“The Science of Quieting the Mind”

Down through the ages there have been those who have taught the masses how to quiet their mind. Stopping the chatter has been part of spiritual practice for many spiritual groups. And now science has shown that the practice of quieting the mind has great potential healing… and thus also uplifting mankind.

Quieting the Mind has bee
Practiced for Hundreds of Years:

In Buddhism quieting the mind allows people to hear their “true nature”… thus meditating for hours is very important to find the essence of creation within.

In Jewish tradition quieting the mind allows one to hear the still small voice as it is talked about in the torah. Thus finding the true self, that which exists in the hearts of all men.

In Christianity quieting the mind allows one to hear the holy spirit. As it says in the bible “Be Still And Ye Shall Know My Name”.

From a Purely Scientific Point of View:

From the new scientific point of view meditation and mindfulness help in many different ways.

Those studying the brain found that after just 11 or 12 hours of meditation that the brain changed allowing for better focus and self-control. Studies also show that those who practice meditation are better able to focus under pressure when they have deadlines. And a study was done with soldiers in the Iraq teaching them meditation, they found their memories improved and they were better able to stay focused for longer periods of time less anxiety. And studies show that teaching meditation to people for just 20 minutes a day helps them pass cognitive tests with much greater ease.

Scientists studying couples that practiced meditation found that they were better equipped to communicate their thoughts and feelings. And they had better relationships at work, at home, with their parents and everyone in their life. They attribute these great relationship skills to feeling better about themselves in general… thus that spread to everyone they encountered. A study at the University of Rochester showed that those who were practicing meditation had a greater level of satisfaction with their relationships. Also they were more mindful of their communication and more descriptive, and were better able to talk about their feelings, and were more aware of their feelings.

Neuroscientists found those who practice of meditation daily were better able to cope with stress and anxiety, because there were actual physical changes to the brain which helped to prevent stress. It seems that the mind goes into a more restful and mindful way of looking at life, which helped the mind and body better cope with stress.

Other scientists have found that those who practice meditation daily are more creative. They are able to come up with ideas that are outside the box, and be more divergent in their thinking. Thus instead of filtering out good ideas, their mind had more control and self-confidence to bring those ideas to the surface and express them.

And there are over 150 studies showing that those who practice meditation on a daily basis were better able to swiftly move from feelings of anxiety to thoughts of happiness. And also those with lots of anxiety who started doing meditation had a 90% reduction of their anxiety. It’s like turning the anxiety level down on the brain, thus more happiness to filter in.

Studies by Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard Medical School show that those who practice daily meditation also have less bodily pain, and their immune system are more robust compared to the average public… so they are better able to fight off disease. Also a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine with 90 cancer patients who started learning meditation for 7 weeks had less anger, anxiety, confusion, and depression. And they also had fewer cardiovascular problems and GI challenges compared with the average cancer patient.

So when it comes to quieting the mind, it’s not just the spiritual people who know how important learning meditation can be. Science has also proven that meditation is powerful and vitally important for everyone.

With better relationships, with the ability to focus for longer periods of time, with less anxiety and stress. With more feelings of happiness and with less pain, and a more robust immune system. Plus less depression and confusion, people in general feel happier about life. Perhaps the world would be totally different place if everyone would practice meditation… meditation might even end all wars and confrontations. Lets hope everyone in the world starts meditating on a regular basis.
Many Blessings to Everyone

Dr. Paul Haider