#4 What Is Meditation? (Vipassana Part 1) — Day 0

Once upon a time,

Thousands of years ago,

In ancient India,

There were people who had a lot of free time.

These mystics left their hometowns and villages in search of peace and solitude.

They found it in dense forests,

Far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

There,

Amidst nature,

They immersed themselves in studying their inner world.

By looking within,

They discovered that their minds were overflowing with an endless stream of thoughts and emotions,

Which,

Like most people,

Caused them anxiety and brought no real benefit.

However,

Through careful observation of their consciousness,

The mystics noticed that if they didn't feed these thoughts,

They would gradually quiet down.

Through this practice,

They were able to transform their state of mind from within,

Achieving mental clarity and inner peace.

In India,

This practice became known as Nai,

Which translates as Insight.

Today,

We call it Meditation.

Fast forward thousands of years to the early 2000s.

During this time,

Scientists began making astonishing discoveries by studying the brain and its ability to change through certain activities.

Until the late 20th century,

It was believed that the brain was rigid like stone and couldn't change.

But then the phenomenon of neuroplasticity was discovered,

Showing that the brain could change its structure,

Forming new neural connections.

One of the most remarkable findings was that meditation could trigger these changes.

Through numerous studies,

It was revealed that structural changes occurred in the brains of those who meditated.

For instance,

The neural network responsible for the chaotic stream of thoughts became less active.

The size of the amygdala,

The part of the brain responsible for fear and anxiety,

Shrunk.

Meanwhile,

The amount of grey matter in the sensory areas of the brain's cortex increased,

Leading to enhanced sensory perception.

These discoveries showed that ancient Indian practices indeed possess unique properties that can improve brain function.

But that's not all.

Psychology also owes much to Eastern philosophy.

Ancient mystics claimed that regular meditation helps one realize the illusory nature of thoughts.

Modern cognitive psychotherapy is based on this principle,

Teaching us that obsessive thoughts are merely interpretations of reality,

Not reality itself.

Think about it.

Imagine someone makes a sarcastic comment to you.

You might start searching for hidden meaning,

And more often than not,

You'd come to conclusions far from the truth.

She said that on purpose.

They always say this to me.

They want to hurt me.

This is how one thought leads to another and they multiply.

The goal of meditation is to understand that these thoughts are just stories you're making up for yourself.

Over time,

You can learn not to be a victim of them,

But it takes practice.

By the way,

You don't need to look like an Indian deity or sit in the lotus position to meditate.

You can engage in breathing exercises,

Contemplation,

Dancing,

Or even fishing.

Anything that helps clear the mind can be a great starting point.

These techniques help bring the mind to a healthier state.

Modern science is finally beginning to confirm what ancient mystics knew thousands of years ago.

Meditation truly changes our brain and can make us more calm and aware.

Let's take a closer look at how meditation affects the mind and cleanses it of negative thoughts and how this,

In turn,

Influences our body.

Meditation,

Especially practices like vipassana and anapanasati,

Fosters the development of mindfulness.

This enables a person to better track their emotional and physical states as well as understand the causes behind them.

Regular meditation improves one's ability to control emotional responses.

This is supported by research showing that meditation reduces stress,

Anxiety,

And depression levels.

Meditation helps develop the ability to concentrate for longer periods,

Which is crucial for deep understanding and analysis of one's inner states.

With meditation,

You can learn to recognize subtle changes in your thoughts and feelings.

Meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system,

Which helps lower cortisol levels and generally relax the body.

This allows for better awareness and control over stressful states.

Regular meditation encourages the transfer of mindfulness into daily actions.

This helps one notice mood changes more quickly and respond to them appropriately.

Numerous scientific studies confirm that meditation improves a person's emotional state,

Promotes self-awareness,

And develops self-regulation skills.

Thus,

Meditation is an effective tool for tracking and working with the states of consciousness,

Improving the ability for self-analysis and emotional control.

Also,

As we know,

Water plays a fundamental role in maintaining health and overall well-being.

Water not only makes up about 70% of our body,

But also has a unique structure and form that affect its interaction with the body.

It's essential for many functions,

From maintaining blood circulation and brain function to regulating body temperature.

Lack of water can lead to decreased attention,

Worsened mood and even headaches,

All of which can interfere with deep and productive meditation.

Another important topic is the impact of thoughts on the structure of water in the body and their vibrations.

This is often discussed in the context of studies like those by Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto.

He claimed that human thoughts,

Emotions,

And intentions could affect the structure of water,

Causing changes at the molecular level.

According to Emoto,

Positive thoughts such as love,

Gratitude,

And joy contribute to forming harmonious and beautiful crystalline structures in water.

In his studies,

Water crystals exposed to positive influences demonstrated symmetry and beauty,

Which Emoto believed reflected harmony and favorable vibrations.

In contrast,

Negative thoughts and emotions,

Such as hatred or fear,

Led to distorted and chaotic structures.

Positive words such as love,

Joy,

And gratitude create high,

Harmonious vibrations.

The water in our body,

Under the influence of these vibrations,

Forms harmonious structures that promote overall health improvement,

Stress reduction,

And immunity boost.

Negative words such as hate,

Anger,

And fear create low,

Destructive vibrations.

These vibrations can lead to chaos on a molecular level,

Disrupting harmony within the body and contributing to the development of diseases,

Mood deterioration,

And reduced life energy.

Therefore,

Emoto's experiment illustrates how words,

Thoughts,

And even intentions can have a powerful impact on water,

And consequently,

On ourselves.

Mindful choices of words and thoughts,

Along with meditation and positive thinking practices,

Can help harmonize our bodies,

Support health,

And improve quality of life.

Meditation,

One of the oldest practices,

Has garnered significant attention from scientists today and the results of their studies are astonishing.

Another scientific phenomenon proves that in a resting state,

An average adult produces about 100 watts of energy,

Enough to sustain essential life functions such as breathing,

Circulation,

And thermoregulation.

However,

Meditation can radically alter this state,

And here's how it works.

Studies conducted by scientists at Harvard University,

Led by Sarah Lazar,

Have shown that meditation not only helps with relaxation,

But literally changes the structure of the brain.

In the experiment,

Participants meditated for 40 minutes daily for 8 weeks.

The results revealed an increase in gray matter density in the hippocampus,

The brain region associated with learning and memory,

And a decrease in the size of the amygdala responsible for stress and anxiety.

This is not just a correlation,

The changes in brain structure are linked to improved cognitive functions and reduced stress levels.

When it comes to the body's energy consumption,

Studies also show interesting results.

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health in the USA found that regular meditation practice reduces the body's metabolic activity.

In an experiment,

It was revealed that the oxygen consumption level in meditating participants decreased by an average of 16%.

This means that the body used less energy to maintain basic physiological processes,

Which,

In turn,

Reduced energy output from 100 watts to 70 watts or lower.

This effect persisted even after the meditation session ended,

Indicating long-term changes in energy balance.

Another study conducted in the University of Wisconsin-Madison by Richard Davidson showed that meditation alters the functioning of the nervous system.

Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,

FMRI,

Scientists discovered that experienced meditators had reduced activity in the so-called default mode network,

A set of brain areas active when a person is not focused on external tasks and is immersed in a stream of unconscious thoughts.

The default mode network,

TMN,

Is a collection of brain areas that activate when we are not focused on specific external tasks and are engaged in internal reflection.

This network becomes active when we are at rest,

Not engaged in purposeful activity,

And our mind is free from directed effort.

This network includes regions responsible for thinking about our own thoughts and feelings,

Self-reflection,

And internal dialogue in a resting state.

We often analyze past events or plan for the future,

Which activates this network.

Activity in the default mode network is also linked to the processes when we immerse ourselves in dreams or fantasies,

Even if they are not related to current tasks.

When we engage in automatic actions,

Such as walking or performing routine tasks that do not require active conscious control,

This network is also activated.

The default mode network helps us process emotional experiences and feelings,

Even when we are not directly aware of it.

Research shows that the activity of this network decreases when we focus on specific tasks or external activities.

For example,

During meditation or while performing goal-oriented cognitive tasks,

Default mode network activity decreases,

Which may contribute to improved concentration and reduced scattered thinking.

Default mode network activity can also be linked to states of stress or anxiety.

In such cases,

Activity in this network may increase,

Leading to a surge in unconscious thought flows and inner dialogue.

This emphasizes the importance of meditation and other practices aimed at attention management and improving mindfulness to balance default mode network activity and reduce its negative impact on mental well-being.

Decreased activity in this network is associated with a reduction in scattered thinking and an increase in concentration.

This can help improve focus on current tasks and lower stress levels,

Contributing to overall better quality of life and health.

Meditation also significantly impacts sleep quality.

As proven by researchers at the University of Southern California,

They found that people who regularly practice meditation experience improved sleep quality and reduced recovery time for the body.

This is because meditation helps lower stress hormone levels,

Such as cortisol,

Which in turn leads to more efficient energy use throughout the day.

Thus,

Meditation is not just an ancient practice for calming the mind,

But a powerful tool that has a tangible effect on physiological processes.

Scientific studies confirm that meditation reduces the body's energy consumption,

Improves overall health,

And promotes a more mindful and efficient life.

It is the key to harmony,

Inner peace,

And an enhanced quality of life.

Today,

Meditation has become an integral part of the lives of many developing individuals,

And among them are quite a few famous actors who actively use this practice to achieve inner balance and personal growth.

Here are a few of them who actively practice meditation today.

Jason Statham.

This actor and former martial arts champion has proven that meditation can be as important as physical training.

He actively practices mindfulness,

Maintaining both his concentration and physical shape.

Gwyneth Paltrow.

Actress and entrepreneur,

Gwyneth Paltrow has made meditation a part of her life and business.

She actively engages in mindfulness practices and promotes a healthy lifestyle through her platform Goop.

Richard Gere.

One of the most well-known advocates of meditation,

Richard Gere is deeply immersed in Tibetan Buddhism.

His commitment to meditation and spiritual practices also reflects in his active participation in charitable and spiritual initiatives.

Leonardo DiCaprio.

Oscar-winning actor and activist,

Leonardo DiCaprio uses meditation to manage stress and enhance his concentration.

His meditation practice helps him stay focused and balanced in a complex and dynamic life.

Charlize Theron.

Charlize Theron finds meditation supports her mental and physical well-being.

This practice helps her maintain inner harmony and cope with the demands of a professional career.

Julia Roberts.

Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts is known for her commitment to meditation and mindfulness.

Her practice helps her effectively handle life's challenges and professional demands.

Kirsten Dunst.

Actress Kirsten Dunst actively practices meditation and mindfulness,

Which greatly influences her personal life and career.

Meditation helps her find inner strength and clarity.

Mark Ruffalo.

Mark Ruffalo has also incorporated meditation into his life.

This practice contributes to his personal growth and inner development,

Helping him face challenges and find harmony.

Meditation and mindfulness have become powerful tools for maintaining health and harmony in the lives of these stars,

Showing how ancient practice can become a key element of a modern lifestyle.

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