Introduction to Meditation

Meditation is one of the four fundamental components of Qigong along with movement/posture, self-massage, and breathing. Qigong (and it's most popular moving form, Tai Chi) is an ancient practice which belongs to new category of exercise called "meditative movement". Meditation in combination with breathing and slow, gentle movements (although there are many forms of Qigong that do not involve movement) affects humans physically and psychologically through relaxation techniques which reduce stress through modulation of the autonomic nervous system. The practice has a proven effect upon quality of life, self-esteem, relationships, the ability to recognize and handle stress, pain relief, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and more.

Qigong is moving meditation. "Moving" means either physical movement or movement of energy internally, even if no musculo-skeletal movement is occurring. The integration of interoception, proprioception, and mindfulness is a key component of the practice. You learn to create moments of peace within activity. All of this comes on a foundation of breathing.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Mindfulness: Measurement, Methods, Mechanisms, & Mental Health. PMC12245413. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MXABaBB9uc4. Awareness is the essence of meditation. 

How Mindfulness Is Revolutionizing Mental Health Care.

How Contemplative Practices Promote Health and Well-Being. 

What is Mindful Movement? First Global Data on a Growing, $29 Billion Wellness Segment.

Mindfulness is both a type of meditation and a key component of Qigong. Mindfulness can be defined as presence, or moment to moment awareness. Paying attention to the present moment as life unfolds moment to moment is called "non-doing", or "being". The practice of being is an attitude (i.e. an intention) to be in the present moment on purpose. The attitude that is brought to the meditation will determine its long-term value and whether it leads to a changed state of mind. Meditation in general and mindfulness in particular are extremely valuable practices for health. However, they are necessary but not sufficient. The profound power of Qigong comes from its incorporation of breathing (not all meditation or mindfulness includes any particular breathing discipline) and movement. Committment to practice requires effort and consistency over time in order to achieve best results. Note that meditation is a part of any Qigong practice session, but the most enduring benefit is obtained by integrating Qigong into your daily life. Meditation is increasingly being used in clinical situations for a range of conditions, and there is a growing scientific evidence base of its benefits. Qigong meditation and mindfulness training cultivates body awareness and promotes self-management of illness.

Functional Connectivity of Prefrontal Cortex in Various Meditation Techniques - A Mini-Review. PMC10026337. 

Mindfulness exercises can be as effective as anxiety drugs, study shows.

Harvard Neuroscientist: Meditation Reduces Stress and Literally Changes Your Brain.

Meditation may help you catch mental mistakes - Harvard Health. 

Long-Term and Meditation-Specific Modulations of Brain Connectivity Revealed Through Multivariate Pattern Analysis. PMID: 36977909.

Study quantifies changes in stress after meditation. 

20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating Today.

Study Revealed That Vajrayana Meditation Techniques Associated with Tibetan Buddhism Can Enhance Brain Performance. 

Why Doing Nothing Is the Key to Happiness. 

Meditation: It's Not What You Think

Spiritual Qigong includes integrating meditation into one's life 24x7. Through meditation the relationship between you and your life changes and deepens. You gain new insight and perceptions on living your life. However, mediation is not something to be practiced in ascetic isolation from the rest of your daily routine. In fact it is the integration of moving meditation practices such as Qigong into the fabric of daily life that most directly result in significant changes and improvements in health and wellbeing.

Buddhism and the Blues.

Silencing the Monkey Mind.

The Neural Mechanisms of Meditative Practices: Novel Approaches for Healthy Aging. PMC5110576.

Mayo Clinic Recommends Meditation

Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress.

Aware

The Science and Practice of Presence

Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence

An in-depth look at the science that underlies meditation's effectiveness. Siegel draws on his decades exploring the intersection between neuroscience and the nature of conscioiusness as well as his experience teaching thousands of students around the world how to harness the power of awareness in day-to-day life. Daniel Siegel.

ABC World News - Meditation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3PikBDuwf8

A brief report on the benefits of meditation, now being used in corporations, the military, schools, and increasingly by patients on the recommendation of their doctors.

How Meditation Changes Your Brain -- and Your Life

When neuroscientists tested expert meditators, they discovered something surprising: The effect of Buddhist meditation isn’t just momentary; it can alter deep-seated traits in our brain patterns and character. More.

Mapping the Mind: How You Use Your Brain Changes It Physically.

Do Qigong Meditation Now

Roger Jahnke: Sitting Qigong Exercise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWvlCLbjVJo

Qigong for Meditators

Wise qigong practice can reset and balance the nervous system by releasing tension, and softening and lengthening the breath through mindful action. Thus qigong is really a way to offer metta (lovingkindness) and compassion toward ourselves.

I teach a form of qigong for meditators that I call Radiant Heart qigong. The bene ts of Radiant Heart qigong practice for meditators are many. To begin with, the forms are acces- sible to almost every  tness level and can (indeed, should) be modi ed to  t each individual’s needs. Qigong may be done while standing, sitting, walking, and even lying down.

The ease of performing qigong belies the transformative power it offers. It is precisely this ease that allows its mindful practice to open the gateway to the direct experience of be- ing—a quality that I call “presence awareness,” which can refer both to an action and to a state of being. As an action, “presence awareness” is to bring the fullness of our attention to an object—the breath, for example, or any feature of the physical or energetic body, the mind, or the emotions. When we rest in presence awareness, we embody a kind of poise of being in which we are present to our interconnectedness with all of life, and our consciousness can rest in its own pristine and unobscured nature. Qigong uni es the domains of our human being—spirit, mind, and body. More.

Teja Bell. Qigong Dharma. 

American Psychological Association

What are the benefits of mindfulness. A wealth of new research has explored this age-old practice. Here's a look at its benefits for both clients and psychologists.

Neuroscience Reveals the Secrets of Meditation’s Benefits

In 2013, the New York Times declared that mindfulness was "having a moment" (pun intended), and just a few months later, a January 2014 TIME cover story announced that a "Mindful Revolution" was underway, challenging the stressed-out, tech-addicted American status quo. Scientific American has featured meditation on its November 2014 cover, representing another major step toward a meeting of the minds between ancient Eastern wisdom and Western science.

Scientific American November 2014 cover story

Qigong and Energy Medicine Database™

Meditation or Mindfulness

Incorporating Meditation into Western Medical Practice

The Clinical Use of Meditation

Herbert Benson and Jon Kabat-Zinn are the two people who have been most instrumental in the introduction and acceptance of meditation into standard western medical practice. Dr. Herbert Benson was the first to research and publicize the benefits of meditation in his ground-breaking book The Relaxation Response published in 1975. Benson's message was simple and straightforward. He argued that meditation could counter physiological and psychological adjustments to change which cause stress and accompanying illness. Benson recommended a meditation practice consisting of four basic elements -- a quiet environment, a mental object to dwell on, emptying all thoughts and distractions from one's mind, and a comfortable position. He called the result of such a practice the "relaxation response" -- physiological decreases in heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and breathing rate. Although Benson's original relaxation response included meditation, unlike Qigong, it did not include movement or breathing practices.

Relaxation Response: Dr. Herbert Benson Teaches You The Basics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBCsFuoFRp8

Relaxation Response and Resiliency Training and Its Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization. PMC4603901. 

From Buddhist and Taoist meditation practices which originated in China and became Zen Bhuddism in Japan, Jon Kabat-Zinn developed a secualr form of meditation he called "mindfulness-based" and got it accepted and integrated into mainstream western medical practice through proven clinical results.

What is Mindfulness?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmEo6RI4Wvs

Meet Mr. Mindfulness: How Jon Kabat-Zinn Brought Mindfulness to the Masses.

Q&A: Jon Kabat-Zinn Talks About Bringing Mindfulness Meditation to Medicine. 

Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. 

7 Things Mindful People Do Differently Everyday and How to Begin Now!

A Personal Reflection on the Relationship Between Tai Chi Qigong and Mindfulness Meditation. The main differences are that with Qigong, relaxation is a focus and not a by-product; deep diaphragmatic breathing is practiced; and there is a focus upon balancing qi, or life energy.

How Mindful Meditation Boosts Creativity and Innovation.

Meditation is beneficial for brain preservation, effectively protecting against age-related atrophy with a constantly slower rate of brain aging throughout life.

Dynamic Change of Awareness during Meditation Techniques: Neural and Physiological Correlates.

Movement-based embodied contemplative practices: definitions and paradigms. 

The neurobiology of focus and distraction: The case for incorporating mindfulness into leadership. 

Meditation helps patients with medically unexplained symptoms. 

The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics. 

Is Mindful Reflective Practice the way forward to reduce medication errors? 

Default Mode Network, Meditation, and Age-Associated Brain Changes: What Can We Learn from the Impact of Mental Training on Well-Being as a Psychotherapeutic Approach? 

Trait Mindfulness and Functional Connectivity in Cognitive and Attentional Resting State Networks.

The Immediate and Sustained Positive Effects of Meditation on Resilience Are Mediated by Changes in the Resting Brain.

Mindfulness-based interventions: towards mindful clinical integration.

Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) article by Johns Hopkins researchers recommends meditation.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Research on Meditation

Stress is a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter changes in life. Occasional stress is a normal coping mechanism. However, long-term stress may contribute to or worsen a range of health problems including digestive disorders, headaches, sleep disorders, and other symptoms. Stress may worsen asthma and has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.

Some people use various relaxation techniques to induce the relaxation response, which helps release tension and may counteract the ill effects of stress. Relaxation techniques often combine breathing exercises and focused attention to calm the mind and the body. Some examples of relaxation response techniques are:

5 Things To Know About Relaxation Techniques for Stress

Relaxation Techniques for Health: An Introduction

Meditation: An Introduction

Meditators and Nonmeditators Differ on Demographic Factors, Health Behaviors, Health Status, and Health Care Access, New Analysis Shows.

New Study Links Mindfulness, Brain Changes, and Pain Sensitivity.

Meditation and Health 

The three main principles of Qigong practice are the concentration of body movements, the breath and the mind. Qigong has both a dynamic (Yang) and stillness (Yin) component. Qigong can be referred to as a mindful or meditation practice. The term meditation refers to a variety of techniques or practices intended to focus or control attention. Most meditative techniques are rooted in Eastern religious or spiritual traditions and have been used by many different cultures throughout the world for thousands of years. Today, many people use meditation outside of its traditional religious or cultural settings to improve their health and wellness.

Researchers have been collecting data on meditation for many years and countless studies have shown that meditation has not only a mental but a physiological effect on the body. Many of the findings show that, among other benefits, meditation can help reverse heart disease, reduce pain and enhance the body's immune system. ...More

From: The Art of Life, Simon Blow.www.simonblowqigong.com. Reprinted with permisson of author.

Science Says Silence Is Much More Important To Our Brains Than We Think

“This study is among the strongest, probably the most definitive proof that noise – even at levels that do not produce any hearing damage – causes stress and is harmful to humans." Article.

"Sixty to ninety percent of visits to doctors are in the mind-body stress-related realm poorly treated by drugs and surgery"

Herbert Benson - The Relaxation Revolution: Enhancing Health Through Mind Body Healing

Pioneer of mind body medicine Herbert Benson discusses his book, "The Relaxation Revolution: Enhancing Your Personal Health Through the Science and Genetics of Mind Body Healing," presented by Harvard Book Store. In the 1970s, Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School ushered in a new era of understanding in the field of mind body medicine. Coining the term "relaxation response," Dr. Benson identified the body's physiologic reaction that is the exact opposite of the stress (fight-or-flight) response. In the four decades since that initial discovery, Benson and his colleagues have established the first effective therapy to counteract the harmful effects of stress. "The Relaxation Revolution" details Dr. Benson's recent work with colleagues in the field of genetics. More lectures at http://forum-network.org.

Several years before Engel’s paper, the late Herbert Benson was investigating the physiological underpinnings of stress-related hypertension. This work led to his exploration of the benefits of meditation as an antidote to the overactive stress response system’s pathogenicity. His seminal book, “The Relaxation Response” published in 1975 summarized his research on the calming physiological state that can be achieved with a simple focused awareness breathing meditation.

Mind body medicine: a modern bio-psycho-social model forty-five years after Engel. PMC10060142. 

Cultivating Resilience: Meta-Analysis of Mindfulness-Based Training for Nurse Stress and Burnout Mitigation. PMID: 40359444. 

Why Meditate? | Change your Brain's Default Mode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAVPDYhW_nw

A concise overview of the benefits and neuroscience of meditation, including how to control the monkey mind. In addition to a host of documented medical benefits, meditation improves awareness and attention. 

A Summary of the Benefits of Meditation

Dan Harris: Hack Your Brain's Default Mode with Meditation | Big Think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAcTIrA2Qhk

What is Mindfulness

Living in the moment -- also called mindfulness -- is a state of active, open, intentional attention on the present. When you become mindful, you realize that you are not your thoughts; you become an observer of your thoughts from moment to moment without judging them. Mindfulness involves being with your thoughts as they are, neither grasping at them nor pushing them away. Instead of letting your life go by without living it, you awaken to experience.

Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi

Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention. PMC3541492. 

Let It Be: Mindful-acceptance Down-Regulates Pain and Negative Emotion. PMC7057281.

Sakyong Mipham on Meditation / Mindfulness. Conversation with Allan Greg May 2003

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kIMLYZRt14

Sakyong Mipham explains some basics of meditation.  

Meditation is Like Drinking Water. Mindfulness - Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Shambhala

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ljV33lFzI

What is the Difference Between Qigong and Mindfulness-based Meditation

A Personal Reflection on the Relationship Between Tai Chi Qigong and Mindfulness Meditation. There are some subtle differences between Qiqong, Tai Chi, and Mindfulness-based meditation. However, they all seek the truth of the present moment, seeing it clearly without pre-conceived ideas and habitual judgements, you can promote the healing of both physical and mental aspects of the self. This in turn supports the sustained practice required to achieve spiritual insight and personal transformation.

The Philosophy of Mindfulness

Becoming Conscious: The Science of Mindfulness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TeWvf-nfpA

Jon Kabat-Zinn summarizes the key considerations of mindfulness practice

Is Mindfulness a Religion? The fact that so many of our traditions -- religious and secular, spiritual and philosophical -- come back to these fundamental practices of compassion and awareness suggests that mindfulness is simply part of the human experience.

More Mindfulness, Less Meditation. 

Recognizing that the subconscious mind has the most control over what we do (i.e. our behavior) is a prime focus of mindfulness.

Ellen Langer: Mindfulness over matter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XQUJR4uIGM

Ellen Langer is an artist and Harvard psychology professor who authored 11 books on the illusion of control, perceived control, successful aging and decision-making. "We have many, many studies that suggest that the limits we assume are real are artificial, and that we don't have to accept them at all."

The legend and reality of meditators being able to dry wet sheets wrapped around their bodies. PMC3612090. 

Monk changes body temperature thorough Meditation. 

From OM to OMG: Science, your brain, and the productive powers of meditation. 

Lessons for the Health-care Practitioner from Buddhism. PMC6330872. 

UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness

Mindfulness and Medicine at UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxQkZd_jtKQ

UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness Director Steve Hickman explains how the practice of mindfulness can alleviate the difficulties of life. He describes how stress can be alleviated with the systematic practice of living in the moment.