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meditation

·September 5, 2024·6 min read

Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Pain More Than Placebo

Mindfulness meditation reduces pain by engaging distinct brain mechanisms, different from the placebo effect. Researchers found that mindfulness meditation was significantly more effective at reducing pain intensity and unpleasantness compared to placebo treatments.

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·May 20, 2024·5 min read

Altered States of Consciousness More Common Than Believed in Mind-Body Practices

A new study finds that altered states of consciousness (ASCs), like those experienced during meditation, are more common than previously thought. 45% of respondents reported experiencing ASCs at least once, often leading to positive outcomes. However, a significant minority also reported negative or even life-threatening suffering, highlighting the need for better support and understanding of these experiences.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 16, 2023·4 min read

Beyond Consciousness: How Meditators Voluntarily Enter Void States

Experienced meditators can voluntarily induce unconscious states, known as cessations, without the use of drugs. This ability, observed in Tibetan Buddhist practice, allows meditators to experience a momentary void of consciousness, followed by enhanced mental clarity.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 7, 2023·4 min read

Brain Mapping Unveils Jhana Meditation Effects

A new study utilizing ultra-high field 7T MRI technology has mapped the brain's activity during jhana meditation, revealing distinct regional activations that correlate with advanced meditative states.

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·June 30, 2023·4 min read

Kindness Meditation Boosts Memory Recall in Depression Recovery

A form of meditation focused on unconditional kindness can enhance memory recall in individuals with a history of depression. Participants engaged in daily ten-minute meditations aimed at promoting happiness, health, loving-kindness, and peace.

This shows a person meditating on a dock.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 7, 2023·5 min read

Unleashing the Mind: The Neuroscience of Meditation and its Impact on Memory

Meditation's impact on memory is a fascinating confluence of ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience. Evidence suggests meditation can stimulate changes in the brain, or neuroplasticity, potentially fostering structural growth in the hippocampus, a region vital for memory.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 30, 2023·4 min read

Meditation Diminishes Bias Toward Negative Information

A new study reveals that daily mindfulness meditation can help reduce individuals' tendency to avoid negative information. The practice of regular mindfulness meditation allows people to better process uncomfortable emotions, thus enabling them to handle negative information more objectively.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 28, 2023·3 min read

The Drugs Don’t Work: Meditation and Training Are Better at Sparking Creativity

Despite the common myth, alcohol and narcotics are the least effective means to spark creativity, researchers report. Instead, complex training, meditation, and cultural exposure add a boost to your creative flow.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 17, 2023·5 min read

Deep Meditation May Alter Gut Microbes for Better Health

Regularly practicing meditation helps regulate the gut microbiome and has the potential to lower anxiety, depression, and heart disease, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 8, 2022·6 min read

A Class of Meditative Practices That Produces Different Effects From Mindfulness-Related Meditation

Study identifies a different class of meditative practices that seek to employ and regulate the state of stress an individual experiences, rather than reduce it, to achieve a more heightened state of focus and attention.

This shows a woman sitting on a hill, meditating

Featured Neuroscience Pain Psychology

·July 8, 2022·5 min read

Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Pain by Separating It From the Self

Mindfulness meditation interrupted communication between brain areas involved in processing pain sensations and areas that produce the sense of self. This resulted in reduced pain as individuals lost ownership of the sensation.