Meditation is word that scares a lot of people. Many don't think they are the "kind of person" who could sit for periods of time with an empty mind. Meditation involves turning your focus inward for at least a few moments at a time so you can access a deeper reality. In the West, we've fallen for the false assumption that meditation is something we need to do once we're already stressed out. That's like saying you need to stretch after you've pulled a muscle. It may help but it's a little late.
Meditation is a tool that can enhance your productivity and performance while decreasing stress. Meditation is a state of quiet contemplation; the practice of discovering well-being in the present moment. Here's one way to look at it: many people use meditation like an application on their device. When they feel stressed out, they open the app, take some breaths, feel a little better, and then go to the remaining 10 open applications and fall right back into the chaos. Use meditation as the operating system rather than an application. This means to constantly scan your consciousness, sense through thoughts that make you reactive and uneasy and learn to let them pass.
When we experience something, we connect that experience with a past memory of something related; if there's an unreconciled, or unfulfilled, emotional charge associated with that memory, we feel it all over again and start to get uneasy. That discomfort drives us to become reactive, fidget, smoke, abruptly change the subject, or whatever else we do to avoid that feeling. This is what we do all day long.
Learning to be nonreactive is meditation. In return, you will begin to live you life with enthusiasm and purpose, and won't be a pawn in someone else's vision. Meditation allows your Higher Self to drive, and you relax.
Meditation is a tool that can enhance your productivity and performance while decreasing stress. Meditation is a state of quiet contemplation; the practice of discovering well-being in the present moment. Here's one way to look at it: many people use meditation like an application on their device. When they feel stressed out, they open the app, take some breaths, feel a little better, and then go to the remaining 10 open applications and fall right back into the chaos. Use meditation as the operating system rather than an application. This means to constantly scan your consciousness, sense through thoughts that make you reactive and uneasy and learn to let them pass.
When we experience something, we connect that experience with a past memory of something related; if there's an unreconciled, or unfulfilled, emotional charge associated with that memory, we feel it all over again and start to get uneasy. That discomfort drives us to become reactive, fidget, smoke, abruptly change the subject, or whatever else we do to avoid that feeling. This is what we do all day long.
Learning to be nonreactive is meditation. In return, you will begin to live you life with enthusiasm and purpose, and won't be a pawn in someone else's vision. Meditation allows your Higher Self to drive, and you relax.
MEditation is simply a tool to help you reach your goals;
its never the goal itself.
We meditate to get good at life, not to get good at meditation.
The Nature of Mind
The mind is reactive. The mind thinks like the eyes blink, and the heart beats, and the lungs breath. Thinking is the nature of mind. The point of meditation is not to turn off the mind. Regardless of where you are, from a noisy park surrounded by loud traffic, to the caves of the Himalayas, you will not find complete silence (even in a sound-proof room you would still hear your heart beating). If you begin to meditate and any sort of distraction arises, the mind registers those sensations which triggers the release of thoughts and images, causing your mind to be carried along like a log in a river. You've "failed" to clear your mind.
If this happens, it is important not to think of yourself as a failure. Enough sequenced failures will result in you becoming discouraged and eventually giving up. No one wants to feel like they are failing at something on a daily basis. No one wants to attempt something they fear they won't be good at. People naturally gravitate toward the very things that highlight their strengths and avoid the things that don't. Most people like to operate in the areas where they know they can succeed. While this comfort zone validates the ego, it doesn't lead to a life of growth.
We aren't good at things that we haven't had experience with. Facing new skills that don't align with our strengths often leads to abandoning that skill and moving elsewhere.
Meditation is a practiced discipline. Just like any skill, you must practice to excel. Even the most experienced meditators are always growing, hungry to learn more and access a deeper level of connectedness. We are all constantly in a state of growth. Since you have the ability to think, you already possess the abilities to succeed at meditating. The point of meditation is to accomplish more in life; it is the means to an end. Meditation can enhance our performance and improve our interactions in the world. It is impossible to lose at meditation. Every time you engage in the practice, you are winning.
If this happens, it is important not to think of yourself as a failure. Enough sequenced failures will result in you becoming discouraged and eventually giving up. No one wants to feel like they are failing at something on a daily basis. No one wants to attempt something they fear they won't be good at. People naturally gravitate toward the very things that highlight their strengths and avoid the things that don't. Most people like to operate in the areas where they know they can succeed. While this comfort zone validates the ego, it doesn't lead to a life of growth.
We aren't good at things that we haven't had experience with. Facing new skills that don't align with our strengths often leads to abandoning that skill and moving elsewhere.
Meditation is a practiced discipline. Just like any skill, you must practice to excel. Even the most experienced meditators are always growing, hungry to learn more and access a deeper level of connectedness. We are all constantly in a state of growth. Since you have the ability to think, you already possess the abilities to succeed at meditating. The point of meditation is to accomplish more in life; it is the means to an end. Meditation can enhance our performance and improve our interactions in the world. It is impossible to lose at meditation. Every time you engage in the practice, you are winning.
Too Busy to meditate
This is the most common response from would-be meditators. Many people attempt meditation and give it up for a variety of reasons. "I can't meditate" often translates to "I tried to meditate, but I couldn't stop my mind from thinking." These people are very sincere in their desire to practice meditation, but the disconnect stems from a cultural misunderstanding of meditation. The point of meditation is not to clear your mind, it is to get better at life. If you have ever tried meditation and felt frustrated because you were unable to stop your mind from thinking, consider this: The mind thinks involuntarily, just like the heart beats involuntarily.
People who have not succeeded at one type of meditation, or find it unfulfilling, too time-consuming, or too difficult often reject it overtime. Nobody wants to keep doing something that makes you like you are failing. But there are hundreds of different styles of meditation. Rejecting meditation because you were unsuccessful at one type is akin to rejecting food because you do not like cabbage.
People who have not succeeded at one type of meditation, or find it unfulfilling, too time-consuming, or too difficult often reject it overtime. Nobody wants to keep doing something that makes you like you are failing. But there are hundreds of different styles of meditation. Rejecting meditation because you were unsuccessful at one type is akin to rejecting food because you do not like cabbage.
Meditation versus mindfulness versus manifesting
Many people think these terms are synonymous, but they are not. Let's clear up any confusion.
Mindfulness: The art of bringing your awareness into the present moment. An effective tool for changing your level of stress right now.
Meditation is often confused with mindfulness, an exercise in which you focus your mind in a specific direction. Mindfulness includes counting your breaths, visualization, listening to a guided audio. All of these are incredibly useful for changing your mental state in the present moment, but mindfulness should be used as the precursor to meditation. Mindfulness, as it known today, is a derivative of meditation that was originally intended for monks. Since monks essentially meditate all day, they can afford to a gentler practice. For everybody else who does not fit the description of a monk, another, more appropriate, technique must be implemented. This is where meditation comes in.
Meditation: A practice of relieving stress from the past.
Consider every late night you have stayed up, every bite of processed food you have ever eaten, and every drop of alcohol you have consumed - all of these stressors accumulate in the form of cellular memory. When you meditate, you enter a state that allows your body to rest that is deeper than sleep giving your body the chance release this memory and heal from past stress. Ridding your body of this stress de-excites the nervous system, creating order in the cells, allowing you to perform at a much higher caliber. Meditation is a tool that can drop your body into a deep, healing rest regardless of your external settings, allowing you to get better every day, with the intention to leave the world better than you found it.
Manifesting: A practice to help you clarify your dreams for the future and design a live you love.
It is astonishing how many people never take the time to get clear on their life goals. Often times people state and justify what they are currently doing in life. Setting goals is akin to ordering food at a restaurant: we ought to be very specific in what we want. Think of manifesting as placing an order with the omnipotent cosmic waitress at the omnipotent cosmic restaurant.
Manifesting entails being grateful for what you have while simultaneously visualizing your destiny as if it is happening right before you. An important note to consider when manifesting is to detach from any outcome. Manifesting the process of closing the gap between your desires and those desires becoming your reality. To be clear, manifesting is wishful thinking; you have to do the work. Manifesting is the acknowledgment that thoughts become things.
Manifesting is best performed directly after meditation because both hemispheres of the brain are functioning in unison. It has long been known that the power of your subconscious mind, that is your creative potential, is most active right before you fall asleep. Authors such as Joseph Murphy, Napoleon Hill, Neville Goddard, and others alike, write about this topic extensively. Just as muscles can be stretched to a greater degree after exercise, so, too, is manifesting a more effective tool at the end of meditation. The synergistic effect of practicing meditation and manifesting together is significantly more powerful than practicing either alone. Meditating without being clear about what it is that you want is as unproductive as converting your walls into vision boards while being ridden with stress. Balance is key. We don't get what we want in life, we get what we believe we deserve.
Mindfulness: The art of bringing your awareness into the present moment. An effective tool for changing your level of stress right now.
Meditation is often confused with mindfulness, an exercise in which you focus your mind in a specific direction. Mindfulness includes counting your breaths, visualization, listening to a guided audio. All of these are incredibly useful for changing your mental state in the present moment, but mindfulness should be used as the precursor to meditation. Mindfulness, as it known today, is a derivative of meditation that was originally intended for monks. Since monks essentially meditate all day, they can afford to a gentler practice. For everybody else who does not fit the description of a monk, another, more appropriate, technique must be implemented. This is where meditation comes in.
Meditation: A practice of relieving stress from the past.
Consider every late night you have stayed up, every bite of processed food you have ever eaten, and every drop of alcohol you have consumed - all of these stressors accumulate in the form of cellular memory. When you meditate, you enter a state that allows your body to rest that is deeper than sleep giving your body the chance release this memory and heal from past stress. Ridding your body of this stress de-excites the nervous system, creating order in the cells, allowing you to perform at a much higher caliber. Meditation is a tool that can drop your body into a deep, healing rest regardless of your external settings, allowing you to get better every day, with the intention to leave the world better than you found it.
Manifesting: A practice to help you clarify your dreams for the future and design a live you love.
It is astonishing how many people never take the time to get clear on their life goals. Often times people state and justify what they are currently doing in life. Setting goals is akin to ordering food at a restaurant: we ought to be very specific in what we want. Think of manifesting as placing an order with the omnipotent cosmic waitress at the omnipotent cosmic restaurant.
Manifesting entails being grateful for what you have while simultaneously visualizing your destiny as if it is happening right before you. An important note to consider when manifesting is to detach from any outcome. Manifesting the process of closing the gap between your desires and those desires becoming your reality. To be clear, manifesting is wishful thinking; you have to do the work. Manifesting is the acknowledgment that thoughts become things.
Manifesting is best performed directly after meditation because both hemispheres of the brain are functioning in unison. It has long been known that the power of your subconscious mind, that is your creative potential, is most active right before you fall asleep. Authors such as Joseph Murphy, Napoleon Hill, Neville Goddard, and others alike, write about this topic extensively. Just as muscles can be stretched to a greater degree after exercise, so, too, is manifesting a more effective tool at the end of meditation. The synergistic effect of practicing meditation and manifesting together is significantly more powerful than practicing either alone. Meditating without being clear about what it is that you want is as unproductive as converting your walls into vision boards while being ridden with stress. Balance is key. We don't get what we want in life, we get what we believe we deserve.
Mantras
Attempting to concentrate and force your mind into a empty void can be unproductive at times. Fortunately, there is a tool that can gently nudge your mind into a deeply restful state: this tool is called a mantra. To be clear, a mantra is not a slogan or an affirmation. A mantra - Sanskrit for "mind vehicle" - is a word or sound used as an anchor to de-excite the nervous system, access altered state of consciousness, and induce deep, healing rest. This deep healing rest allows you to feel more awake afterwards, and the best part about it is that it only takes fifteen minutes. In addition, it can be practiced virtually anywhere.
Influence on Health
Practicing a daily ritual of meditation will almost always lead to positive changes in your life in that you are more relaxed and "in tune" throughout the day and can better handle stress and adversity. Meditation will help you become more present to life and allowing you to respond in a more balanced and thoughtful way to the situations that arise. Investing in a daily meditation practice will help you:
While some people use meditation as a means to commune with spirit, other use meditation as a technique to cultivate mental discipline. Regardless of the goal, the physiological effects of meditation are many:
Researchers have observed that meditators also tend to have less depression and anxiety (Freston, 2008).
Researchers have observed that even novice meditators develop increased density and activity in cortical neurons of the left prefrontal cortex of the brain, the area associated with the ability to concentrate, plan, and enjoy positive feelings. This evidence suggests that meditators stay cool under pressure and can navigate easier in stressful situations (Shojai, 2016).
Researchers have detected significantly larger gray matter volumes in meditators in the right orbito-frontal cortex. In addition, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the right hippocampus. Both orbitofrontal and hippocampal regions have been implicated in emotional regulation and response control. Thus, larger volumes in these regions might account for meditators' singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior (Luders, Toga, Lepore & Gaser, 2009).
Researchers have observed differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different regions in the brains of the participants. In the group that learned meditation, the researchers observed thickening in four regions:
The amygdala, a part of the brain associated with the fight or flight reaction, anxiety, fear, and stress, was observed to decrease in the group that went through the mindfulness-based stress reduction program. The change in the amygdala was also correlated to a reduction in stress levels (Hölzel et al., 2011).
Researchers have observed after only four weeks of meditation changes in white matter – which is strongly involved in interconnecting brain areas – were present in those participants who meditated but not in the control participants. These changes involved the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain that contributes to self-regulation (Tang, Lu, Fan, Yang, & Posner, 2012).
Researchers have observed that meditators, across all meditation types, experience decreased mind-wandering via relative deactivation of the main nodes of the default-mode network (a network of brain area that supports self-referential processing, also known as mind-wandering). Furthermore, analysis revealed stronger coupling in experienced meditators between the posterior cingulate, dorsal anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (regions previously implicated in self-monitoring and cognitive control), both at baseline and during meditation (Brewer et al., 2011).
- reduce stress, increasing your performance and your ability to handle daily demands;
- feel more connected, less anxious, and more level headed in demanding situations;
- sleep deeper, boosting your physical and mental energy;
- strengthen your immune system, relieving symptoms of chronic health conditions;
- increases neuroplasticity, keeping your brain young and adaptable;
- hone your intuition, empowering you to easily recognize subtle differences and themes in the options before you;
- heal at the cellular level, improving your physical health;
- access a sense of deep, personal fulfillment;
- access your brain's natural flow state, expanding your creativity;
- increase your motivation and drive;
- experience better relationships;
- have better sex;
- and become more successful at life in the process.
While some people use meditation as a means to commune with spirit, other use meditation as a technique to cultivate mental discipline. Regardless of the goal, the physiological effects of meditation are many:
- change in metabolism due to lowering of biochemical by-products of stress;
- lowered heart rate and blood pressure; and
- greater ease of respiration.
Researchers have observed that meditators also tend to have less depression and anxiety (Freston, 2008).
Researchers have observed that even novice meditators develop increased density and activity in cortical neurons of the left prefrontal cortex of the brain, the area associated with the ability to concentrate, plan, and enjoy positive feelings. This evidence suggests that meditators stay cool under pressure and can navigate easier in stressful situations (Shojai, 2016).
Researchers have detected significantly larger gray matter volumes in meditators in the right orbito-frontal cortex. In addition, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the right hippocampus. Both orbitofrontal and hippocampal regions have been implicated in emotional regulation and response control. Thus, larger volumes in these regions might account for meditators' singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior (Luders, Toga, Lepore & Gaser, 2009).
Researchers have observed differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different regions in the brains of the participants. In the group that learned meditation, the researchers observed thickening in four regions:
- the left hippocampus, which assists in learning, cognition, memory, emotional regulation, and response control;
- the posterior cingulate, which influences attentional focus and supports internally-directed cognition (Leech & Sharp, 2014);
- the temporoparietal junction, which is associated with reorientation of attention (Krall et al., 2015);
- the cerebellum, which is associated with sensory perception, coordination, and motor control, and also plays a crucial role in the regulation of emotion and cognition.
The amygdala, a part of the brain associated with the fight or flight reaction, anxiety, fear, and stress, was observed to decrease in the group that went through the mindfulness-based stress reduction program. The change in the amygdala was also correlated to a reduction in stress levels (Hölzel et al., 2011).
Researchers have observed after only four weeks of meditation changes in white matter – which is strongly involved in interconnecting brain areas – were present in those participants who meditated but not in the control participants. These changes involved the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain that contributes to self-regulation (Tang, Lu, Fan, Yang, & Posner, 2012).
Researchers have observed that meditators, across all meditation types, experience decreased mind-wandering via relative deactivation of the main nodes of the default-mode network (a network of brain area that supports self-referential processing, also known as mind-wandering). Furthermore, analysis revealed stronger coupling in experienced meditators between the posterior cingulate, dorsal anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (regions previously implicated in self-monitoring and cognitive control), both at baseline and during meditation (Brewer et al., 2011).
How to Meditate
By investing in yourself for fifteen minutes twice a day, you can drastically change your outlook and your output in life.
To meditate, all you have to do is find a private and comfortable place to close your eyes. As a practice of the mind, you can sit anywhere to meditate. However, the optimal position is meditate is sitting cross-legged with your back straight and head held high. Simply take in ten slow breaths. Listen to the sound of the air as it enters and exits your nose. Breathing through your nose stimulates subtle channels of life force. By activating these channels, you not only calm the nervous system but also stir up the prana, or vitality, flowing through your body.
As you inhale imagine a beautiful grace-filled light entering into the top of your head, and upon exhaling, picture sharing that light with the world. See the breath make a loop as it comes in and goes out. It may be helpful to repeat a mantra (a word or phrase that inspires you), such as "peace" or "I am here". Saying a mantra will help pull you back to the energy you want to focus on.
Try not to breath so deeply that you hyperventilate, but rather bring the air all the way down to your belly and back up through your chest. Start off by taking ten breaths and gradually work your way up to a 20 minute meditation as you get more used to cycling down and relaxing. Ease into it just as you would ease into an exercise program. You can use a timer to know how much time you have left in your session.
This is just one way to meditate - a kind of all-purpose method. There are many other forms of meditation, and it is advised to explore until you find a method that works best for you. As often as you can, keep coming back to the present moment and invest your energy in experiencing the depth that meditation offers.
As you inhale imagine a beautiful grace-filled light entering into the top of your head, and upon exhaling, picture sharing that light with the world. See the breath make a loop as it comes in and goes out. It may be helpful to repeat a mantra (a word or phrase that inspires you), such as "peace" or "I am here". Saying a mantra will help pull you back to the energy you want to focus on.
Try not to breath so deeply that you hyperventilate, but rather bring the air all the way down to your belly and back up through your chest. Start off by taking ten breaths and gradually work your way up to a 20 minute meditation as you get more used to cycling down and relaxing. Ease into it just as you would ease into an exercise program. You can use a timer to know how much time you have left in your session.
This is just one way to meditate - a kind of all-purpose method. There are many other forms of meditation, and it is advised to explore until you find a method that works best for you. As often as you can, keep coming back to the present moment and invest your energy in experiencing the depth that meditation offers.
References
Brewer, J., Worhunsky, P., Gray, J., Tang, Y., Weber, J. and Kober, H. (2011). Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, [online] 108(50), pp.20254-20259. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112029108 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Freston, K. (2008). Quantum Wellness. New York: Weinstein Books
Hatchard, G., Deans, A., Cavanaugh, K. and Orme-johnson, D. (1996). The maharishi effect: A model for social improvement. Time series analysis of a phase transition to reduced crime in merseyside metropolitan area. Psychology, Crime & Law, [online] 2(3), pp.165-174. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10683169608409775 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Hölzel, B., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S., Gard, T. and Lazar, S. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, [online] 191(1), pp.36-43. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Krall, S., Rottschy, C., Oberwelland, E., Bzdok, D., Fox, P., Eickhoff, S., Fink, G. and Konrad, K. (2014). The role of the right temporoparietal junction in attention and social interaction as revealed by ALE meta-analysis. Brain Structure and Function, [online] 220(2), pp.587-604. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0803-z [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Lazar, S., Kerr, C., Wasserman, R., Gray, J., Greve, D., Treadway, M., McGarvey, M., Quinn, B., Dusek, J., Benson, H., Rauch, S., Moore, C. and Fischl, B. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. NeuroReport, [online] 16(17), pp.1893-1897. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.wnr.0000186598.66243.19 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Leech, R. and Sharp, D. (2013). The role of the posterior cingulate cortex in cognition and disease. Brain, [online] 137(1), pp.12-32. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awt162 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Luders, E., Toga, A., Lepore, N. and Gaser, C. (2009). The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter. NeuroImage, [online] 45(3), pp.672-678. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.12.061 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Orme-Johnson, D. (2003). Preventing Crime Through the Maharishi Effect. Journal Of Offender Rehabilitation, 36(1-4), 257-281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/j076v36n01_12
Shojai, P. (2016). The Urban Monk. New York: Rodale Books
Tang, Y., Lu, Q., Fan, M., Yang, Y. and Posner, M. (2012). Mechanisms of white matter changes induced by meditation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, [online] 109(26), pp.10570-10574. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1207817109 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Freston, K. (2008). Quantum Wellness. New York: Weinstein Books
Hatchard, G., Deans, A., Cavanaugh, K. and Orme-johnson, D. (1996). The maharishi effect: A model for social improvement. Time series analysis of a phase transition to reduced crime in merseyside metropolitan area. Psychology, Crime & Law, [online] 2(3), pp.165-174. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10683169608409775 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Hölzel, B., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S., Gard, T. and Lazar, S. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, [online] 191(1), pp.36-43. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Krall, S., Rottschy, C., Oberwelland, E., Bzdok, D., Fox, P., Eickhoff, S., Fink, G. and Konrad, K. (2014). The role of the right temporoparietal junction in attention and social interaction as revealed by ALE meta-analysis. Brain Structure and Function, [online] 220(2), pp.587-604. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00429-014-0803-z [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Lazar, S., Kerr, C., Wasserman, R., Gray, J., Greve, D., Treadway, M., McGarvey, M., Quinn, B., Dusek, J., Benson, H., Rauch, S., Moore, C. and Fischl, B. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. NeuroReport, [online] 16(17), pp.1893-1897. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.wnr.0000186598.66243.19 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Leech, R. and Sharp, D. (2013). The role of the posterior cingulate cortex in cognition and disease. Brain, [online] 137(1), pp.12-32. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awt162 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Luders, E., Toga, A., Lepore, N. and Gaser, C. (2009). The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter. NeuroImage, [online] 45(3), pp.672-678. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.12.061 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
Orme-Johnson, D. (2003). Preventing Crime Through the Maharishi Effect. Journal Of Offender Rehabilitation, 36(1-4), 257-281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/j076v36n01_12
Shojai, P. (2016). The Urban Monk. New York: Rodale Books
Tang, Y., Lu, Q., Fan, M., Yang, Y. and Posner, M. (2012). Mechanisms of white matter changes induced by meditation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, [online] 109(26), pp.10570-10574. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1207817109 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2017].
