Cientistas e estudiosos examinam o poder da meditação
Respire profundamente no abdomen, expire lentamente e contemple estas descobertas científicas: pessoas que praticam meditação rotineiramente pode ser mais capazes de lidar com os altos e baixos da condição humana.
Essa é a conclusão de pesquisadores da UC Davis, que estão liderando uma das mais profundas e cuidadosamente acompanhadas pesquisas do mundo sobre o assunto. Quem está acompanhando? O Dalai Lama, entre outros.
Existe uma abundância de testemunhos anedóticos sobre os benefícios da meditação desde a antiguidade, mas o Projeto Shamatha visa investigar seus benefícios concretos. O projeto de 10 anos está dando seus primeiros resultados, e os pesquisadores estão prestes a publicar mais resultados no futuro próximo.
Clifford Saron, neurocientista pesquisador na UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain e do MIND Institute, é o líder da equipe do Projeto Shamatha, que também inclui o Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, o Shambhala Mountain Center, colegas da UC Davis e outros cientistas de todo o mundo.
Saron disse: “O Projeto Shamatha explora a hipótese de que o desenvolvimento da atenção é útil na alteração da processos de pensamento que evocam emoções negativas tais como desprezo, raiva e aversão, que podem dificultar a expressão de amor e compaixão.”
O termo shamatha significa “o calmo permanecer” em sânscrito. Para o Projeto Shamatha, 60 participantes meditaram em dois grupos de 30, por cerca de sete horas por dia, sete dias por semana, durante três meses em um estudo em 2007, no Shambhala Mountain Center, no Colorado. Mais de 30 pesquisadores, cientistas e o estudioso budista Alan Wallace envolveram-se no enorme esforço para a coleta de dados, agora sob análise.
Melhor foco mental
No início desta primavera, o grupo publicou suas primeiras descobertas, mostrando que as pessoas submetidas ao intensivo treinamento de meditação melhoraram a capacidade de fazer distinções visuais finas e de sustentar a atenção durante um teste de 30 minutos. Isso significa que uma melhor percepção, muitas vezes considerada um benefício da prática da meditação, está subjacente a melhorias sustentação da atenção.
A autora principal foi Katherine MacLean, doutora em psicologia da UC Davis.
A habilidade de sustentar a atenção, como demonstrado em uma pesquisa anterior, pode ajudar a regular as emoções, reduzir a depressão e controlar a raiva, afirmou o professor de psicologia Phillip Shaver, investigador sênior do Projeto Shamatha desde seu início, em 2003.
O artigo seguinte do grupo de pesquisa, descreve os benefícios da meditação na “auto-regulação” e no ”bem-estar emocional.” Em outras palavras, a meditação pode ajudar alguém que se sente frustrado a se tornar mais consciente deste sentimento, e, portanto, mais capaz de controlar o comportamento impulsivo que poderia acontecer. O pesquisador pós-doutorado Baljinder Sahdra é o autor principal deste artigo.
Os dois estudos são apenas o começo, afirmam Saron e seus colegas. Eles esperam ainda resultados de mais longo alcance nos próximos anos. ”Alguns de nossos resultados sugerem ainda que a meditação também tem efeitos fisiológicos desejáveis, que podem aumentar a longevidade de uma pessoa “, disse Shaver. No entanto, Shaver diz que, ele mesmo, tem pouco tempo para meditar. Trabalha 60-70 horas por semana, e tem uma série de compromissos, como a edição de vários livros e almoços e cafés da manhã escolares de suas duas filhas. ”Minha agenda não deixa muito tempo para a meditação”, disse Shaver. “Meu objetivo é entender a meditação, não necessariamente a praticá-la.”
Olhando para a longevidade
O Projeto Shamatha está explorando efeitos da meditação sobre o envelhecimento celular.
“A pesquisa mostra que o estresse é prejudicial para as células”, disse Saron, observando que a longevidade pode estar relacionada com uma enzima conhecida como telomerase das nossas células, responsável por reparar o encurtamento dos cromossomos que ocorre ao longo da vida.
“Nós estamos estudando os níveis de telomerase de pessoas que praticam a meditação para ver se estes níveis mudam ou não depois de um programa de três meses de meditação.”
Os resultados são promissores, disse Saron, e um artigo foi aceito para publicação na Psychoneuroendocrinology. Para este estudo, Tonya Jacobs aluna de pós-doutorado da UC Davis está trabalhando com as psicólogas Elissa Epel, Elizabeth Blackburn e colegas da UC San Francisco. Blackburn, um pesquisador biológo, foi co-ganhador do Prêmio Nobel de Fisiologia ou Medicina em 2009, por pesquisas sobre telômeros, envelhecimento e câncer.
Os estudos do Projeto Shamatha estão sendo bem recebidos por muitos adeptos da meditação.
O estudioso budista Thubten Jinpa diz que o estudo da meditação e da ciência do cérebro prometem descobertas importantes para uma maior compreensão da nossa realidade mental, capazes de desenvolver “uma taxonomia abrangente do nosso mundo mental”. Além disso, a meditação pode ajudar a “reintroduzir a introspecção “, como um meio legítimo de investigação científica.
O Dalai Lama, líder espiritual ganhador do Prêmio Nobel, tem sido um grande amigo de Saron há anos. O cientista manteve-o informado sobre o andamento do Projeto Shamatha.
“Acredito que este projeto de pesquisa tem o potencial para trazer um benefício significativo para o avanço do conhecimento científico sobre os efeitos da meditação sobre a atenção e regulação emocional”, escreveu o Dalai Lama em uma carta de 2006 para a equipe do Projeto Shamatha.
A meditação, observou o Dalai Lama, diminui “as causas internas do sofrimento” e revela “os potenciais da consciência humana no mundo de hoje”.
Ocidente e Oriente
Saron tem interesse pela meditação desde 1970. Na década 90, ele organizou um estudo com praticantes experientes, sob os auspícios do gabinete do Dalai Lama e do Mind and Life Institute em Boulder, Colorado. Durante o projeto, ele inspirou-se por conhecer monges e iogues tibetanos exilados na Índia, aos pés dos Himalaias, que alcançaram notável calma emocional, foco e alegria em suas vidas, muitas vezes, apesar de grandes dificuldades e sofrimento.
Como explica Saron, a meditação ensina os praticantes a serem mais conscientes de suas condições atuais, aprendendo a enfrentar os desafios sem se sentirem oprimidos. “Na meditação, você aprende que qualquer situação pode ser trabalhada, se a sua mente estiver preparada para isso “, disse ele. Você não precisa ser um monge ou iogue para aprender a meditar de forma eficaz, disse Saron. “Treinar a mente é possível para a grande maioria das pessoas. É semelhante a tonificar os músculos por meio de exercícios físicos.”
Diferentes formas de meditação são praticadas em tradições espirituais do Oriente e do Ocidente. No Oriente, os budistas há muito tempo praticam bhavana , um termo sânscrito que muitas vezes é traduzido como ”Meditação”. Significa “cultivar” qualidades benéficas como a bondade e atenção, e tornar-se mais familiarizado com a própria mente. No Ocidente, os ensinamentos judaico-cristãos incluem meditações sobre a alma humana e a consciência.
O Projeto Shamatha recebe o importante apoio do Instituto Fetzer e da Fundação Família Hershey, juntamente com outros doadores.
Tornar a meditação acessível
Alan Klima, professor de antropologia da UC Davis professor e praticante do Budismo Theravada, espera que a meditação possa ser praticada de forma mais ampla e que se torne mais acessível no Ocidente.
Ele está escrevendo um livro sobre meditação budista e o Ocidente sob o título preliminar de “A Máquina de Meditação”.
“A maior diferença entre as culturas é que qualquer um na Tailândia ou Birmânia, rico ou pobre, tem livre acesso aos ensinamentos sobre meditação, apoio, e até mesmo instalações residenciais, devido ao sistema de fé e generosidade, que tem sido a ”Máquina de Meditação” nesses países “, disse ele.
A construção de uma “máquina de meditação” semelhante no Ocidente significa integrar a prática no âmbito dos cuidados de saúde e seguridade, assim como qualquer outra forma de tratamento físico ou psicológico, disse Klima.
Ele atesta os benefícios pessoais de meditação. “Tudo que é bom na minha vida está diretamente ligado à prática da meditação – a minha capacidade de conviver com a loucura quase constante de minha própria mente, minhas relações, meu trabalho, meus livros, tudo “.
Enquanto defende a confirmação científica de benefícios da meditação, o antropólogo acredita que a ciência sozinha não pode explicar totalmente o seu poder.
“As abordagens das ciências sociais e humanas são muito mais amplas, e podem até mesmo incluir as conclusões dos cientistas e colocar essas descobertas em seu contexto social. Os cientistas pesquisadores podem colar eletrodos de EEG em meu couro cabeludo, enquanto eu escrevo um livro sobre a ciência da meditação, mas eu não tenho certeza de que irá render algo significativo “.
Erika Rosenberg, professora de meditação e especialista em expressões faciais de emoções, é um membro do Projeto Shamatha. Ela acredita que os resultados do projeto poderiam ajudar mais pessoas a descobrirem os benefícios da meditação.
“A ciência é uma linguagem que fala poderosamente com muitas pessoas”, disse Rosenberg, “incluindo aqueles que são predispostos a serem altamente céticos em relação a práticas ligadas às tradições espirituais.”
Em última análise, a meditação é o treinamento da mente, disse ela.
“Eu tento enfatizar isso em minhas aulas também. E quando você treina a mente em um conjunto de práticas de forma disciplinada por algum tempo, você vê os benefícios.”
Ela acrescentou: “Não há nada de místico nisso.”
Paciência, Perspectiva
Beth Cohen é instrutora de meditação e diretora do Programa de Assistência da UC Davis, que oferece aconselhamento para professores, funcionários e suas famílias.
“Eu encontrei a meditação por necessidade, não por interesse”, disse ela. Aos 36 anos, Cohen foi diagnosticada com uma doença auto-imune, e a medicina ocidental tradicional não foi capaz de melhorar sua condição. Foi quando ela descobriu a meditação.
“Ela não só auxilia no manejo da minha doença, como também me proporciona mais clareza mental, paciência e perspectiva “, disse Cohen.
“A prática diária de meditação, por apenas 10 a 20 minutos, realmente causa mudanças em partes do cérebro que promovem felicidade, pensamentos e emoções positivos”, disse Cohen, observando os benefícios de uma maior atenção, clareza mental, controle da dor crônica, diminuição da pressão arterial, e maior facilidade em lidar com a ansiedade e a depressão.”
Isso pode explicar a popularidade de uma prática de meditação na hora do almoço que ela ensina no campus. A classe atraiu cerca de 25 pessoas quando Cohen começou há três anos, e agora normalmente registra mais de 100 pessoas quando é oferecida. Ela estima que tenha ensinado meditação para mais de 1.000 pessoas nos últimos nove anos.
“Esses benefícios podem ser muito úteis para os funcionários da UC Davis durante momentos de estresse como estes”, disse ela. “Para aprender a trabalhar com a sua mente nem é preciso pensar”.
http://www.sbinstitute.com/sites/default/files/UC%20Davis%20Magazine_0.pdf
Scientists and scholars examine the power of meditation
Breathe deeply into the abdomen , exhale slowly and contemplate these scientific findings : people who routinely practice meditation may be better able to handle the ups and downs of the human condition .
That's the conclusion of researchers at UC Davis , who are leading one of the deepest and carefully followed the research world on the subject . Who is watching ? The Dalai Lama , among others .
There is plenty of anecdotal about the benefits of meditation from ancient testimonies , but the Shamatha Project aims to investigate its practical benefits . The 10-year project is giving its first results , and researchers are about to publish more results in the near future .
Clifford Saron , a neuroscientist researcher at UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and MIND Institute , is the leader of the Shamatha Project team, which also includes the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies , the Shambhala Mountain Center , UC Davis colleagues and other scientists worldwide .
Sharon said : " The Shamatha Project explores the hypothesis that the development of attention is useful in changing the thought processes that evoke negative emotions such as contempt , anger and disgust , which may hinder the expression of love and compassion . "
The term shamatha means " calm abiding" in Sanskrit . For the Shamatha Project , 60 participants meditated in two groups of 30 , for about seven hours a day, seven days a week , for three months in a study in 2007 in the Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado. More than 30 researchers , scientists and Buddhist scholar Alan Wallace were involved in the massive effort to collect data now under analysis.
Better mental focus
Earlier this spring, the group published their findings showing that people subjected to intensive meditation training improved the ability to make fine visual distinctions and sustaining attention during a test of 30 minutes. This means that better perception, often considered a benefit of meditation practice , underlies improvements sustained attention .
The senior author was Katherine MacLean , Ph.D. in psychology from UC Davis .
The ability to sustain attention , as demonstrated in previous research , can help regulate emotions , reduce depression and control anger , said psychology professor Phillip Shaver , senior investigator of the Shamatha Project since its inception in 2003 .
The following article from the research group , describes the benefits of meditation on " self -regulation " and " emotional well -being . " In other words , meditation can help someone who is frustrated to become more aware of this feeling , and therefore more able to control impulsive behavior that could happen . The postdoctoral researcher Baljinder Sahdra is the main author of this article .
The two studies are just the beginning , say Saron and his colleagues . They are still awaiting results of over -reaching in the coming years . " Some of our results also suggest that meditation also has desirable physiological effects that can increase the longevity of a person," Shaver said . However , Shaver says , himself , has little time to meditate . Works 60-70 hours per week , and has a number of commitments , such as editing several books and school lunches and coffees morning of his two daughters . " My schedule does not leave much time for meditation ," Shaver said . " My goal is to understand meditation , not necessarily to practice it . "
Looking for longevity
The Shamatha project is exploring the effects of meditation on cellular aging .
" Research shows that stress is detrimental to cells ," Sharon said, noting that longevity may be related to an enzyme known as telomerase in our cells , responsible for repairing the shortening of chromosomes that occurs throughout life .
" We are studying the levels of telomerase in people who practice meditation to see whether or not these levels change after a three-month program of meditation . "
The results are promising , Sharon said, and an article was accepted for publication in Psychoneuroendocrinology . For this study , Tonya Jacobs postdoctoral student at UC Davis is working with the psychologists Elissa Epel , Elizabeth Blackburn and colleagues at UC San Francisco . Blackburn , a biologist researcher , was co - winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 for research on telomeres , aging and cancer.
Studies of the Shamatha Project are being well received by many fans of meditation .
The Buddhist scholar Thupten Jinpa says the study of meditation and brain science discoveries promise important for a better understanding of our mental reality , able to develop " a comprehensive taxonomy of our mental world." In addition , meditation can help " reintroduce introspection " as a legitimate means of scientific research .
The Dalai Lama , spiritual leader Nobel Prize winner , has been a great friend of Sharon for years . The scientist kept him informed about the progress of the Shamatha Project .
"I believe that this research project has the potential to bring a significant contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge about the effects of meditation on attention and emotion regulation benefit," the Dalai Lama wrote in a 2006 letter to the staff of the Shamatha Project .
The meditation, the Dalai Lama observed decreases " internal causes of suffering " and reveals " the potential of human consciousness in the world today ."
East and West
Sharon is interested in meditation since 1970 . In the 90s , he organized a study with experienced practitioners under the auspices of the office of the Dalai Lama and the Mind and Life Institute in Boulder , Colorado. During the project, he was inspired to meet monks and yogis Tibetan exiles in India , at the foot of the Himalayas , who achieved remarkable emotional calm , focus and joy in their lives , often despite great hardship and suffering.
As Sharon explains , meditation teaches practitioners to be more aware of their current conditions , learning to face challenges without feeling overwhelmed . " In meditation , you learn that any situation can be worked out , if your mind is ready for it ," he said . You need not be a monk or yogi to learn how to meditate effectively , Saron said . " Training the mind is possible for the vast majority of people . It is similar to tone muscles through exercise. "
Different forms of meditation are practiced in spiritual traditions of East and West. In the East , the Buddhists have long practiced bhavana , a Sanskrit term that is often translated as " Meditation " . Means " farming " beneficial qualities such as kindness and attention , and become more familiar with the mind itself. In the West , the Judeo- Christian teachings include meditations on the human soul and consciousness .
The Shamatha Project receives major support from the Fetzer Institute and the Hershey Family Foundation , along with other donors .
Make accessible meditation
Alan Klima , professor of anthropology at UC Davis professor and practitioner of Theravada Buddhism , expecting that meditation can be practiced more widely and become more accessible in the West .
He is writing a book on Buddhist meditation and the West under the working title of "A Meditation Machine ."
" The biggest difference between cultures is that anyone in Thailand or Burma , rich or poor , have access to free lessons on meditation , support , and even residential facilities , due to the system of faith and generosity , which has been the " Machine Meditation " in those countries ," he said .
Building a " meditation machine " like the West means integrating the practice within the health care and security , as well as any other form of physical or psychological treatment , Klima said .
He attests to the personal benefits of meditation . " Everything good in my life is directly linked to the practice of meditation - my ability to get along with almost constant madness of my own mind , my relationships , my job , my books , everything."
While advocates the scientific confirmation of the benefits of meditation , the anthropologist believes that science alone can not fully explain its power .
" The approaches of the social sciences and humanities are much broader , and may even include the conclusions of the scientists and put these findings in its social context . Research scientists can stick EEG electrodes on my scalp while I write a book about the science of meditation, but I 'm not sure that will render something meaningful . "
Erika Rosenberg , meditation teacher and expert in facial expressions of emotions , is a member of the Shamatha Project . She believes that the results of the project could help more people discover the benefits of meditation .
" Science is a language that speaks powerfully to many people ," said Rosenberg , " including those who are predisposed to be highly skeptical of practices related to spiritual traditions . "
Ultimately , meditation is mind training , she said.
"I try to emphasize this in my classes too. And when you train the mind in a set of practices in a disciplined manner for some time , you see the benefits . "
She added : " There is nothing mystical about it . "
Patience , Perspective
Beth Cohen is meditation instructor and director of the UC Davis Assistance Program , which provides counseling to faculty, staff and their families .
" I found the meditation of necessity , not out of interest ," she said . At 36, Cohen was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease , and traditional Western medicine has failed to improve his condition . That's when she discovered meditation .
" It not only assists in the management of my disease , but also gives me more mental clarity , patience and perspective," Cohen said .
" The daily practice of meditation , for only 10 to 20 minutes , actually causes changes in parts of the brain that promote happiness, positive thoughts and emotions," Cohen said, noting the benefits of increased awareness, mental clarity , control chronic pain , decreased blood pressure , and greater ease in dealing with anxiety and depression . "
This may explain the popularity of a meditation practice at lunchtime she teaches on campus . The class attracted about 25 people when Cohen began three years ago , and now usually registers more than 100 people when it is offered . She estimates has taught meditation for more than 1,000 people in the last nine years.
" These benefits can be very useful for employees at UC Davis during stressful times like these ," she said . " To learn to work with your mind or you need to think ."
http://www.sbinstitute.com/sites/default/files/UC % 20Davis % 20Magazine_0.pdf
Scientists and scholars examine the power of meditation
Breathe deeply into the abdomen , exhale slowly and contemplate these scientific findings : people who routinely practice meditation may be better able to handle the ups and downs of the human condition .
That's the conclusion of researchers at UC Davis , who are leading one of the deepest and carefully followed the research world on the subject . Who is watching ? The Dalai Lama , among others .
There is plenty of anecdotal about the benefits of meditation from ancient testimonies , but the Shamatha Project aims to investigate its practical benefits . The 10-year project is giving its first results , and researchers are about to publish more results in the near future .
Clifford Saron , a neuroscientist researcher at UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and MIND Institute , is the leader of the Shamatha Project team, which also includes the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies , the Shambhala Mountain Center , UC Davis colleagues and other scientists worldwide .
Sharon said : " The Shamatha Project explores the hypothesis that the development of attention is useful in changing the thought processes that evoke negative emotions such as contempt , anger and disgust , which may hinder the expression of love and compassion . "
The term shamatha means " calm abiding" in Sanskrit . For the Shamatha Project , 60 participants meditated in two groups of 30 , for about seven hours a day, seven days a week , for three months in a study in 2007 in the Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado. More than 30 researchers , scientists and Buddhist scholar Alan Wallace were involved in the massive effort to collect data now under analysis.
Better mental focus
Earlier this spring, the group published their findings showing that people subjected to intensive meditation training improved the ability to make fine visual distinctions and sustaining attention during a test of 30 minutes. This means that better perception, often considered a benefit of meditation practice , underlies improvements sustained attention .
The senior author was Katherine MacLean , Ph.D. in psychology from UC Davis .
The ability to sustain attention , as demonstrated in previous research , can help regulate emotions , reduce depression and control anger , said psychology professor Phillip Shaver , senior investigator of the Shamatha Project since its inception in 2003 .
The following article from the research group , describes the benefits of meditation on " self -regulation " and " emotional well -being . " In other words , meditation can help someone who is frustrated to become more aware of this feeling , and therefore more able to control impulsive behavior that could happen . The postdoctoral researcher Baljinder Sahdra is the main author of this article .
The two studies are just the beginning , say Saron and his colleagues . They are still awaiting results of over -reaching in the coming years . " Some of our results also suggest that meditation also has desirable physiological effects that can increase the longevity of a person," Shaver said . However , Shaver says , himself , has little time to meditate . Works 60-70 hours per week , and has a number of commitments , such as editing several books and school lunches and coffees morning of his two daughters . " My schedule does not leave much time for meditation ," Shaver said . " My goal is to understand meditation , not necessarily to practice it . "
Looking for longevity
The Shamatha project is exploring the effects of meditation on cellular aging .
" Research shows that stress is detrimental to cells ," Sharon said, noting that longevity may be related to an enzyme known as telomerase in our cells , responsible for repairing the shortening of chromosomes that occurs throughout life .
" We are studying the levels of telomerase in people who practice meditation to see whether or not these levels change after a three-month program of meditation . "
The results are promising , Sharon said, and an article was accepted for publication in Psychoneuroendocrinology . For this study , Tonya Jacobs postdoctoral student at UC Davis is working with the psychologists Elissa Epel , Elizabeth Blackburn and colleagues at UC San Francisco . Blackburn , a biologist researcher , was co - winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 for research on telomeres , aging and cancer.
Studies of the Shamatha Project are being well received by many fans of meditation .
The Buddhist scholar Thupten Jinpa says the study of meditation and brain science discoveries promise important for a better understanding of our mental reality , able to develop " a comprehensive taxonomy of our mental world." In addition , meditation can help " reintroduce introspection " as a legitimate means of scientific research .
The Dalai Lama , spiritual leader Nobel Prize winner , has been a great friend of Sharon for years . The scientist kept him informed about the progress of the Shamatha Project .
"I believe that this research project has the potential to bring a significant contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge about the effects of meditation on attention and emotion regulation benefit," the Dalai Lama wrote in a 2006 letter to the staff of the Shamatha Project .
The meditation, the Dalai Lama observed decreases " internal causes of suffering " and reveals " the potential of human consciousness in the world today ."
East and West
Sharon is interested in meditation since 1970 . In the 90s , he organized a study with experienced practitioners under the auspices of the office of the Dalai Lama and the Mind and Life Institute in Boulder , Colorado. During the project, he was inspired to meet monks and yogis Tibetan exiles in India , at the foot of the Himalayas , who achieved remarkable emotional calm , focus and joy in their lives , often despite great hardship and suffering.
As Sharon explains , meditation teaches practitioners to be more aware of their current conditions , learning to face challenges without feeling overwhelmed . " In meditation , you learn that any situation can be worked out , if your mind is ready for it ," he said . You need not be a monk or yogi to learn how to meditate effectively , Saron said . " Training the mind is possible for the vast majority of people . It is similar to tone muscles through exercise. "
Different forms of meditation are practiced in spiritual traditions of East and West. In the East , the Buddhists have long practiced bhavana , a Sanskrit term that is often translated as " Meditation " . Means " farming " beneficial qualities such as kindness and attention , and become more familiar with the mind itself. In the West , the Judeo- Christian teachings include meditations on the human soul and consciousness .
The Shamatha Project receives major support from the Fetzer Institute and the Hershey Family Foundation , along with other donors .
Make accessible meditation
Alan Klima , professor of anthropology at UC Davis professor and practitioner of Theravada Buddhism , expecting that meditation can be practiced more widely and become more accessible in the West .
He is writing a book on Buddhist meditation and the West under the working title of "A Meditation Machine ."
" The biggest difference between cultures is that anyone in Thailand or Burma , rich or poor , have access to free lessons on meditation , support , and even residential facilities , due to the system of faith and generosity , which has been the " Machine Meditation " in those countries ," he said .
Building a " meditation machine " like the West means integrating the practice within the health care and security , as well as any other form of physical or psychological treatment , Klima said .
He attests to the personal benefits of meditation . " Everything good in my life is directly linked to the practice of meditation - my ability to get along with almost constant madness of my own mind , my relationships , my job , my books , everything."
While advocates the scientific confirmation of the benefits of meditation , the anthropologist believes that science alone can not fully explain its power .
" The approaches of the social sciences and humanities are much broader , and may even include the conclusions of the scientists and put these findings in its social context . Research scientists can stick EEG electrodes on my scalp while I write a book about the science of meditation, but I 'm not sure that will render something meaningful . "
Erika Rosenberg , meditation teacher and expert in facial expressions of emotions , is a member of the Shamatha Project . She believes that the results of the project could help more people discover the benefits of meditation .
" Science is a language that speaks powerfully to many people ," said Rosenberg , " including those who are predisposed to be highly skeptical of practices related to spiritual traditions . "
Ultimately , meditation is mind training , she said.
"I try to emphasize this in my classes too. And when you train the mind in a set of practices in a disciplined manner for some time , you see the benefits . "
She added : " There is nothing mystical about it . "
Patience , Perspective
Beth Cohen is meditation instructor and director of the UC Davis Assistance Program , which provides counseling to faculty, staff and their families .
" I found the meditation of necessity , not out of interest ," she said . At 36, Cohen was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease , and traditional Western medicine has failed to improve his condition . That's when she discovered meditation .
" It not only assists in the management of my disease , but also gives me more mental clarity , patience and perspective," Cohen said .
" The daily practice of meditation , for only 10 to 20 minutes , actually causes changes in parts of the brain that promote happiness, positive thoughts and emotions," Cohen said, noting the benefits of increased awareness, mental clarity , control chronic pain , decreased blood pressure , and greater ease in dealing with anxiety and depression . "
This may explain the popularity of a meditation practice at lunchtime she teaches on campus . The class attracted about 25 people when Cohen began three years ago , and now usually registers more than 100 people when it is offered . She estimates has taught meditation for more than 1,000 people in the last nine years.
" These benefits can be very useful for employees at UC Davis during stressful times like these ," she said . " To learn to work with your mind or you need to think ."
http://www.sbinstitute.com/sites/default/files/UC % 20Davis % 20Magazine_0.pdf
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