I’m always interested to see the deep and lasting changes that can come from a regular meditation regimen…
…especially when those changes can be measured on a physical level.
Meditation has long been touted as a go-to source for stress reduction, and in recent years, researchers have been compiling evidence to back up those claims, even showing that mindfulness causes changes in brain structure.
Some of the latest findings come from the work of Richard J. Davidson, PhD and his colleagues in Wisconsin, Spain, and France.
(If his name sounds familiar, that’s because Dr. Davidson has been doing a lot of work looking at the brain’s response to meditation, and he’s the author of the New York Times Bestseller, The Emotional Life of Your Brain.)
While lots of studies have shown the positive effects of meditation, Dr. Davidson’s team took a unique approach. They wanted to find out what was happening at a cellular level.
To do that, they compared the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness meditation in a group of 19 experienced meditators with a group of 21 untrained people who engaged in a day of quiet leisure activities.
At the beginning and end of the day, each participant gave a blood sample.
When the blood samples were analyzed, they found evidence of a rapid change in gene expression within those folks who meditated – genes that regulate inflammation and pain as well as some associated with cortisol recovery from a stress test.
These findings are pretty exciting because the genes involved have been a target for pharmaceutical interventions. So meditation could offer an alternative solution with the potential for fewer side effects.
One caveat to this study is that researchers were looking at the effects of an intense one-day meditation intervention in people who were already experienced meditators. That means we can’t generalize the results to new meditators.
It’ll be interesting to see how the results turn out when non-meditators are given the same intervention.
This study presents a novel way of looking at the effects of mindfulness, and it is sure to open the door to some really cool new research (and perhaps some new methods for treatments).
If you’d like to read more about this work, it was published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, volume 40.
It’s always encouraging to learn about the physical changes that can come from mindfulness. Changing the brain, or even gene expression, are just some of the exciting possibilities for mindfulness as treatment.
Even more exciting (to me, anyway) is how mindfulness can change the way we interact with people. Mindfulness can help almost any relationship.
How has mindfulness made a difference for you or your patients? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
When we are not mindful we can be like puppets guided by the strings yanked up and down by Triggers. But in mindfulness the puppet who has nothing but the present moment in his own little wooden head, can realize he is in charge.
During and after attending an introduction to Bhuddhist Meditation over four sessions I have learned-as Thicch Nhat Hanh says-“Peace begins with me”, experiencing how meditation, a clam and attentive concentration on the mind and body in the present moment, is deeply beneficial, and among other things allows us to find calm and awareness within, and live with a greater awareness, and less anxiety.
I am a molecular biologist and this observation blows my mind, although I am not sure why I am surprised. I will be back after I read Dr. Davidson’s paper.
A daily sitting practice of meditation has allowed me to show up to Life more open, receptive, engaged, positive and non reactive. I look forward to my mornings as they are my time to renew, recharge and contemplate a better more optimistic outlook to my day. Meditation has made it possible for me to “use” my mind rather than be used by it.
Many times throughtout the day while going through the usual busy hustle of a 12-16 work day, I close my eyes, take deep conscious breaths and focus my attention to the area of my heart. This not only reminds me of my true essence, but it does a great job of centering a chatty runny mind. It also recharges my battery gives me the positive energy I need to deal with many clients.
I’m a beginner. What I have noticed so far is an ability to find things that were ‘misplaced’, ‘lost’. During meditation the locations of 3 items came to me last week. And once this week I had a brief sense of a calmness that I have not known for years.
This research confirms our findings. Unfortunately, brain change techniques have not kept the pace. For over 15 years we have combined, simplified and tested cutting edge brain change, energy techniques on 1000s of clients with consistent results that defy traditional practice limits. Brain Body Balance tm is a complete change system of Brain Feng Shui tm techniques that target the unconscious root cause. Your brain can change in seconds, deleting negative habits and rewiring success habits for lasting change. When you discover and delete your brain space clutter, you sync instantly with the PRESENT energy to heal, attract and create effortlessly. It’s like deleting a virus, setting your life program free. A great example is Bobbi, 91 year old lady, with panic disorder for 70 years who had tried every medical and natural treatment. She is now panic free after 3 sessions 3 years ago. In this world of a created change and stress, we need accelerated change techniques!
It is my belief that mloethoeisma will be the most fatal cancer. It has unusual features. The more I look at it the greater I am convinced it does not respond like a real solid human cancer. If mloethoeisma is often a rogue viral infection, so there is the probability of developing a vaccine in addition to offering vaccination for asbestos uncovered people who are open to high risk involving developing upcoming asbestos related malignancies. Thanks for expressing your ideas about this important health issue.
HI, Ruth!
Thank you so much, throughout this whole series, for this information, your insights, as well as the insights of your noted authors and practitioners…Truly, both an experience, and thought provoking.
As I AM a native of CT, UConn, as well as your graduate student, I totally look forward to meeting with you as your schedule permits, as I will be in CT next month, to discuss the possibilities of,perhaps, working together. Please feel free to contact me rhonda (at) HelpMeRhondaNow.com
I look forward to speaking with you!
Blessings!
Rhonda
949.527.1574 direct line
“There is a mighty Power within you. There is that Spirit of Life, Light, and Love. The more you feast on these ideas and fast from old corrosive ones, the closer you experience the Life you desire.”
-Frank Richelieu, The Art of Being Yourself
Rhonda M. Farrah, MA, DRWA
The Wellness Institute International
888.770.7370
rhonda (at) HelpMeRhondaNOW.com
TheWellnessInstitute.tv
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HI, Ruth!
Thank you so much, throughout this whole series, for this information, your insights, as well as the insights
I developed panic disorder after working too hard for too long and I was severely ‘messed up’ mentally as a result. My instinct told me to do deep, diaphragmatic breathing as part of my recovery strategy when I was at my lowest ebb.
This lessened the severity of the panic attacks while I was still having them, and I found that, when I lay down at any time, panic attack or not,quieten my mind and just concentrated on slowing my breathing rate right down to a few deep, diaphragmatic breaths per minute with a pause between inhaling and exhaling, making the breath out like a very big ‘sigh’ and then with a big pause before I started the cycle again, I became very deeply relaxed, and I could sometimes partially or even totally lose sensation of where my legs were situated until I deliberately wriggled my toes or moved my legs again. During this process I would focus only on my breathing, and in between breaths I would just focus on my heartbeat. I could just tell that this was doing me a great deal of good, apart from just breaking the stress cycle of day to day living.
Since that time I have regularly done this process at least once per day for around 20 minutes or more. It rejuvenates me and freshens me up from, say, a fuzzy, tired, ‘out of it’ feeling to a feeling equivalent to having had a restful sleep and am ready to go again.
It is an incredible ‘oasis of calm and restoration’ for me and it was a God send all through the recovery process from the disabling hell of the panic attacks I suffered from burning myself out through over work.
I would recommend it to anyone.
I have been practicing Transcendental Meditation, a mantra meditation which is different than mindfulness meditation, for 41 years. There are thousands of studies on the physical, emotional, biological effects of TM and I can attest to the benefits described. If TM were not easy, effortless really, and had it not had dramatic and immediately observable benefits, I would not have continued to do it. I ‘fell off the wagon” when our children were born, though, and fell back into long, depressive periods I had had before learning TM. But even then, the depression was not as deep, not as debilitating and not as long lasting. So I could surmise that my nervous system was stronger than it had been before I began TM. Once back to regular meditation, those depressions went away and I returned to the clarity of thinking, healthy blood pressure and other vital signs, and a more productive and fulfilling life. I have no doubt that my DNA was changed with this practice. It was being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis following the birth of our younger child when I was 40 that sent me back to TM and other life style changes. Within 2 years I was symptom free and have remained so for 28 years. That’s proof enough for me!
Hi Ruth,
Thank you for the meditation study. I have been meditating for a long time and use it for healing all my bodies-physical-emotional-mental and spiritual. It is amazing how the healing modalities of the East and native peoples are now known to the west. I am Kenyan and grew up with mindfulness of all my body wisdom. I forgot all about it as I embarked on the Western medicine teachings. I have a degree in biology and specialized in chemistry and molecular genetics. I spent 27 years in medical and now I have come full circle to the wisdom of my whole being. Thank you for your gift to us.
Working with the methadone clinics in Gainesville & Lake City, I see Mindfulness as a means of getting to their ‘still inner core.’ Working with opiate addicts who also have other serious chemical dependencies with co-occurring mental illness presents a unique challenge. I see our clients as walking hurricanes of stress, frustration, drug addiction, mental illnesses, angry because nothing works right for them — raging out of control like a hurricane doing damage where ever they go to themselves, their family & the society they live in. However, like a hurricane, there is a still inner core that may be reached through Mindfulness. This population is never ‘still’ because they are out of control & Mindfulness can help them reach that safe inner core that can lead them back to their humanity.
Mindulness is returning personl control and de-escalating depression, anxiety, stress, anger, alcohol and other drugs being abused, PTSD, OCD, pain, etc., etc.
It allows the client to be in charge utilizing the technique of his/her own choosing.
Whatever one wishes to call it, tomorrow, it can work!
Thaks. It`s wondwerfull
I believe we are entering a new age of consciousness. The general and widespread use and benefit of mindfuness meditation is a revolution in consciousness akin to the adoption of the Descartian ideal centering the essence of what it is to be human in thinking. Mindfulness reunites the sensing, imaginary, feeling body with the mind to recenter our human-ness on the direct experience of being. Simply being aware of the present moment is the essence of mindfulness. A simple instruction, yes; but one which requires practice at regular intervals because the thinking mind is so powerful. When its power is more regulated, as in mindfulness meditation, it then becomes free to allow for the creation of the authentic self. A bit at a time, yes, but that frreedom, fullness of being, return to the normalcy of parasympathetic (relaxed) living, and authenticity are what is drawing so many people to Mindfulness practice.
Thank you for sharing this , I love the positive possibilities we can do for ourselves everyday to improve our lives, there fore everyone we come into contact with and it costs us nothing but time!
First of all. I, because of the damage done from advanced, “chronic”, “late stage” ( or whatever name you wish) Lyme disease suffer constant EXCRUCIATING pain… until someone is pain free, or at least at tolerable levels, they can do NOTHING….
Are you AWARE of what is going on, on a MASSIVE scale in this country? Watch “under our Skin…”, see: “ILADS….” Find out WHY many cannot even do THIS for themselves anymore….
Thank you for publishing this and offering a comments section, very helpful posts here too!!!
My naturopathic dr. recommended Holosync. It is somewhat helpful but because it moves your brain from Beta to Alpha & Theta FOR YOU it is not as empowering or enlightening as direct meditation. Still, I think it can be a good alternative or starting point for people finding it difficult to get started with meditation. I also do walking meditation (in nature!) where I do not use headphones or a cell phone and I try to pay attention to/notice what I’m thinking about, and sometimes I direct my mind toward focusing on a feeling.
I wish this article had a little more info, Ruth Thank you for sort of letting us know that meditation can change gene expression, but it would be more scientific to say something about the degree of experience the meditators had — one MBSR course? a year? one long retreat? 5-10 years? This article is like a tease — can you offer more info please? We could possibly generalize somewhat if we knew something about how people who had ____ amount of experience were able to benefit from a day of intense meditation. What KIND of meditation? And what KIND of meditation experience did they have? Thanks for opening the subject. It would be good to have Sara Lazar, a well-known meditation researcher, teach in one of your programs. Maybe Mindfulness Research could be a topic. I honestly don’t find summaries like this very helpful since there are so many factors missing from the reported meaning of the outcome.
Meditation (and other daily practices) HAVE changed my gene expression. In the mid-90s I started having symptoms of early Alzheimer’s, following in my mother’s footsteps who wasted away with that dreaded disease. Then 10 years ago I had a wake-up call and realized that my thoughts and beliefs about aging were created a life for me that I did not want. I put together a program of practices (including continuing twice-daily meditation, which I had learned in 1974, and the Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation) and they reversed my Alzheimer’s symptoms and changed my life. Three years ago I tested positive for the Alzheimer’s gene, but I have no intention of allowing it to become expressed. Dr. Bruce Lipton’s work in Epigenetics has been extremely influential in my life.
I often teach my clients Herb Benson’s Relaxation Response and without exception they all find it calming, focusing and an enhancement to their lives and to their work.
The game of Looking for Light is a mindfulness meditation which conditions the body/mind into seeing God everywhere. It lifts the spirit into higher vibrational frequencies of gratitude and joy, creating a continuous feedback loop through mindful play. You can download a free copy of the “game” at LookingforLight.net.
Thank you, Ruth, for all you do to bring us greater understanding and a fuller, richer, more joy-filled life.
Herwig, I think you mean 10 days? – the Goenka retreats are 10 days. In any case, meditation is a lifelong practice, and like any practice, the more you do it, the more clear the benefits. I began a mindful meditation practice 14 years ago. Before I was a parent, I had a very regular practice and incredible changes occurred in my life. But it was subtle. There was no “before and after” at the time, only in retrospect. After parenthood, my practice is less regular. I do believe my brain has changed, and the benefits of the regular practice for those years are still part of me. At the same time, I notice the difference in my thoughts and reactions now that I don’t sit as regularly. Less intuitive and refined, a little more mental. But still, I notice that.
After sitting from 4.30 AM to 9….9.30 PM for 50 days without talking or walking or reading nor looking at other meditators.I got into deeper and deeper levels of inner peace…clear aliveness,subtle inner aliveness and creativity.
After that Goenka head of VIPPASANA told me in private now you just got a strong foundation to start
with meditation.
yea done it to yet I ‘m doing hata yoga for 40 years with reflection instead of meditation so after 10 days of VIPPASANA a good foundation for meditation but stuff my left knee cause of regimented posture even I could do it easily but very painfully to stay 1 h (apparently I was resisting) now I practice every days for a full hour sitting on a chair with ease with all the benefit of it