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Carroll is a life coach in Richmond VA. You can find articles about life coaching, career coaching, business coaching and ADD coaching here. Please feel free to read about these as well as young adult and executive coaching.

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The Science of Meditation and What and How It Helps

Meditate: Focus one’s mind for a period of time in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation. – OXFORD DICTIONARY

Though meditation has been around for more than 5,000 years, it has only recently found itself under the microscope of intense scientific focus. Scientists have utilized all the tools at their disposal, from EEGs to fMRIs, to unearth the science behind this ancient practice. They have tried to establish how productive it truly is in relation to the human mind and body.

As per the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, meditation can reduce feelings of anxiety, depression and physical pain. Moreover, according to the meditation teacher Shinzen Young, if you devote a few minutes every day to meditation, you can double your lifespan. Other scientists have discovered links between meditation and strengthened memory, lowered blood pressure, improved focus, reduced fatigue and regulated emotions.

This is just the foundation. An eight-week-long Harvard Medical School study found transformations in the brain volume of a group of people who learned meditation. The study concluded that meditation could really transmute your brain.

Apparently, meditation looks like an easy-to-do activity. People think that all you have to do is to clear your mind to think about nothing at all. Meditation is not merely breathing in and out for a couple of minutes. To reach a meditative state, you need to do much more. Truly clearing your mind is far easier said than done.

        See the following resources:

    There’s A New Way to Use Meditation to Reshape Your Brain
    Sacred Acoustics
    Free Mindful Apps Worthy of Your Attention

PROPRIOCEPTIVE INPUT

Scientists believe that grounding your body through proprioceptive input when making an effort to attain a meditative state is helpful. The field study shows that this type of pressure assists in increasing the serotonin production, while reducing the cortisol levels, keeping a check on your heart rate and blood pressure.

Majority of occupational therapists accept that proprioceptive input is good for any and every individual as it can be very soothing and calming. The stress-free physical state resulting from proprioceptive input makes it convenient to reach a mental state that is ready to meditate, and one of the most tested ways to get this proprioceptive input is to use a gravity blanket. The end of following article mentions weighted blanket (gravity blanket) for meditation. See also https://futurism.com/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-reduces-stress-and-literally-changes-your-brain/.

A GRAVITY BLANKET IS GOOD FOR THE MIND AND BODY

The gravity blanket is stuffed with poly pellets in an equally spread grid pattern that is created to be about 10 percent of your body weight. This additional weight enables the gravity blanket to push targeted pressure to several pressure points across your body to minimize cortisol levels and intensify serotonin production. Furthermore, it improves your mood and stimulates healthy sleep patterns at the same time.
By helping you quickly attain a state of peaceful relaxation, gravity blankets make it convenient for you to take advantage of every moment of meditation before you go back to the hustle and bustle of life.

If you would be interested in being part of an online, meditation group from the comfort of your own home beginning in the fall, please let me know. Email me carroll.schuller@organicblueprints.com for more information.

 

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