can change the brains wiring to give us a much more fulflling, flexible life.
    Merge9
  • People should take up meditation just to become calmer and more aware of what is going on around them than reacting to every little thing as if it's a threat to them. Older persons should do it before they nap. It might allow them to have a more peaceful rest.

    Young people should do it after a stressful day at school or an after school job. Venting is nice but meditation is calmer.
    J_Jammer
  • yet a bigger brain doesn't mean a smarter person. how does the thickening of your brain affect you?
    danielledare
  • I need to get back on the meditation train.
    joshuaheller
  • The greatest failing of western psycology is its innability to act outside the constructs of the Ego. Meditation has many medical benefits, and has been of great assistance to myself and many people I know.
    Cortlanderson
  • "These findings are consistent with other studies that demonstrated increased thickness of music areas in the brains of musicians, and visual and motor areas in the brains of jugglers. In other words, the structure of an adult brain can change in response to repeated practice."

    You're right, danielledare, a bigger brain doesn't make you smarter, but it implies some kind of growth.

    I think the concept of "Intelligence" loses much of its value after findings like this.

    Forget Intelligence, Intelligence is what gets people "stuck in their heads,"
    seek Consciousness
    celestialceiling
    2 responses to this
  • Consciousness and wisdom - is where it's at.
    VoyagerFilms
  • Not sure if this is true but I know that my brain size has decreased since I stopped practicing TM.
    HolyCity2012
  • Meditation or medication? It's nice to know people are harnessing their own energetic powers of healing & life enhancing abilities. Our bodies are actually designed to heal themselves from illness & imbalance. Empowering yourself to be your own health advocate sure beats being at the mercy of today’s sickening health care system.
    darkhorsejim
  • I have been meditating for nearly 30 years now. I wonder if this is the reason I get those pressure headaches; too much brain in the cranium.
    jubal
  • Their Brains seem larger compared to people who are confused due to electromagnetic chaos, poisons, pollutants, and their misdirected focus. The mediators' brain function is normal. It is how everyone's brain would be naturally if there weren't certain influences in our lives. Whether or not these "negative" influences are intentionally projected upon the collective consciousness of Earth is irrelevant.

    What we do, matters for us.

    When you meditate you become one with the stillness that grounds and restores the natural flow of energy through us, reconnecting you to the purity of the earth.

    You are now allowing the Universe to give You what it wishes to the most. By accepting all aspects of yourself, freedom to go beyond limitation is achieved.

    In Truth, Their is no Limit to our freedom to recreate.
    Hunab_Ku
  • I wonder if this is true of meditating on Gods word, on memorized verses, focusing on the words, not necessarily thinking about them. I wonder if thinking doesn't increase the size. This just mentions what kind of meditation was observed as increasing thickness.
    htiaf
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y-0-xIE60k
    Ye it is true and Dr Joe Dispenza also confirms it in his work. He is presenting his work in a seminar in London in November. You can check it out at www.drjoedispenza.co.uk

    We can shape our brain in whatever way we wish, it just takes practice and repetition.

    Enjoy!!

    Michael
    maedegroot
  • http://www.drjoedispenza.ning.com
    Learn how to change your mind forever.
    maedegroot
  • we are capable in the infinite of knowing intuitively every fragment of the human experience. This is our divine birthright. Soon, gone will be the days of propriety over knowledge, "ownership" of intellectual property.
    We have all been here and known it all before.
    Meditation is the most effective technique of touching the infinite and experiencing it as a continually expanding part of our everyday experience.
    Meditate to live - read Yogananda.
    sugarlicks
  • Makes sense and fits in with other research that supports the 'use it or lose it' concept. However, I'm cautioned by the old adage that:

    Size isn't everything. If it was elephants would rule the world.

    On the other hand, it might be a nicer place if elephants did!
    john_do
  • Does daydreaming count?
    Neghie
  • well then my husband's brain must be positively huge because he's a pro at "not thinking"
    barkway
  • Oh yeah, Thanks for elaborating on something that our forefathers and ancestors figured out thousands of years ago, now that Yale and Harvard makes these claims, it's now plausible? LOL excuse me, these people are idiots, I've been practicing mysticism for years, and I can testify about the mental results, OMG, these people are so pretentious, go away!
    Mobius2012
  • "Don't just do something, SIT there!" - meditator's adage.
    Julie_Soller
  • ""The goal is to pay attention to sensory experience, rather than to your thoughts..."

    Like the smelling of a skunk in the road....it can be bad or good depending on your sensory experience. I don't have a bad smelling experience from skunks.

    Some things tho, I cannot get around...but I wont mention them here lol...

    yea, Jubal..now I know where those migranes come from
    WorldPeaceTV

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