Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, but it took root in the United States in the 1960s. Today, it has become an important part of the country’s wellness culture.
Research shows that meditation can reduce stress and anxiety and improve focus. But how do you stay focused on your breathing and mindfulness in this fast-paced, busy world we live in?
There is a common misconception that meditation means switching off your brain or stopping your thoughts altogether. But that’s not exactly true.
Mindfulness meditation is “really about learning to be in the present moment,” says Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at the Mindful School at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has been practicing her meditation since 1989, including her year as a nun in Myanmar.
“If you checked your mind at any point during the day, you would probably find yourself thinking or remembering things from the past… or making plans for the future, obsessing, or worrying. “There will be,” Winston says. “Mindfulness is an invitation to be in the present moment, cultivated through the practice of meditation, where you are intent on bringing your mind back to the present, without getting distracted by thoughts.”
3 Questions for Diana Winston
What are the potential health benefits of meditation?
“There are a lot of scientific studies, but one of my favorites is about advanced meditators. These are people who have been living in caves in the Himalayas for about 30 or 40 years. The researchers found that their brains were different from those of their age group.
“As you get older, your brain gets thinner, so if you want to worry about something else, that’s fine. But in advanced meditators, we notice that this is happening, especially in the prefrontal cortex. did not.
“[The] Prefrontal cortex… [is] Responsible for emotional regulation, delay of gratification, working memory, and flexible thinking.all of that [was] It has been positively influenced. Advanced meditators had more gray matter. ”
What advice would you give to someone who has never meditated before but wants to start?
“It can be scary. The first thing you need to know is that like anything, it’s a practice. What I often get from people is that when they sit and meditate, their mind goes crazy. Know that it is normal to feel confused and stop meditating because it feels wrong.
“Our minds are built for threats. We’re always searching, and the mind is always thinking, thinking, thinking. So all we can do is pretend that it doesn’t matter. And then you just gently bring it back into the present moment. Over time, you’ll develop the skill and it will become easier and easier to use it in your daily life. can be incorporated into.”
How can we practice mindfulness in our daily lives?
“I’ve been meditating for a long time. I always say to my students, ‘I’m still angry.’ I still get anxious.” ” I have all the same things as everyone else, but what I realized is that I have the tools to deal with them.
“I’m a lot less reactive than I used to be, and I have a teenager, so it’s a great time to be reactive. And the other day, when I came in, I was really tired and I was in the bathroom. When I walked in, she was putting cream on her face and I thought, “What are you doing?” It’s for adults only! It’s not good for your skin! ”And I just yelled at her and then I took a moment to walk out of her room and just stop and check on myself.
“I like to teach a very simple exercise called ‘stop,’ where you stop, breathe, and observe what’s going on inside of you. ‘Oh, my stomach feels tight. It’s like, “I’m doing it.” My jaw is tight. I feel this anger. ” Then take a few more breaths and come back to center. This is exactly what I was able to do.
“Then I went back to my room and said, ‘Hey, I’m sorry I did that.’ I said, ‘I’m really tired. Let’s talk in the morning.'” Here’s how to incorporate it into your diet to make it healthier and sane. [and have] Better relationships. There are so many benefits to come in the future. ”
Samantha Rafelson produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Katherine Welch. Rafelson also adapted it for the web.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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