In recent times, many studies confirmed the positive impact of meditation for anxiety, chronic pain relief, depression, insomnia, and other problems; with thousands of people participating in them. There are ways of practicing meditation that can help people deal with what afflicts them. However, are you aware that, in some cases, meditation can also help people heal what afflicts them?
A remarkable story of healing
A Daily Beast report titled “Could Meditation Cure Disease’’ shares a story of a 37-year old Tibetan lama that came in New York with a gangrenous leg. He was advised by three separate doctors that there is only one solution; amputation of his leg as quickly as possible. While his doctors were confident that the gangrene will kill him if he kept the leg, he consulted with the Dalaï Lama before giving permission. The Dalaï Lama advised him not to amputate but to do specific meditation practices for healing, instead.
The story later describes how the condition hit a turning point after six months of intensive meditation therapy; which they thought is medically unimaginable. However, within a year, his leg was cured and the lama walked again.
Throughout the years there have been many stories of recovery based on faith and prayer. What caught everyone’s attention is that the condition and healing were well recorded; the case was being studied by a team of esteemed doctors and researchers. They tried to determine whether such a thing could be plausible.
Dr. William C. Bushell, one of the researchers, talked about the Tibetan – and yogic – rituals including prana; the body’s powerful circulatory and spiritual mechanism, also known as “the winds”. In the report, Bushell stated the following, “From a Western science perspective it is not completely clear what the winds are. But scientific data shows to me and others that the meditative cycle involving winds includes increased local blood pressure, metabolic activity, and oxygenation.”
Meditation can transform the mind; the mind can transform the body
Even for brain researchers across the world, the method of using meditation for self-healing has been of significant importance. The connection between meditation and a healthy brain has been confirmed in multiple studies. In addition, the brains of long-term meditation practitioners may appear to be built a bit differently from those of non-meditators.
Depression, frustration, tension, and anxiety are controlled by two areas of the brain; the right prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. When your mind is upset or you are angry, those regions are overly active. On the other hand, the left prefrontal cortex is connected with feelings of calm, joy, self-awareness, and a positive attitude. This area is stimulated in the long-term meditators’ brains. So is the release of the “happy” serotonin neurotransmitter; besides, certain anti-depressants boost serotonin chemically, so that’s what helps us feel less sad. The activity of dopamine with meditation has been also linked by some clinical studies. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that helps produce enjoyment and reward feelings (just like sweets, but without any calories).
Studies show that mediation can influence the sympathetic nervous system; while keeping heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration within normal boundaries. These are the physical limits that go hand in hand with feelings of anxiety and stress when poorly managed.
There is no doubt in associating stress and anxiety with a large variety of illnesses; including heart attacks, digestive problems, increased blood pressure, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction. And studies show that multiple types of meditation help relieve stress; beginning with mindfulness, as taught, for example, in Mindfulness-Based Stress Management, and silent mantra meditation, as well as guided meditation, calming meditation, meditation while walking and more.
Remember to take care of your whole self
Trinlay Rinpoche, an academic and expert in mediation that works around the world, states that; the greatest way to take care of yourself, including your mind, your body and most importantly your spirit, is meditation. Not only does meditation make our lives more fulfilling but it also gives us a natural healing method. Many illnesses start with an imbalanced or distressed mind and grow into susceptible body parts. We learn to better control the factors that interrupt our mind by working with it. In that way, we are improving the natural defenses of our body.
One of the best ways to relieve the stress that builds up in our mind and the tensions that accumulate in our body is by practicing guided meditation for healing. You can fully enjoy it and keep yourself relaxed; this is one of the reasons that makes it incredibly effective. You just need to try to stay focused. You can find this type of meditation for healing in groups for meditations, audio, video, and community settings.
By being interested in this article, it is clear that you want to learn more about the practice of mediation and its benefits; making our lives fulfilled and meaningful. Remember, the more you learn and practice it, the more you enrich your life. Make sure to enjoy every moment and keep track of your mind.