The body-mind link is often associated with the vagus nerve. Stimulation of the vagus can be done by immersing the face in cold water, exhaling against a closed airway (which can be done by keeping the mouth closed and pinching the nose whilst trying to breathe out), and by using breathing techniques. Singing also stimulates the vagus, explaining why reciting mantras can also be soothing.
Meditation helps ‘thicken’ the area of the brain called the Insula which helps us process emotions, feel & anticipate pain, moral intuition, empathy, guilt, atonement, pride, lust, disgust, feel hunger, cravings, listen, feeling shunned in social settings, decision making, listening & giving an emotional response to music, and judging peoples’ facial expressions. Along with the vagus nerve, professionals believe this is where body and mind integrate. Meditation also relaxes another part of the brain called the Amygdala, which appears to monitor fear and anxiety. Also, meditation encourages White Matter, that is the wiring of the brain, to grow. It also lowers our sensory inputs and the monitoring of the conscious self. This enables a feeling of ‘temporary sleep’ in our Pre-Frontal Cortex, even though we are awake.
The benefits of meditation include better wellbeing, better sleep patterns, lowering high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks, decreases tension-related pain - tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia - it increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior, improves the immune system and energy levels.
Neuroscientists have found that those people who meditate shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain, so brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift can help alleviate the negative effects of stress, anxiety and mild depression.
In fact, research is indicating that managing your stress is as important as a balanced diet and exercise, so meditation is integral to your wellbeing.
Meditation uses breathing techniques and often one will begin practicing meditation by focus on breathing. As you progress, other techniques can be used and incorporated into the practice. One of the fundamental aspects of meditation is the making time for it, which means that you are getting some serious 'me-time.' It is like taking a break, just to sit and merely be. This in itself can be so important with the way our lives can become so busy.
Meditation also aids problem solving and creative thinking, not just because you are taking the time away from doing a task, but because it helps develop the dendrites of the brain, its wiring; as mentioned earlier this referred to as White Matter. The networking of the brain improves by being in an almost wakeful sleep. Parenthetically, this networking has been compared, by some professionals, to the way in which the universe networks. So by taking the time to meditate in can improve the way you think and encourages divergent thinking, that is different ways of thinking and looking at problems.
Problem solving and what spiritual people would call enlightenment are in fact very similar indeed. I have written an article on this which explains the remarkable similarities. In short, meditation is used by many spiritual people to look at the causes of various aspects and conditions of humanity. The moment of enlightenment is almost like solving the problem, or finding the cause, or both. However, it isn't limited to just spiritual people. Many thinkers, writers, poets, painters, actors and singers practice meditation and have had eureka moments as a result. The most famous recollection you may have will be of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddha, who famously meditated and solved the problems of living and prescribed certain recommendations. Another equally vivid image you may think of is Zen monks, slowly walking or sitting in meditation. And this is why the majority of people consider meditation as a spiritual practice. Ostensibly, it is and its practice may well stimulate bigger questions like, "Why am I here?" which require a philosophical answer, but it is not just for the spiritually inclined. And just because you meditate does not mean that you will shave your head, sit in the lotus position and chant, "Om." The benefits of meditation are more than just spiritual. When practiced in daily routine, it brings balance to your life, makes you less stressful and inspires you to be creative.
It's associated attributes, such as mindfulness, can also help you in awareness of what actually passes through your mind, what is actually happening around you; increases observation, understanding, empathy and discerning right from wrong.
So meditating is just as important as having a healthy, balanced diet and exercise.
