How strong is your urge to “do the right thing”? Whether we’re talking about the small-but-good deed of returning your shopping cart to its proper place at the grocery store, or something a little more impactful like volunteering at the local soup kitchen, conscience plays a role. So is there a way to give it […]
Treating PTSD with Mindfulness-based Trauma Therapy
Soldiers in a war zone experience more trauma in a week than many others experience in their lives . . . . . . but it still feels like our tools for treating trauma aren’t quite sufficient. Mindfulness meditation could be a powerful healing intervention – but does it work with soldiers? The early research […]
Improving Memory through Meditation?
Many of us fear losing our memory and healthy brain function. Whenever I misplace my car keys or forget my online banking password, I get the fleeting thought of “oh, no, is this a sign?” Meditation is one way that I calm such fears, but I may be helping my memory in the process too. […]
What’s Happening in the Brain During Meditation?
We’ve talked a lot about meditation for general health and even for neuroplasticity. And yet . . . . . . have you ever been curious about what is actually happening in the brain during meditation? This was addressed by a recent study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Jim Lagopoulos, PhD, […]
Mindfulness Meditation and Pain Reduction
In an earlier post, I reported on some work by Montreal University researcher Pierre Rainville, PhD, who found that meditators experienced an 18% reduction in pain sensitivity compared to their non-meditating counterparts. A new study by Christopher Brown, PhD out of the University of Manchester, UK and published in the journal Pain, found that meditation […]