Meditation - A Complete Meditation Guide To Happiness, Stress Relief, Mindfulness, And Finding Peace Within

By Adidas Wilson and Maximus Wilson

According to Aristotle, people can choose to be happy. A new study shows that it is possible for you to grow a happier brain physically using practices such as meditation. Science has already determined the hormones that give rise to emotions like desire or pleasure, but no one has been able to say for sure where feelings of well-being and overall contentment come from. Kyoto University scientists set out to get the answer. They gathered 51 volunteers and asked each one of them to rate their own levels of happiness. They then scanned the brains of the volunteers to try and see if there were any differences between the glum individuals and the upbeat ones. Surprisingly, the happier people had a larger precuneus (an area of the brain). This means that you can work happiness like a muscle. Some studies in the past have shown that it is possible to boost grey matter in your precuneus with regular meditation. This explains why meditators experience feelings of bliss and even general contentment. The scientist who oversaw this study said that medics could now measure the things that increase happiness in people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adidas Wilson
• Release date: Mar 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386952718

Book preview

Introduction to Meditation

Meditation may seem like an intimidating process, but it is simple. Before getting into the details, here are the benefits of meditating. Meditation makes you calmer. Research has proven that EEG activity reduces during the meditation process. Blood flow in your brain increases. People who practice meditation need less sleep.  Meditation slows the aging process and increase grey matter in the brain. Meditation enhances focus and facilitates flow. When you meditate you will procrastinate less and do more in a short time. Meditation boosts test scores for students. This practice helps you gain perspective by allowing your mind to defragment thoughts. There are many more benefits of meditation. This chapter is about breathing meditation. Basically, it is a very easy process. You just focus on breathing. When your mind starts wandering away from your breathing, you bring it back and continue to concentrate. You repeat this until you hear your meditation timer. This improves your attention span. There are two things that you will need, but you probably already have them. Something to sit on: people meditate while standing but it is better to begin while sitting. Timer: checking your clock every time will interfere with this process, so a timer makes sense. When it comes to something to sit on, you have three options here: Chairs are suitable for beginners or people with back problems. If you are just starting out, use a chair instead of purchasing a meditation cushion. After a few sessions, when you have a routine and are comfortable, you can go out and buy your cushion. A meditation cushion also known as a zafu. Most people use it to sit on. It makes it easy to be in an upright position which makes you more alert. A meditation bench is more comfortable for taller people or people who find the cushion uncomfortable. Most phones have an inbuilt timer and maybe a meditation app too.

●  Insight timer: this is a great app and it has a free version.

●  Meditate for iPhone: this one goes for $3.99 but it is worth it.

How to Sit

●  Your back should be straight. If you are using a chair, do not rest on the back—let your back remain erect.

●  You can either close or open your eyes.

●  Forget about your hands. Keep them where you will feel comfortable.

●  Choose how to cross your legs.

●  Look downward slightly. This is to open your chest.

The best pose is the one that keep your alert, comfortable and upright.

What to Do

Get comfortable. Find a position that is both comfortable and upright. You can switch off the lights or dim them. Start the timer. Focus on your breath. Close your mouth then focus on how air enters and leaves your nostrils. Just breathe normally and concentrate on that. Do not think. Avoid analyzing your breath. Focus on it but do not think about it. Bring your mind back when it