Meditation is the Medication.

[electron2012]

“Earlier evidence out of UCLA suggested that meditating for years thickens the brain (in a good way) and strengthens the connections between brain cells. Now a further report by UCLA researchers suggests yet another benefit.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0314170647.htm

The power of Breathing: In meditation, one of the most important aspects is breathing. There is always the focus on the inhale and exhale of breath, and the reason is because breathing is a link between the conscious and unconscious mind. It is the only controllable activity that can give us life or take it away, yet many are not conscious of their breathing. Are you thinking of breathing throughout your day or when sleeping? Perhaps not, but you continue to do it. By being aware of your breath it can lead you to live in the present moment. The only time you ever have is Now, you can not physically live in the past or future, so stay conscious of your thoughts. If you have reoccurring ‘life movies’ playing in your mind and feel you can not stop them, concentrate on the breath. Simply becoming aware of your thoughts and breathing can help to bring you back to the present moment, and remember it’s called the ‘present’ because it’s a gift. Much peace. ~ Expanded Consciousness

Dalai Lama - Why meditate? - YouTube

Dalai Lama - Why meditate? - YouTube

Meditation Against ADHD

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alvaro..._b_103534.html

“Overcoming PTSD: Is meditation the answer?
Norman Rosenthal, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University is enthusiastic about using Transcendental Meditation to treat PTSD: “There are many studies showing that TM sooths overactive fight or flight responses. TM is a logical treatment for this condition.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanne..._b_781840.html

Meditation and Respiratory Infections “According to a recent study, exercising or practicing meditation may be effective in reducing acute respiratory infections. Acute respiratory infections, which are caused by influenza and other viruses, are very common illnesses and account for millions of doctor visits and lost school and work days each year. Previous research has suggested that enhancing general physical and mental health may offer protection against these illnesses. Findings from this NCCAM-funded study were published in the journal Annals of Family Medicine.”

http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/070912

Meditation and IBS “Practicing mindfulness meditation over an 8-week period reduces the severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms in women, according to a study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Mindfulness meditation training involves focusing attention on present-moment experience and the nonjudgmental awareness of body sensations and emotions. Previous research has suggested that mindfulness training may be effective in reducing stress and pain symptoms in chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and depression. In the current study, the researchers theorized that mindfulness training may be effective in treating the psychological factors associated with pain in IBS—a chronic disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon and is characterized by symptoms of abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea.”

http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/031912

Meditation and Depression/Anxiety “According to a recent study, practicing mindfulness meditation appears to be associated with measurable changes in the brain regions involved in memory, learning, and emotion. Mindfulness meditation focuses attention on breathing to develop increased awareness of the present. Previous research has demonstrated that mindfulness mediation may reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, but little is known about its effects on the brain. The focus of the current study—published in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging—was to identify brain regions that changed in participants enrolled in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program.

In this study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Bender Institute of Neuroimaging in Germany, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, took magnetic resonance images of the brains of 16 participants 2 weeks before and after they joined the meditation program. (Participants were physician- and self-referred individuals seeking stress reduction.) Researchers also took brain images of a control group of 17 non-meditators over a similar time period. Participants in the meditation group attended weekly sessions that included mindfulness training exercises and received audio recordings for guided meditation practice at home. They also kept track of how much time they practiced each day. Members of both groups completed a questionnaire, before and after joining the group, which measured five aspects of mindfulness: observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging of inner experience, and non-reactivity to inner experience.”

http://nccam.nih.gov/research/result...ght/012311.htm

External link: http://themilkywaykid.wordpress.com/...he-medication/

[princessofwands]

A very informative post, thank you electron!

[adude]

Nice that this stuff seems to be gaining popularity.

[alexhaase]

It's awesome that just simply focusing on the breath can take you to a whole different world, but I've been having trouble lately. I can't seem to stop my brain from having those wandering thoughts. I'll be focusing on my breath, even counting most times, but sooner or later I'll be thinking about the most completely random thing.

Is this something that goes away with more meditation practice or is there a method?

[now here]

A summary of research on the Transcendental Meditation technique - YouTube

A summary of research on the Transcendental Meditation technique - YouTube

[princessofwands]

Excellent video, thank you for posting it. Nearly all illness is caused or worsened by stress. Meditation or going "out of mind" (where stress begins) is the cure. I liked the brain scans at 6 mins in.

Now I'm off to put my brain into an orderly state.

[princessofwands]

A great article on how meditation changes your brain and makes you really HAPPY!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...editation.html