I spent this past spring break at my best friend’s house in Boulder, CO. Her mom recently took up meditation, and had a new-age meditation master/life coach come to the house three times during the week that we were visiting. He wasn’t a traditional Buddhist, and rather explained the benefits and effects of meditation from a quantum physics standpoint. To be totally honest, he talked a lot. Like a lot. But I truly enjoyed the hours of meditation, and they left me feeling at peace and clear headed for days to come. After further investigation, I found that meditation has both physiological and physical benefits.
Physically, mediation leads to:
· Heightens immune function
· Increases serotonin production which improves mood and behavior
· Decreases muscle tension related pain, such as tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problems
· Lowers the level of blood lactate, which decreases anxiety
· Lowers blood pressure
Meditation brings the brainwave pattern into a theta state. Mentally, this leads to:
· Increased self and spatial awareness
· Sharpened the mind by clearing out extraneous thoughts and allows for better focus
· Putting problems into perspective (clearing your mind)
· Increased feelings of peace and wellbeing
· Increased intuition and creativity by decreasing extraneous thoughts
· Decreased anxiety and increased happiness
· Emotional stability
There are many ways to get involved with meditation, both through group meditations and self-guided meditation. There are many groups in and around campus (for example: http://www.pennmedicine.org/mindfulness/), and books available on meditation if you are interested in getting involved to reap the many benefits!
Source: http://www.artofliving.org/meditation/meditation-for-you/benefits-of-meditation
Image source: http://chakrameditationtoday.com