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Meditation

All articles tagged with #meditation

Inside the $75,000 Harmonic Egg: a spa-like plunge into energy therapy
wellbeing-and-fitness1 month ago

Inside the $75,000 Harmonic Egg: a spa-like plunge into energy therapy

Jemima Kelly visits the Harmonic Egg, a pricey energy-therapy chamber that uses sound, light and vibration for a claimed physical, mental and emotional detox. After a 40-minute London session guided by guardian Bea Badinska, she emerges relaxed but unconvinced of any measurable “energetic shift,” while noting the procedure rests on testimonials rather than medical evidence. The device, about £120 per session (with bundles), has roughly 250 units worldwide; skeptics like David Grimes warn against treating it as medical treatment. It’s a pricey, curiosity-driven wellness experiment for those nearby, not a guaranteed cure.

via Financial Times|
#alternative-medicine#energy-therapy#harmonic-egg
Mindful Dynamics: Two Meditation Styles Drive Distinct Brain States in Expert Monks
neuroscience1 month ago

Mindful Dynamics: Two Meditation Styles Drive Distinct Brain States in Expert Monks

A magnetoencephalography study of twelve highly trained Buddhist monks comparing Samatha (focused attention) and Vipassana (open monitoring) shows meditation reshapes brain dynamics beyond simple gamma increases: after removing non-rhythmic background noise, rhythmic gamma activity declines during both styles and brain signals become more complex and less tied to recent activity. Vipassana nudges the brain toward a critical state and flexible awareness, while Samatha remains more ordered. Hours of practice may align meditative states with resting patterns; a machine-learning classifier could distinguish meditating from resting states. Limitations include small sample size and no control group.

via PsyPost|
#brain-complexity#brain-oscillations#meditation
Meditation’s hidden risk: over 10% report serious adverse effects
science1 month ago

Meditation’s hidden risk: over 10% report serious adverse effects

A 2022 US study found that more than 10% of regular meditators report significant adverse effects—such as anxiety, depersonalization, or psychosis—that can disrupt daily functioning for a month or more. The findings echo long-standing warnings in Buddhist texts and contrast with the mindfulness industry’s promotion of benefits, as some research shows no mental-health gains or even harm for vulnerable groups.

via Boing Boing|
#adverse-effects#meditation#mental-health
Mindfulness Has a Dark Side: Adverse Effects Are More Common Than We Realize
science1 month ago

Mindfulness Has a Dark Side: Adverse Effects Are More Common Than We Realize

New research shows mindfulness and meditation can trigger adverse effects such as anxiety, depression, psychotic symptoms, and dissociation, even in people without prior mental-health issues, with a major UK study finding no mental-wellbeing benefit for at‑risk youths. The piece calls for ethical warnings, safer practice guidelines, and greater awareness of potential harm in the mindfulness industry.

via ScienceAlert|
#adverse-effects#meditation#mental-health
Meditation May Push the Brain Toward an Optimal Balance of Chaos and Order
science2 months ago

Meditation May Push the Brain Toward an Optimal Balance of Chaos and Order

A small MEG study of 12 Theravada monk meditators finds two meditation methods shape brain activity differently: Samatha yields a stable, focused state, while Vipassana nudges the brain toward 'criticality'—an optimal balance between chaos and order that may enhance information processing and learning. Experienced meditators show brain activity closer to resting patterns, gamma oscillations can decrease (suggesting less external processing), and some practitioners report anxiety or other drawbacks. The findings contribute to understanding how meditation reshapes neural dynamics and were published in Neuroscience of Consciousness (2025).

via ScienceAlert|
#brain#criticality#meditation
Seven-Day Mind-Body Retreat Triggers Rapid Brain and Blood Shifts
science2 months ago

Seven-Day Mind-Body Retreat Triggers Rapid Brain and Blood Shifts

UC San Diego researchers report that a seven-day intensive mind-body retreat, combining meditation with reconceptualization and open-label placebo, produced rapid, multi-system brain and blood changes in 20 healthy adults—lowered default-mode activity, signs of enhanced neuroplasticity, metabolic shifts toward flexible energy use, increased endogenous opioids, and a balanced immune response—patterns that resemble psychedelic brain states and could inform non-drug approaches to pain and stress, though clinical trials are still needed.

via SciTechDaily|
#meditation#mind-body#neuroplasticity
Meditation Retreats Induce Rapid Brain and Body Transformations
health-and-wellness5 months ago

Meditation Retreats Induce Rapid Brain and Body Transformations

A week-long meditation retreat combining various mind-body techniques led to significant rapid changes in brain activity, immune response, metabolism, and gene expression, demonstrating how consciousness-based practices can positively influence physical health and neuroplasticity, with effects similar to psychedelics, though further clinical research is needed.

via Neuroscience News|
#brain-plasticity#health-and-wellness#immune-system
Meditation Retreats Rapidly Reprogram Body and Mind, Study Finds
health-and-neuroscience5 months ago

Meditation Retreats Rapidly Reprogram Body and Mind, Study Finds

This study explores the neural and molecular effects of a 7-day mind-body retreat combining meditation, reconceptualization, and healing rituals, revealing significant changes in brain connectivity, neuroplasticity markers, metabolic pathways, immune responses, and exosomal RNAs, suggesting systemic physiological and psychological benefits beyond placebo effects.

via Nature|
#health-and-neuroscience#meditation#mind-body-interventions
Transforming Reality Through Elevated Consciousness
psychology5 months ago

Transforming Reality Through Elevated Consciousness

The article explores higher states of consciousness, or awakening experiences, which temporarily expand awareness and alter perception of reality. These experiences can be triggered by psychological distress, contact with nature, or spiritual practices, and often lead to lasting positive changes in outlook. While neuroscientific explanations exist, psychological factors like relaxation and mental quietness play a significant role. Cultivating stillness through meditation and nature contact can increase the likelihood of such transformative experiences.

via PsyPost|
#awakening#consciousness#meditation