meditation

Beyond Meditation: Improving Brain Health And Performance

by cifanic
June 23, 2016June 14, 2019

Brain health is a fascinating topic. We know so little about our brains yet they drive everything we do. Meditation and the concept of mindfulness are popular topics, yet we don’t understand how we arrive at the benefits that everyone talks about. It’s probably safe to say that the majority of us don’t know how our brains actually work.

The good news is that we’re in new period of health and wellness where doctors can accurately see how our brains function, and even pinpoint the specific areas where our brains malfunction. This is very different from the traditional, assumption-based approach to making diagnoses in mental health. We are also learning that in many cases, real treatment doesn’t require the help of chemical drugs in order for us to find balance or heal.

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, M.D. is an informative read that focuses on brain elasticity. He presents the concept that that we can redesign our brains by understanding how they work from a mechanical perspective.

Meditation Can Literally Rewire Your Brain

by cifanic
June 13, 2016June 14, 2019

I’ve been meditating on and off for the past ten years. It wasn’t until late last year that I started getting consistent about my practice.

There are two big reasons why I made it a daily habit. First, I joined a group called The Catalyst Collective. As part of the 8-week pilot program we were asked to do the following things daily: write, get 20 minutes of physical exercise, and meditate.

I’ve always liked meditation. In theory it’s so easy – just sit there and breathe? No problem! I quickly came to notice that dropping into a meditative state is not as simple as it seems. With personal coaching from Palomi Sheth I’ve been able to take my sessions deeper through regular practice mixed with a variety of visualization exercises.

Nicole C. Lehmann-Haupt is an author and published writer whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Hypertext Magazine, El Portal, Ignatian Literary Magazine, and Mulberry Literary, among others. In 2021 and 2024, Nicole's work was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She has also contributed to Thrive Global, Yahoo!, Indie Shuffle, and LAist. Driven by a passion for storytelling that resonates across ages, her stories feature misfits, underdogs, and weirdos stumbling upon the extraordinary in an ordinary world. She is currently at work on a short story collection.