Know What's Happening in Meditation
Know What's Happening in Meditation
Woman voluntarily enters psychedelic-like trance, brain scans reveal
A 37-year-old woman demonstrated the ability to enter a transcendental visionary state without any pharmacological aid. Functional MRI across twenty sessions showed a marked reduction in visual and somatosensory network coupling, while the frontoparietal control and salience networks became more integrated, indicating a reorganization toward lower-entropy connectivity.
Baylor University introduced a one‑credit elective, Science of Thriving, that blends neuroscience, centering exercises and journaling to improve student resilience. Early assessments show 87% of participants enhanced their coping abilities, marking a notable shift toward institutional mindfulness training.
Body‑focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as skin picking and hair pulling are often misunderstood as simple habits that can be stopped by willpower. Dr. Laura Chackes explains that these actions serve regulatory functions, and attempts to suppress them without addressing...
Wellness educator Wendy O’Leary introduces a guided meditation designed to help individuals access genuine happiness even during hardship. The practice combines body‑scan techniques with vivid recollection of joyful moments, encouraging participants to acknowledge difficult emotions while expanding the felt sense...
India's Ministry of AYUSH and the World Health Organization rolled out a suite of standardized yoga modules designed to prevent and manage lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma. The initiative, part of the Yoga 365 campaign, seeks to...
A gentle reminder as we step into Stress Awareness Month... Stress isn't a badge of honor. And being busy isn't the same as being well. Where is stress living in your body right now? Your shoulders? Your jaw? That tight chest you've been...
The article argues that perceiving everyday setbacks as neutral or friendly signals, rather than hostile attacks, can dramatically improve personal well‑being and organizational performance. By shifting from asking “why is this happening to me?” to “what can we learn?”, leaders...
A new study in Personality and Individual Differences introduces the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS), a 10‑item measure assessing belief that language can cause lasting psychological damage. Surveying 956 U.S. adults, the researchers found higher WCHS scores among younger, female,...
The Israeli Knesset approved a bill making the death penalty the default sentence for any Palestinian convicted of a deadly attack, sparking international condemnation. Meanwhile, former President Trump repeatedly claimed the Iran‑Israel conflict was nearing its end while distancing the...
Desireé B. Stephens shares a raw account of losing her Facebook business page after years of community building, framing the loss as systemic extraction of digital labor. She outlines four financing models that each target $20,000 a month—$240,000 annually—to sustain...
Nicole Daedone, the founder of OneTaste, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $12 million after a jury convicted her of a forced‑labor conspiracy. The ruling underscores growing legal scrutiny of alternative wellness practices that blur...
A blaze on March 26 engulfed the main meditation hall at Tassajara Mountain Zen Center in central California, just as a three‑month retreat was winding down. Monks and staff contained the fire, preventing injuries, but the wooden structure and priceless...
A new study of over 1,400 patients with treatment‑resistant depression found that 91% exhibited measurable autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction. Researchers used P&S monitoring to identify imbalances in sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. When therapy was redirected to correct the specific...
Vael Soma is a somatic practice created by Danish researcher Ingrid Falk‑Mortensen and Ecuadorian therapist Marco Caicedo‑Vera after a decade of interdisciplinary research. The method positions the practitioner as a “field witness,” using quantum coherence to align the body’s hidden...
A study of 308 pregnant individuals with pre‑pregnancy BMI ≥ 25 found that higher dispositional mindfulness was linked to better dietary quality on weekends, but not on weekdays or overall. Weekend Healthy Eating Index (HEI‑2020) scores were lower than weekday scores, yet...
There was a version of me who held everything together so no one else had to. Now I’m learning how to feel without managing the room. How to be honest without disappearing. If you’re in that space too — I see you.
Learned how to control my emotions through slowing down. I used to snap on people because my nervous system was shot.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have introduced a hydrogel‑based wearable that lifts peak‑detection accuracy for fatigue from 52% to 93% and achieves a 37 dB signal‑to‑noise ratio during movement. The device, called the metahydrogel artefact‑mitigating platform (MAP), combines material...
On days when stress levels are high, please spend time to sit down and to write down your blessings--all the things in your life that bring you joy. Then, take a few deep breaths. This should help. It works for...
Do you practise breathwork? And can attend a lab session @BSMSMedSchool? If so, email Dr Alessandro Colasanti: a.colasanti@bsms.ac.uk https://t.co/SWJ95MtPyD
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, together with charity Mental Health Innovations, launched a free 24/7 text‑messaging service that connects callers with trained mental‑health professionals. The service, already handling about 5,000 daily contacts, aims to ease pressure on NHS 111...
Breathwork Lab meeting today. EMDR therapist & PhD candidate @BSMSMedSchool, the great Jocelyn Rose. https://t.co/V5n71aZzfl
Rabbanit Leah Sarna and therapist Dashti are championing a new practice that frames Passover’s physical cleaning as a mental detox, calling it “internal chametz.” The movement links ancient ritual to modern self‑care, encouraging Jews to identify and release ego, guilt...
Researchers at Texas A&M University identified a direct neural link between the brain's stress centers and habit‑forming regions, showing alcohol blocks this communication. The finding clarifies why stress can trigger addictive behavior and raises the prospect of meditation‑based stress management...
A University of São Paulo study on mice shows that stress during adolescence permanently disrupts the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, whereas adult mice recover more quickly. The teenage mice exhibited lasting hyper‑excitability, irregular...
The piece argues that high‑functioning anxiety is not a fixed personality trait but a reinforced stress response. Neuroimaging shows the amygdala’s heightened reactivity, which fuels the HPA axis, cortisol spikes, and adrenaline surges. This physiological loop translates into chronic over‑preparation,...
The Royal Government of Bhutan, the Conscious Food Systems Alliance and UNDP launched the Global Conscious Food Systems Summit 2026, scheduled for Aug. 31‑Sep. 4 in Paro. Over 500 leaders gathered online to announce a framework that puts culture, wellbeing and collective...
Experts at Victoria University argue that shifting focus from what we eat to how we experience food—mindful or intuitive eating—delivers measurable physical and mental health benefits. The trend is reshaping nutrition advice and expanding the role of meditation in everyday...
Light Watkins explaining how inner work helps to expand awareness, using his glasses metaphor Drop a 👓 if you found it helpful
A phase IIa trial published in Nature Medicine found that a single intravenous dose of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), paired with structured psychotherapy, produced a rapid and sustained reduction in major depressive disorder symptoms. Participants receiving 21.5 mg of DMT showed an average...
Teresa Mira argues that most people give every passing thought equal weight, leading to mental overload. By consciously filtering which ideas receive attention, individuals can prevent cognitive clutter and preserve clarity. The post highlights discipline as the tool to train...
The article argues that intentional asymmetry—whether in breathing patterns, design, or leadership routines—enhances focus and engagement. Symmetric practices quickly become autopilot, while irregular patterns create perceptual disfluency that keeps the brain active. Drawing on neuroscience, Zen aesthetics (fukinsei), and examples...
The Union Ayush Ministry has launched a government‑backed "Yoga Protocol for Non‑Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Target Groups" across schools, workplaces and health centres. The disease‑specific modules prescribe 30‑60 minutes of daily asanas, breathing and meditation, aiming to address conditions that...
Welligama released its Breathe to Unlock app, requiring users to complete a three‑breath mindfulness exercise before accessing Instagram, TikTok, X and other distractors. The tool, unveiled today, targets compulsive scrolling and seeks to replace blunt blockers with intentional breathing pauses.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., outlines a seven‑step practice for radical self‑acceptance that guides individuals from fragmented inner dialogue to a cohesive sense of self. The method begins with accepting pleasant, neutral, and mildly unpleasant experiences, then expands to embracing all personal...
Finding peace by unhooking from ego and achieving a loving presence in medicine [PODCAST] http://dlvr.it/TRnksh Podcast #OncologyHematology
Most people breathe about 20,000 times a day, yet almost no one is taught how to breathe well.
FROM ARTIST, Japan’s largest artist‑to‑consumer marketplace, introduced an online “art meditation” seminar that teaches a three‑minute, brain‑science‑validated practice to lower cortisol. The program aims to give busy adults a quick, evidence‑based self‑care tool that blends creative expression with mental‑health research.
Sweden has officially joined Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland in a coordinated push to market “quietcations,” low‑stimulus, digital‑detox getaways for 2026. The Nordic bloc is betting on silence as a luxury to capture wellness‑focused travelers seeking respite from constant connectivity.
Indian pulmonologists led by Dr. Sushil Gupta warn that chronic shallow breathing activates stress pathways, reduces focus and can cause cardiac arrhythmia. The warning comes as breath‑focused meditation apps see a surge in users seeking quick relief.
A Zen practitioner recounts a week‑long, highly ritualized retreat where strict protocols forced constant attention. The teacher assigned a seemingly simple koan—“When you see the stick, where is God?”—that ultimately led the author from intellectual guessing to a non‑conceptual breakthrough....
May 2026’s Lion’s Roar roundup spotlights a wave of new Buddhist titles, from Margaret Cullen’s *Quiet Strength* that re‑centers equanimity, to Bodhipaksa’s 28‑day habit builder *Sit*. It also features Reb Anderson’s Zen parable collection, the Hases’ partnership guide, Roy Remer’s caregiver...
The article outlines practical, Buddhist‑inspired techniques for managing panic attacks, emphasizing mindfulness, breath control, narrative reframing, multisensory grounding, and TIPP skills. It explains how simple practices like box breathing and sensory cues can interrupt the physiological surge of cortisol and...
The author recounts a decade‑long sobriety journey that merged Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) with Zen Buddhism, highlighting how the AA Big Book eventually recognized Buddhist members. He explains that the Buddhist Eightfold Path mirrors AA’s Twelve Steps, allowing both frameworks to...
The article explains the Buddhist concept of the "middle way," tracing its origins from the Buddha’s rejection of both self‑indulgence and extreme asceticism to the Mahayana Madhyamaka school’s philosophical emphasis on emptiness. It illustrates how the Buddha’s first turning of...
Recent research confirms that online trauma therapy delivers significant reductions in PTSD, anxiety, and related symptoms, performing on par with traditional in‑person care. Evidence‑based modalities such as TF‑CBT, EMDR, and somatic approaches translate effectively to secure video platforms. The studies...
Hot Take: It isn’t possible to be “non-judgmental.” We make judgments and assign meaning to everything we see or experience in order to inform our choices. But...it IS possible to bring self-awareness and empathy to our judgments. Instead of pretending we don’t...
60,000 thoughts a day. It's why #mindfulness of thoughts is the first step to personal growth. Conversely the more we stay out of our head and focused on the body and breath, the less unwanted thoughts monopolize our internal conversation....
Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute reported that an hour of mentally active sitting—such as knitting, puzzles or office work—lowers dementia risk by up to 7% compared with passive screen time. The 20‑year longitudinal study of 20,811 adults links cognitive engagement...
Pay attention to your attention. Then begin to train it toward slower, deeper focus. Reading, working, walking, or having a conversation can all become practice. #attention #focus #mindfulness #deepwork #presence https://t.co/w4k0UsTEQA
The post argues that resisting uncomfortable emotions only amplifies them, while cultivating awareness leads to lasting resolution. It explains that emotional resistance creates a feedback loop where feelings grow stronger and return repeatedly. The author suggests understanding the root cause...
