What is meditation? There are multiple definitions for this ancient tradition. The simplest definition for those just beginning their journey with meditation is the practice to train attention to achieve an emotionally calm and stable state. A powerful practice is to bring attention to sensations in your body in the present moment. This technique can benefit anyone while also helping to increase your brainpower.

Meditation has been proven to help ease stress, anxiety, and reduce the cycle of worrisome thoughts. Neuroscientists who study the brains of meditators have discovered that the density of white matter and grey matter is higher for meditators than for people who do not meditate and that the density does not decrease as meditators age.

Just like lifting weights increases your muscle power, practising meditation increases your brainpower. Meditation can help develop a greater capacity for creativity, emotion management, stress reduction, and help you to remain calm under pressure. These are skills that aren't taught in school but they are important skills that can be learned through meditation. 

The gym can be overwhelming with all the different machines available. Similarly, the many techniques and practices of meditation can seem overwhelming. So, where to start and why should you care? This blog will outline how meditation can increase your brainpower alongside some tips and tricks to help you get you started:

The Link Between Meditation and Increased White and Grey Matter in the Brain

What is white and grey matter? Both are important for mental function and controlling the body, but grey matter is typically seen as the thinking part of the brain and white matter is seen as the part responsible for communication. The study that kicked off the connection between meditation and the increase of white and grey matter in the brain was conducted by Sara Lazar, Harvard neuroscientist and Ph.D. Sara studied 50-year-old meditators and discovered that they have the same density of grey matter as 25 year olds. She found that with just eight weeks of training at 40 minutes per day, individuals can produce changes in the density of the brain that are noticeable by an fMRI scan. 

How is this possible? 

Think of the brain as a growing, living thing. It can rewire itself as it's being used. We know that individuals who are blind can change their occipital lobe (that which sighted people use to process seeing) to process tactile sensations such as reading Braille or to process the localization of sound. A common misconception is that your brain is a fixed thing like a map—already fixed and set up. It may surprise you to learn that your brain changes and adapts and can be exercised like a muscle by doing things like meditation.

Get Started With Guided Biofeedback Meditation 

The first step in meditation is to learn how to relax yourself by not using any stimulation. You want to learn to quiet your nervous system in a healthy way. A very effective way to relax is to learn breathing techniques guided by your heartbeat or brain waves. Think of these tools as training wheels when learning to ride a bicycle. They are great for teaching your body something new.  As a beginner, it’s hard to understand what people are talking about when discussing meditation. A good teacher will teach you how to pass the roadblocks. Finding supportive people can help bolster your meditation practice. 

Be Kind To Yourself—Meditation Takes PractiSe!

Just trying is a victory. The brain is going to be all over the place when you first start meditating. It’s like trying to teach a puppy to sit. You have to be patient and do it over and over again to teach your brain how to sit. Meditation must be experienced. You're learning to integrate your mind with your body. It’s not an intellectual experience. Using intellect would be like trying to learn how to ride a bicycle by listening to a lecture.

DON'T GIVE UP! PERSEVERANCE IS KEY!

According to Chinese philosopher Confucius, "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." Remember, meditation is a journey. The most important thing to remember is to start and don't give up. Five minutes of meditation practice a day is better than an hour once a week. 

LEARN FROM THE PROS

Find yourself an author who speaks to meditation in a comprehensive way that resonates with you. A great novel to start with is Jon Kabat-Zinn's book Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. This book speaks to living in the present moment and bringing mindfulness meditation into your daily life. Another great author is Jack Kornfield, a Buddhist practitioner who speaks to bringing meditation practice into Western society. And, if you're a skeptic, check out 10% Happier by author Dan Harris. This is an interesting story about being a network broadcaster who experiences an on-air panic attack. 

There is no better time than now to start your meditation journey. Join the many meditators who make time each day to make themselves a little healthier, a little happier, and more well rounded through their practice. It all starts by doing!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Sara Lazar's TEDx Talk on meditation and its effects on neuroanatomy
• Join MIT's online community. Every day at 2:50 PM, MIT hosts a Zoom meditation for 10 minutes. Drop in any day. 
• Lisa Greenbaum's meditation for brain recovery