Minimizing mental chatter would be wonderful, wouldn’t you think? Research indicates that a particular kind of meditation appears to support this as well as improve control and attention (1). The breakdown is as follows:
An in-depth view of Sahaja Yoga meditation.
By now, it should be common knowledge that meditation can enhance the quality of life for many individuals and even alter the structure of the brain. Researchers from universities in the US, Spain, and England specifically investigated the structural and functional advantages of Sahaja Yoga meditation for this study.
The goal of this type of meditation is to assist practitioners in reaching a state of mental calm, sometimes known as “no thought.” It has strong connections to the concepts of chakras, self-realization, and Kundalini energy. Placing your hand on various body energy centers and repeating affirmations are two techniques used in Sahaja Yoga meditation.
The functional connectivity of the meditation specialists’ brains as well as tests measuring their impulsivity and self-control were among the many areas of study for the researchers studying Sahaja Yoga. Their outcomes were contrasted with those of individuals who had never meditated before.
What they discovered.
The study’s conclusions imply that regular Sahaja Yoga meditation practice may indeed lead to beneficial modifications in the structure and function of the brain.
According to the researchers, “long-term meditation practice increases direct functional connectivity between ventral and dorsal frontal regions within brain networks related to attention and cognitive control and decreases function connectivity between regions of these networks and areas of the default mode network.” As the “default mode network,” it is essentially the monkey mind, or the source of the frequently occurring negative mental chatter (2).
Put simply, the results of this study indicate that meditation can improve the connections between brain regions associated with control and focus while weakening those associated with mental straying. Additionally, practitioners scored higher on measures of self-control and impulsivity. Benefiting both the practitioners’ brains and their own!
Though this is only one study, the results are encouraging for this meditation technique.
To Wrap Things Up
Everyone could use a vacation from constant thought. While it may appear impossible to quiet the mind, meditation, particularly Sahaja Yoga meditation, may be just what you need. Although there are many different types of meditation, this one might be worth trying if you want to improve your focus and self-control.
Looking for a way to maintain a lasting meditation routine, here are 10 simple suggestions to get started right away and keep up a regular practice.
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