Meditation, Well-Being, and Immune System Functioning

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Recommended: an essay introduction on mediation

Meditation has been practiced for its medicinal properties since the early years of the human race. Its healing properties have long been unexplained--creating great curiosity about its wonderful effects on the human body and mind. Meditation is rooted from the Buddhist tradition and has two main categories of practice: concentrative and focused meditation. However, all forms of meditation are practiced in similar ways despite distinguishing names. The benefits of meditation are subjectively felt but are also backed with scientific proof. An individual may practice meditation sitting, laying down, or even in a yoga pose. Ongoing practice of meditation training enhances the immune system, promotes positive thinking, and improves concentration and focus. The meditation practices researched in this paper are mindfulness, loving-kindness, and prayer.

Mindfulness Meditation

Having awareness of ones surroundings while accepting life’s current circumstances is the essence of mindfulness-based meditation training. The benefits that an individual may possess after regular practice can be measured and examined at the molecular level of the human body. Furthermore, the behaviors and attitude of the individual mature with great enthusiasm in everyday life. When performing mindfulness meditation, the individual seeks to silent the mind and become aware of every sense of the body. External factors must not distract the individual from moving out of the pose, but rather use the distraction as a means of creating stronger will power to overcome any disturbances.

Brain functioning

The most common physiological identification in measuring effectiveness of meditation can be seen in the brain region (Bonus, Davidson, Harrington, Kabat-Zi...

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...f self-perceived

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Loving-kindness meditation for chronic low back pain: Results from a pilot trial.

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social connectedness. American Psychological Association, 8(5), 720-724.

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