I have had several friends extol the marvels of meditation, urging me to try it. I tried it a week or so ago, but I find it really difficult not to think about whatever it is I might be considering for the day or week or month, etc.
This article in WaPo suggests it may be worthwhile giving it a better, more thorough try.
We found differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different regions in the brains of the two groups. In the group that learned meditation, we found thickening in four regions:
1. The primary difference, we found in the posterior cingulate, which is involved in mind wandering, and self relevance.
2. The left hippocampus, which assists in learning, cognition, memory and emotional regulation.
3. The temporo parietal junction, or TPJ, which is associated with perspective taking, empathy and compassion.
4. An area of the brain stem called the Pons, where a lot of regulatory neurotransmitters are produced.
The amygdala, the fight or flight part of the brain which is important for anxiety, fear and stress in general. That area got smaller in the group that went through the mindfulness-based stress reduction program.
The change in the amygdala was also correlated to a reduction in stress levels.
The doctor interviewed for this article recommends getting a teacher for meditation. The problem I have with this is that I doubt if I will like or get along with any teachers. I wonder if there are any people in my area who tend toward being libertarians and who teach meditation. Failing that, I'll have to search for a good instruction set online. Any suggestions?
Update: at the same time, consider this.
[T]he treatment can itself trigger mania, depression, hallucinations and psychosis, psychological studies in the UK and US have found.
The practice is part of a growing movement based on ancient Eastern traditions of meditation.
However, 60 per cent of people who had been on a meditation retreat had suffered at least one negative side effect, including panic, depression and confusion, a study in the US found.