Meditation is the art of effortless focus to be in the now. It is a mind practice that has been used for centuries to connect to our inner self and has overall improvements in lifestyle. There are several styles of meditation from mindfulness, transcendental, heartfulness and variations thereof.

There has been a significant body of research amassed on meditation over the past few years suggesting several benefits. Meditation has shown to increase cortical thickness in the hippocampus, which governs learning and memory, and in certain areas of the brain that play roles in emotion regulation and self-referential processing. Meditation has also been linked to decreasing brain cell volume in the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anxiety and stress. A mindful practice decreases activity in the default mode network (DMN), the brain network responsible for mind-wandering and self-referential thoughts – a.k.a., “monkey mind.” This helps with happiness and productivity.

Meditation can have positive effects in the work-place including improved focus and productivity, enhanced creativity, improved listening and problem-solving skills, reduced stress and even aids in creating a positive and healthy culture. Some of the highly successful people who meditate – Oprah Winfrey, Bill Ford, Jerry Seinfeld, Will Smith, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs.

In our next post, we’ll be sharing simple steps for those beginning their journey on meditation.  

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