Sunday Reading - Meditation is a contemplative

 

Breathe In, Breathe Out      Meditation is a contemplative practice to integrate the mind and body. It's also a multibillion-dollar business with thousands of years of history behind it. There are numerous meditation apps, retreats, workshops, and lifestyle and commercial products tied to meditation and mindfulness. > A look at how meditation changes our brain waves. (More) > Meditation has been hailed as a "mind hack" in tech circles. (More) Since the 1960s, meditation has grown increasingly popular in the US, and it now surpasses yoga and acupuncture in its adoption. Meditation can take different forms, including mindfulness meditation, which focuses on being present and on examining one's breath, and transcendental meditation, which aims to center oneself with a mantra. > Science says our minds wander nearly half of the time in ways that make us unhappy. (More) > Advanced meditation can lead to an altered sense of consciousness—but it's not like a coma. (More) > Yoga is very popular, but meditation is even more so. (More) Studies have explored meditation's applications for a wide range of health issues, including anxiety, stress, depression, pain, and substance abuse disorders. There has been less research on the potential risks of meditation, with some recent work suggesting that intense meditation can result in health issues such as feelings of panic, paranoia, and more. > "Meditation sickness" affects a surprising number of people. (More) > There's a "dark" side to meditation, according to this recent in-depth feature. (More) Discover more:  > There are almost 75 listed meditation studies seeking participants. (More) > Sweden has a breathing-based museum. (More)