With more and more scientific research now proving the power of meditation in lowering our overall stress response, is it really any surprise that some of the world’s most successful innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs practice mindfulness practices on a daily basis?! Jeff Weiner – CEO of LinkedIn, Marc Benioff – CEO of Salesforce, Richard Branson and Bill Gates to name but a few!
“Silence is a form of great strength ‘” Lao Tzu
Research has shown, through MRI studies, that regular meditation practice actually shrinks our amygdala – our fight and flight / stress response centre, thereby thickening and strengthening our prefrontal cortex – our logical, thoughtful and decision-making brain. In doing so, our ability to make more balanced and controlled choices increases and our reactive, unthought-out behaviours begin to lessen – basically we become less triggered by negative reactions and emotions.
A study from UCLA found that long term meditators had better preserved brains (grey matter) than non-meditators and a study at Yale university found that those with the predisposition to suffer with the “monkey mind’ – the mind that wanders and is rarely in the present gained more control of this and their ability to bring themselves back to awareness and present focus.
Improvements in mood, focus,
decision making, stress response, empathy, burnout and memory boosting are just some of the tangible benefits of taking anywhere from 10mins a day, or longer if that’s available, to start to see results that will impact not only your personal life but also in the workplace too. For business owners, many are now turning to meditation within the workspace with results showing lowered absenteeism, less stress, greater productivity and creativity as well as helping with depression and anxiety.
There are many different types of meditation from transcendental meditation, mindfulness, zen, walking, guided, mantra meditations etc and it’s important to find the one that resonates most for you. For further information on meditation and mindfulness practices please use the form to get in touch.
“The mind is everything, what you think you become” Buddha
Σχόλια