Know What's Happening in Meditation
Know What's Happening in Meditation
Neuroimaging shows woman can enter psychedelic‑like trance voluntarily
A 37‑year‑old woman was documented entering a transcendental visionary state without any drugs. Functional MRI across 20 sessions revealed reduced coupling in visual and somatosensory networks and heightened integration of frontoparietal control and salience networks, indicating a reorganization into a lower‑entropy, higher‑coherence brain state.
A recent MRI study found that long‑term Buddhist insight meditators exhibit a thicker cerebral cortex and a slower rate of cortical thinning compared with non‑meditating controls. The research suggests that sustained attention to breath and present‑moment awareness may counteract typical age‑related brain atrophy. The findings were observed across multiple brain regions, indicating a broad neuroprotective effect. Researchers propose that meditation could serve as a non‑pharmacological tool to preserve cognitive function as people age.
Great message from Marcus Aurelius reminding us to guard our thoughts. If our thoughts are filled with resentment, fear, envy or bitterness, those impressions slowly shape our character. They become our emotional baseline. Over time they define how we see the...
Guided breathwork is a structured, facilitator‑led breathing practice where participants lie down and continuously breathe through the mouth for about 28 minutes, followed by a rest period. The guide helps participants push through the brain’s natural resistance that peaks around...
people think yoga is a calming practice, but its not. not at the start. if you're checked out, running on autopilot, living mostly in your head— gentle stillness will not reach you. the nervous system is too noisy to hear it....
The new Huberman Lab episode is out: Science-Based Meditation Tools to Improve Your Brain & Health | Dr. Richard Davidson 0:00 Richard "Richie" Davidson 3:33 States of Mind vs Traits 9:06 Wakeful Brain Activity vs Deep Sleep 11:55 Sponsors: David & Eight Sleep 14:31 Brain...
Susan McGarvie, Ph.D. outlines a decision framework that helps therapists match emotion‑regulation techniques to the specific emotional moment and intensity. The article distinguishes regulation from coping, distress tolerance, and suppression, and identifies six underlying mechanisms such as attention control and physiological...
A favorite quote: “I meditate so that my mind cannot complicate my life” – Sri Chinmoy https://t.co/3Ga0B957bt
Anytime you want to reduce #stress take two minutes to do 5 rounds of vagus nerve breathing based on a 4:8 inhalation-to-exhalation ratio. Inhale through your nose then exhale through pursed lips. Count slowly. Breathe from your belly and expand...
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Trauma disrupts the brain’s window of tolerance, narrowing the range in which individuals can process emotions without becoming hyper‑ or hypo‑aroused. This dysregulation leads to heightened stress reactivity, fragmented memory recall, and symptoms resembling PTSD. Therapeutic approaches such as EMDR,...
Go from being self conscious to a conscious self. Shift from a feeling of constriction to one of openness. Become receptive to whatever the moment brings. #mindfulness https://t.co/fnBUl2zRpK
Join the Even You Can Meditate Challenge starting Monday, March 23rd on the 10% with Dan Harris app. For five days we’ll be dropping new guided meditations Whether youre starting fresh or restarting, this is your on-ramp. Download at https://t.co/LLxREdEehp...
A recent study in Behaviour Research and Therapy shows that a self‑guided digital program called Functional Imagery Training (FIT) or FIKA can significantly lower anxiety among university students. In a randomized trial, participants who completed seven short modules experienced an...
Why Some People Struggle With Self-Comapssion: 1. Misconception Of Motivation. 2. Evolutionary Wiring. 3. Internalized Critic. 4. Fear Of Weakness. 5. Misunderstanding Self-Worth.
The article traces Buddhism’s evolving relationship with impermanence, contrasting early dualistic meditations that sought disillusionment and escape from the world with contemporary nondual approaches that embrace change as a path to liberation. Early practitioners meditated in charnel grounds to cultivate...
30 seconds to breathe, mid scrolling, mid everything… - song: elm lake by elementals + rain sounds via epidemic sounds - MHN
Here's a breathing exercise for you to try. This may help relax you and help you fall asleep with a calm mind+body. Try it. Have a good night. Wishing you sound sleep and sweet dreams. 💗💛💜 #sleep #sweetdreams #goodnight #GoodNightX #GoodNightEveryone...
Supine goddess (Supta Baddha Konasana) is highlighted as a restorative yoga pose that melts stress before sleep. Certified teachers detail a simple setup—lying on the back, soles together, arms relaxed—and suggest modifications with props. The pose relieves tight hips, opens...
Burned out and tired of hearing “just relax”? In this recent episode of The Podcast by KevinMD, Claudine Holt explains why stress is not always the real issue. Sometimes the deeper problem is nervous system dysregulation. That changes everything. It changes how we understand...
Our breath is a powerful communicator with the emotional centers of our brain. When we engage in conscious nasal breathing, adopting a balanced rhythm, we send a clear signal of safety and tranquility to our inner selves. Follow along for...
The article outlines three martial‑arts‑inspired techniques—centering, building a “silence muscle” through brief meditation, and the “whiteboard wipe” visualization—to cultivate a still mind. It argues that mental stillness counters modern information overload, enabling clearer perception and decisive action. By treating focus...
Researchers at Mardin Artuklu University found that Ashwagandha alleviated depression-like behaviors in adolescent male rats subjected to chronic unpredictable stress. The herbal supplement not only improved pleasure and despair measures but also reduced brain inflammation and cell‑death markers more effectively...
Join me in Ojai, California for a one-day event at the Center for The Work on Friday, March 27, 2026. xoxo bk Register at thework.com/center-event/2026-03-27 theworkofbyronkatie #byronkatie #innerwisdom #selfhelp #selfinquiry #retreat #ojairetreat #mindfulness #TheWork
Calm a busy mind with this breath meditation: Breathe in fully. Belly then rib cage expand. Exhale, rib cage and belly fall. Draw navel toward the spine. Pay attention to the pause after each exhale. A momentary stillness. KEY is to...
Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience dissected the vague construct of hyperarousal and identified seven distinct dimensions—anxious, somatic, sensitive, sleep‑related, irritable, vigilant, and sudomotor—across a cohort of 467 adults. A concise 27‑item Transdiagnostic Hyperarousal Dimensions Questionnaire (THDQ) was created,...
Here’s the “my body is patterned into survival mode” starter pack: • Clenched jaw • Shoulders hiked toward your ears • Short and tight hip flexors • Breathing locked in the upper chest. It doesn’t happen from “bad habits.” They're postural signatures of incomplete survival...
Brain Retraining Vs Nervous System Regulation: •Brain Retraining Uses Top-Down Cognitive Tools (Thought, Visualization) To Rewire Neural Pathways. •Nervous System Regulation Often Employs Bottom-Up Somatic Tools (Breathing, Movement) To Calm Physiology. •They Are Most Effective When Used Together: Regulation Provides Immediate Relief, While...
Trial attorney Miles Feldman argues that traditional trial training overlooks emotional regulation, urging lawyers to adopt mindfulness techniques to stay calm under pressure. He highlights box breathing—a four‑second inhale, hold, and exhale pattern—as a quick tool to reset the nervous...
Install positive emotions in your neural circuity. Consistently focus on kindness, compassion, generosity, joy, patience, and optimism. https://t.co/zjc850yFse
Normalize telling people you took an entire day to do nothing and feel zero guilt about it.
At a recent InsightLA gathering, participant Pablo Das explained how mindfulness can temper rumination and hyper‑vigilance that often follow trauma. He described mindfulness as an objective, non‑reactive awareness that lets individuals pause before reacting, creating space to evaluate thoughts, speech,...
Newest member of the Breathwork Lab here, Dr. Evgenii Pashnin, M.D., from University of Padua. Freediver interested in all things breath holding. Lots to learn from him. https://t.co/PVazKFbJsD
Coffin‑lying, a Japanese wellness trend where participants rest in a coffin for about 30 minutes, is gaining traction as a meditation technique. A 2023 study of 134 medical students showed the practice reduces death‑related fear, lowers cortisol, blood pressure, and...
Feeling a bit scattered or overwhelmed, remember this Rule of Fives… Drop a 🧡 if you’re gonna try one today
The article by Catharine Hannay outlines three common phrases that, despite good intentions, often undermine support. It explains why “Why don’t you just…?”, “You should take care of yourself,” and “I know exactly how you feel” can feel dismissive or...
In this episode Tara Brock explores the second domain of spiritual practice: inquiry. She explains how asking pointed questions—like "What stops me from opening my heart?"—illuminates hidden beliefs and fears, allowing us to de‑condition the automatic, fear‑driven lenses through which...
The BBC Science Features team outlines nine science‑backed strategies to help people manage anxiety and build resilience during turbulent times. Techniques include emotional granularity, reframing anxiety as motivation, constructive worry, bibliotherapy, and even watching horror films. The article also highlights...
Psychologist Ethan Kross recommends two simple techniques to quiet nighttime mental chatter: distant self‑talk, where you advise yourself in the third person, and temporal distancing, which asks you to imagine how the problem will feel weeks or years later. By...
The piece redefines the modern "attention economy" as a "distraction economy," highlighting how constant stimuli not only waste time but also displace personal identity. Busyness serves as a coping mechanism, allowing individuals to avoid uncomfortable thoughts and self‑reflection. This erosion...
There is so much noise in the world, we don't realize how much our mind craves some quiet until we actually sit down to meditate. Meditation is the gift we give our mind. It's a break from the noise. The...
A landmark study by Harvard revealed that 47% of the time people's mind wander away from what they are doing. The problem is a wandering mind tended to be an unhappy one. Staying fully focused improves happiness. #mindfulness https://t.co/YzgextmKFC
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The article outlines practical methods for cultivating present‑moment awareness, from noticing one’s surroundings to deep‑breathing exercises. It emphasizes single‑tasking, gratitude journaling, and digital detox as ways to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Research citations link mindfulness to improved memory and...
How to reconnect with your inner child: https://t.co/S39Ilwztfu The experiences you had as a child influence your emotional life as an adult. Recognising these dynamics can be healing. New Psyche Guide by psychotherapist Nickan Arzpeyma
Whenever upset or anxious, ask “why” at least three times and put the answers down on paper. Describing these doubts in writing reduces their impact twofold. First, it’s often the ambiguous nature of self-doubt that hurts most. Defining and exploring...
The Reboot Podcast episode 183 features Jerry Colonna and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg discussing how to move beyond suffering. Drawing on Buddhist wisdom, they examine the paradox of feeling pain and joy simultaneously while avoiding self‑blame. Salzberg frames karma as...
The vagus nerve, a key conduit between brain and body, has become a buzzword in wellness circles promising a quick "reset" for stress. Experts caution that there is no instant switch; instead, gradual, repeatable habits are required to enhance parasympathetic...
Mindfulness teacher Shamash Alidina offers a 12‑minute self‑compassion meditation designed to reset the nervous system and shift practitioners from fight‑or‑flight to rest‑and‑digest mode. The guided practice emphasizes gentle breathing, body awareness, and three self‑compassion steps: mindfulness, common humanity, and self‑kindness....
Teaching breathwork and music / vocal activation all week at a recovery center in NYC 🦋🎶🦋 So much gratitude. 🙏🏼
See how often you judge someone or something as good or bad, right or wrong. Replace judgement with curiosity for one day. https://t.co/NuHi0WGXO6
Yoga instructor Lynn Rossy announces her annual Kripalu and Energy Medicine retreat at Pura Vida Retreat and Spa in Costa Rica, scheduled for January 23‑30, 2027. The week‑long program blends daily Kripalu yoga, meditation, pranayama, and wellness workshops with optional...
We’re jumping the tracks. 🌬️ The first Postcard from The Pause Button Project just went out to 900+ people. It’s time to stop, breathe, and take the wheel back. Join us here: https://t.co/vRFHUUtOpl https://t.co/NhKMZdmwbu
