There are so many ways in which we can meditate. We are talking about a really personal practice that is actually practiced by many without even realizing it. What many do not know is that there is a huge science behind meditation, science that proves that it can make you feel better and that various advantages can appear.
MRI scans were used to highlight what happens to the brain when someone meditates and the truth is that the results are really interesting. The main difference between a brain that meditates and one that does not is the fact that during meditation the brain will stop processing all information at the rate that it normally does. That basically means that there is a decrease in the present beta waves. These are the ones that highlight that the brain is processing data. This happens even for beginners that never practiced in the past and that go through a beginners class of 20 minutes.
Frontal Lobe Changes
The frontal lobe is the part of the human brain that is the most evolved. It is important for emotions, self-conscious awareness, planning and reasoning. When you are meditating, your frontal lobe usually shuts down, working at a really low rate.
Parietal Lobe Changes
This part of the human brain is the one that processes the sensory information about what surrounds you. It helps you to orient yourself in space and time. As you meditate, the activity of the parietal lobe slows down.
Reticular Formation
This is regarded as being seen as a sentry for the brain. It is responsible for alerting the brain, getting it ready to react fast in the event that some stimuli are received. Meditation basically dials back that arousal signal that would cause a reaction. This explains why people can feel less pain or can do extraordinary things while meditating as they are not affected by what surrounds them as much as they would if they weren’t meditating.
Thalamus
The thalamus focuses attention by simply funneling sensory data deep inside your brain while stopping some signals. Meditation will reduce incoming information flow.