Research - Why meditation?

- Meditation contributes to increased well-being. Meet "the happiest man in the world." (BBC, 2012) Watch video »

- This brain scientist was initially skeptical to the alleged effect from mindfulness, but when she by coincidence started conscious awareness, she discovered that it really gave a positive effect. Now she conducts her own mindfulness research and her data shows that: Meditation is an efficient method for reducing stress, depression, anxiety, sleeping problems and to increase the overall quality of life. (Sara Lazar Ph.D.)Watch video »

- What You Practice Grows Stronger! When we practice to play an instrument, to juggle, to learn a language or to focus on something in the present moment for example, the part of the brain assosiated with that particular activity grows. These activities activates a younger part of the brain: Cortex. That's why experience can be expressed as:"Cortical thickening" in scientific terms. An activation of a certain part of the brain simply generates thicker nerve paths in that area. Thicker nerve paths = experience. (Shauna Shapiro)Watch video » Another example, same theme  »

- We are distracted by thousands of thoughts that doesn't seem to contribute to any benefits, but rather being a source of worry. Can you slow down the flow of worrying thoughts by deliberately quit feeding them? (The science of yoga, part 1 - meditation)Watch video »

- Self-control is more important for personal success than e.g. intelligence or ethnicity. Talents such as attention, focus and a calm mind is more important than rich parents or high IQ for example, to achieve success. Mindfulness practice is therefore more important for a happy and successful life than high grades in school. So why aren't we teaching mindfulness at school? (Jennifer Grace, 2015)Watch video »

- Why mindfulness should be as important as math in our schools? (AnneMarie Rossi, 2019)Watch video »

- Paying attention bring more happiness to your life? (Sam Chase, 2019)Watch video »

- Mindfulness helps to perceive oneself in a neutral way without a subjective linked story. Our brain is divided into areas that have different functions. Many of us can not look neutral at eg. our body since a fictional history is often attached. This is due to the fact that different areas of the brain affect each other in a sometimes negative way, but with mindfulness this harmful connection can be broken. (Mark Williams, 2011)Watch video »

- How can 8-weeks mindfulness practice cause the pre-frontal cortex (– associated with higher order brain functions such as awareness, concentration and decision making) to grow and the initiator of stress hormones (the amygdala) to shrink? Read more »

- 7 ways meditation can actually change the brain. (2015). The meditation practice appears to have an amazing variety of neurological benefits – from changes in grey matter volume to reduced activity in the “me” centers of the brain to enhanced connectivity between brain regions. Read more »

- Early in my life I was told that I was doomed to live a limited life, but after practicing activation of the parts of my brain associated with the functions I suffered a lack of, my brain is "repaired" and I have received a normal life. (Barbara Arrowsmith-Young) Watch video »

- Mindfulness can ease trauma and support healing and forgiveness., (Dolph Lundgren, 2017) Watch video »

- Meditation gives you an increased quality of life. 20 scientific reasons to start meditating today. (2013, Emma M. Seppälä Ph.D) Read more »

Inspirational lecture by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who started the research on mindfulness in 1979. The film (almost 2 hours!!) might bring more inspiration to someone who has some experience of mindfulness, but please feel free to watch it regardless of experience. You can always watch it again and get new "insights" the second time... Watch video »

- 76 scientifc benefits of meditation. This massive article summarize several scientific discoveries on the benefits of meditation. Over 100 studies were analyzed (some of which are in themselves analysis of other hundreds of studies), and categorised the findings into 76 benefits (divided into 46 subheadings)Read more »

- How the brain changes when you meditate. Not too long ago, most of us thought that the brain we’re born with is static—that after a certain age, the neural circuitry cards we’re dealt are the only ones we can play long-term. Read more »