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Meditation can alter brain structure and reduce stress Posted by Ram Kumar Shrestha on October 5, 2011 By Barbara Lantin Kathy Sykes, a Bristol University professor, has long known that if she does not find at least 30 minutes a day in her frantically overcrowded schedule to lie down and listen to music, she is grumpier, more tired and less able to concentrate. What Professor Sykes, who holds the chair in the Public Engagement of Science and Engineering at Bristol, did not realise until recently is that she was, in effect, practising a fairly crude form of meditation. She also didn’t know that there was growing evidence to show that this ancient practice can make people healthier and happier. It may even increase life span, alter brain structure and change personality. Ancient traditional therapies do not always stand up to close scientific scrutiny. But when Professor Sykes put meditation under the metaphorical microscope for the second series of Alternative Therapies: The Evidence, which she is presenting on BBC Two on Monday, she was surprised to find that the saffron-robed monks of Kathmandu and the white-coated scientists of Harvard shared more common ground than might have been expected. “Several people have told me that meditation can affect your emotions,” she says, “and one of the areas of the brain that scientists are finding may be affected by meditation is involved in processing emotions, among other things. These are early days and we need more trials, but this is potentially very exciting.” BACKGROUND RELATED LINKS Finding a state of calm About ten million people meditate every day in the West and, while there are many different techniques, the purpose is always to focus the mind – sometimes through the use of a mantra, a sound or the breath – and promote a state of calm. Although Professor Sykes had always found her own ad hoc methods useful, she noticed a change after her visit to Kathmandu for instruction with Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk who has been meditating for more than 30 years. “It would be absurd to say that I have learnt to meditate when people spend a lifetime doing that, but when I try to meditate now it does have a more powerful effect,” she says. “My dad died from cancer about two months before I made the programme, but I had not cried about him for a while because I was just so busy filming. Matthieu had suggested I try to focus on unconditional love so, the next time I was trying to meditate, I thought about that and inevitably about my love for my dad. Within milliseconds I was bawling my eyes out. It was quite an intense experience and I found it comforting in my grief. “Not long ago, I was on a crowded train where there was standing-room only going from Paddington to Bristol. I sat cross-legged on the floor to meditate and felt like I was transported to a delightful place. It was glorious to feel it was possible to ‘escape’ like that.” As a scientist, Professor Sykes wanted to know what was happening to her body to make her feel this way, so she checked into the famous Massachusetts General Hospital, where Dr Herbert Benson, a Harvard Medical School professor, put her through a barrage of tests. After hooking her up to a range of monitors “like a lab rat”, doctors measured her resting pulse, muscle tension, respiration and sweat. They then subjected her to some humiliating mental arithmetic on camera, during which her stress levels and all her readings soared. But after a short period of meditation, her pulse and breathing dropped below the resting rate. Dr Benson calls this the “relaxation response” and believes it can help with a wide range of conditions, including heart disease, asthma, diabetes and infertility. “To the extent that any disorder is caused or made worse by stress, regular elicitation of the relaxation response will counteract that condition,” he saysMeditation changes the brain For Professor Sykes, the most exciting part of her investigation took place in the laboratories, where scientists are demonstrating that meditation appears to be associated with changes in the brain. These studies suggest that we could all benefit from regular meditation. MRI scans of long-term meditators have shown greater activity in brain circuits involved in paying attention. When disturbing noises were played to a group of meditators undergoing an MRI scan, they had relatively little effect on the brain areas involved in emotion and decision-making among those with the most experience of meditation. “Attention can be trained in a way that is not that different to how physical exercise changes the body,” says Richard Davidson, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Long-term meditation seems not only to alter brain-wave patterns: early research suggests that it may also result in changes in the actual structure of the cortex, the outer parts of our brains. “We have found that brain regions associated with attention and sensory processing were thicker in meditators than in the controls,” says Dr Sara Lazar, an assistant in psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital. “The data give credence to some of the claims of long-term meditators and suggests that meditation can play a role in reducing stress, improving emotion regulation and perhaps slowing the effects of ageing on brains – slowing the normal decrease in mental agility, ability to learn new things and memory that comes with age.” It is possible, of course, that people with a thicker brain cortex in areas associated with awareness and sensory processing are more likely to meditate. So Dr Lazar is investigating whether changes in brain structure can be detected before and after learning the technique. All this means that Professor Sykes will be sticking with meditation and thinks the rest of us should try it, too. “I find it incredibly empowering to think that how happy we feel or our ability to focus or concentrate may not be fixed character traits but may be skills that we can train and get better at,” she says. “This must be worth investigating. If evidence is found that meditation can help us all to think better, to be happier and to be more compassionate, that would be amazing.” @TIMESONLINE
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सुन्दर खनाल, काठमाडौं, कात्तिक १४- चिनिया सहभागिताको एपेक योजना विवाद सेलाउँदै गएका बेला सरकारले लुम्बिनी विकासमा विदेशी सहयोग जुटाउने विशेष म्यान्डेट माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाललाई दिएको छ। सरकारले दाहाल सहअध्यक्ष रहेको एपेकलाई ‘कामका हकमा निष्प्रभावी’ भने पनि फेरि लुम्बिनीको मुद्दालाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समुदायमा लान दाहालकै नेतृत्व चुनेको हो। हालै गठन गरिएको बृहत्तर लुम्बिनी विकास राष्ट्रिय निर्देशक समितिका अध्यक्ष दाहालले कम्तीमा पाँच जनाको टोलीसहित आगामी साता अमेरिका भ्रमण गर्ने भएका छन्। भ्रमणका क्रममा उनले राष्ट्र संघ महासचिव वान कि मुनसँग भेट्ने संस्कृति तथा संघिय मामिलामन्त्री गोपाल किराँतीले नागरिकलाई बताए। दाहालसँग भ्रमणमा लुम्बिनी विकासमा राष्ट्रसंघीय भूमिकाका लागि पहल गरिरहेको बताउने नेपाली कांग्रेसका नेता तथा पूर्व संस्कृति मन्त्री मिनेन्द्र रिजाल, एमालेका मंगलसिद्धि मानन्धर, उद्योगपति मनोजबहादुर श्रेष्ठ र बढीमा दाहालका दुई सहयोगी रहनेछन्। ‘अहिले लुम्बिनीका लागि बृहद अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सहयोग जुटाउन दाहालकै नेतृत्व निर्विवाद छ,’ किराँतीले भने, ‘कांग्रेस र एमालेले पनि आलोचना गरेका छैनन्।’ Read the rest of this entry » By रामकुमार श्रेष्ठ, विस्व संयोजक कपिलबस्तु दिवस अभियान [यही अक्टोबर २९-३१, २०११ मा लण्डनमा भएको नेवारहरुको पहिलो विस्व भेलामा प्रस्तुत कार्य पत्र हो यो । उक्त भेलामा संस्कृतिबिद सत्य मोहन जोशी, सभासद भान्टे आनन्द पथ, मानब अधिकारबादी समाजसेवी पद्मरत्न तुलाधर, प्रो मणिक लाल श्रेष्ठको समेत सहभागिता थियो । भेलामा अमेरिका, बेल्जियम, हल्याण्ड, नेपाल र वेलायतका प्रतिनिधिहरुले भाग लिएका थिए । ] पृष्ठभूमि: समाज जहाँ छ त्यसैमा चित्त बुझाई रहने, समाजले जे मान्ने र स्वीकार्ने गरेको छ त्यही नै संधै मान्न र स्वीकार्न खोज्ने, समाजले जुन कुराहरुलाई जसरी बुझिरहेको छ त्यस्लाई त्यसरी नै मात्र बुझ्न खोज्ने जस्ता प्रबृत्तिले न त मानिस महान बन्न सक्छ न त समाज अगाडि बढन नै । यसरी समाजमा विद्यमान अप्रगतिशील मान्यताहरुलाई तात्कालिन अवस्थामा सामना गर्नु पर्ने अनेकन जटीलता, कठीनता र ब्यबधानका बाबजुद पनि अस्वीकृत गर्दै अगाडि बढ्ने क्रममा प्राप्त प्रतिफलहरुलाई के कस्तो तबरले के कति हदसम्म स्वीकार्य बनाउँदै अगाडि बढन र बढाउन सक्षम भइन्छ तदनुरुप नै महानताको स्वरुप पनि निर्धारित हुन सक्छ । युवराज सिद्धार्थ मूलत: धार्मिक तथा दार्शनिक चिन्तनका दृष्टिले बौद्धिक जगतमा आमूल परिवर्तनकारी सिद्धान्तका प्रतिपादक, शान्तिका अग्रदूत एवं सर्वमान्य महामानव गौतम बुद्धका रुपमा रुपान्तरण हुनुको कसी र आधार यही नै हो । र जीवनको अर्थ बुझ्ने क्रममा उहाँद्धारा गरिएका त्याग र ततपस्चात प्राप्त संपूर्ण सफलताका कारण सिंहासनभन्दा जनताको दिलको आशन महत्वपूर्ण भन्ने भनाइलाई चरितार्थ बनाउने सबभन्दा राम्रो उदाहरण संपूर्ण मानब इतिहासमा बुद्ध नै हुनुहुन्छ भन्ने कुरामा बिबाद गरिराख्नु पर्ने देखिन्न । त्यसैले बुद्धको बिस्वब्यापी महत्व हुनु स्वाभाबिक देखिन्छ र छ पनि । बुद्ध ब्यक्तिगत खुशी र सुखीदेखि बिस्व शान्तिसम्मका लागि उत्प्रेरक, प्रेरणादायी र आस्थाका पुन्ज हुनुहुन्छ र त करीब २६०० बर्ष अघि जन्मेर पनि यो बैज्ञानिक युगमा पनि झन झन महत्व बढदै जाने सदाबहार सर्ब स्वीकार्य महामानबका रुपमा स्थापित उहाँप्रति संपूर्ण जाती, धर्म, सम्प्रदाय नमस्तक भएका छन । यो नै हो मैले बुझेको र परिभाषित गरिने श्रद्धेय बुद्ध । ब्यक्तिको महानतासंगसंगै निजसंग सम्बन्धित हरेक कुराको महत्व पनि बढन थाल्छ । बुद्धद्धारा प्रतिपादित सुख र शान्ति प्राप्तीका लागि अबलम्बन गरिनु पर्ने सिद्धान्त र बिधिहरु बुद्धिज्मको रुपमा बिस्व प्रसिद्ध भएका कारण बुद्ध जन्मनु भएको स्थानको बिस्वब्यापी महत्व छ आध्यात्मिक, ऐतिहासिक र पुरातात्विक महत्वको दृष्टिकोणले । त्यसैले युनेस्कोले यस्लाई बिस्व संपदा सूचिमा समाबेश गरेको हो १९९७ मा । बुद्ध अनेकतामा एकता कायम गर्ने बर्तमान नेपालको राष्ट्रियताको प्रमुख सूत्राधार मात्रै नभएर उहाँद्धारा प्रतिपादित बुद्धिज्म युद्ध र अशान्तिले ग्रस्त बर्तमान बिस्व परिबेशमा विस्व भातृत्व एबं विस्व शान्तिका सूत्राधार पनि मानिन्छ । Read the rest of this entry » वर्षेनी विश्वभरका करिव ६० लाख पर्यटकले अवलोकन गर्ने सेन्ट्रल लन्डनस्थित ब्रिटिश म्यूजियममा शान्तिका अग्रदूत गौतम बुद्ध भारतमाजन्मिएको भ्रामक र गलत सन्देश छ । ‘द डिपार्टमेन्ट अफ एसिया’ कक्षअन्तर्गत ‘द लाइफ अफ द बुद्ध’ शीर्षकमा टांगिएको दस्तावेजमा बुद्धिज्मलाई भारतको धर्मअन्तर्गत राख्दै ‘बुद्धको जीवनी शुरुवात गर्दा उहाँ छैंटौं शताव्दीको मध्यतिर उत्तरपूर्वी भारतको एक शाही परिवारमा जन्मिनुभएको हो’ उल्लेख छ । बुद्धको जन्म महारानी मायाबाट लुम्बिनीको मृगस्थलमा अद्भूत तरिकाबाट भएको त्यहाँ उल्लेख छ । ‘उहाँ दरवार रहँदा विवाहित हुनुहुन्थ्यो र उहाँबाट एक छोरा भएको थियो । उहाँले आफ्नै आँखाबाट बिरामी, भोका र मृत्यु देखेपछि मानव जीवनमा यी घट्ना किन भइरहेका छन् भन्ने जिज्ञासा लिएर भौतिक जीवन त्यागी बोधगयाको वृक्षमुनी बसि ध्यान गर्नुभएको थियो,’ म्युजियममा उल्लेख छ । उक्त दस्तावेजमा बुद्धको मृत्यु ४८० बीसीमा भएको र उनको समाधिपछि बुद्धका उपदेश शिष्यहरुमा बाँडिएको लेखिएको छ । ग्रेट रसेल स्टि्रटमा अवस्थित विश्वकै पहिलो राष्ट्रिय स्तरको यो सार्वजनिक संग्रहालयका कर्मचारीले भने गलत तथ्यबारे अनभिज्ञता प्रकट गरे । ‘हामी त यहाँ उल्लेख गरिएको जानकारीमात्र पर्यटकलाई वर्णन गरिदिने हो, अन्य कुरा थाहा भएन,’ एक कर्मचारीले भने । बि्रटिश म्यूजियमका निर्देशक निल म्याकग्रेगोरले विश्व इतिहाससम्बन्धी जानकारी दिन बीबीसी रेडियो फोरमा प्रस्तुत गरेको एकसय श्रृंखलाको ‘अ हिस्टि्र अफ द वल्र्ड इन हन्ड्रेड अव्जेक्ट्स’ मा समेत बुद्धबारे त्यही भ्रमपूर्ण तथ्य प्रसारण भएको थियो । Read the rest of this entry » हङकङ, कार्तिक ९ – सरकारले घोषणा गरेको ‘लुम्बिनी भ्रमण वर्ष २०१२’ लाई सघाउन विश्वविख्यात चिनियाँ एक्सन नायक ज्याकी चेनसँगै बलिउड स्टार शाहरुख खान, रेखा लगायतका कलाकार नेपाल आउने कुराले यतिबेला बजार पिटेको छ । एक्कासि सुनिएको समाचारप्रति यिनका अधिकांश प्रशंसकहरूले खुसी व्यक्त गरेका छन् । इन्टरनेटमा प्रेषित प्रतिक्रियाहरूमा विख्यात कलाकारले लुम्बिनी प्रवर्द्धनमा सघाउने कुराबारे प्रशन्नतासँगै विभिन्न शंका समेत पोखिएका छन् । चिनियाँ सुपरस्टार ज्याकी चेनलाई मानार्थ दूत बनाउनेबारे सम्झौतै भइसकेको दाबी गरिएको छ । माघमा उनी नेपाल आउने समेत सञ्चारमाध्यममा सार्वजनिक भएका छन् । यसबारे हङकङका रैथाने ज्याकीबाटै पुष्टि गर्न मंगलबार दिनभर प्रयास गरियो, सम्भव भएन । सरकारी निकाय बेइजिङस्थित नेपाली दूतावास र हङकङस्थित महावाणिज्य दूतावासले भने यसबारे पूर्ण अनभिज्ञता प्रकट गरेका छन् । यद्यपि चीनका लागि नेपाली राजदूत टंक कार्कीले ज्याकीलाई नेपाल भ्रमण गराउन यसअघि धेरैपटक प्रयास गरिएको खुलाए । ‘विश्वभर करोडौं प्रशंसक रहेका उनीजस्ता महानायकलाई नेपाल पुर्याउन सके चीन लगायत विश्वभर पर्यटन प्रवर्द्धनमा राम्रै सघाउ पुग्ने थियो,’ राजदूत कार्कीले भने, ‘धेरैपटक विभिन्न माध्यमबाट सम्पर्क गर्ने प्रयास गरियो तर उहाँको व्यस्तताले सफल भएन ।’ करोडौं बौद्ध धर्मावलम्बीहरू रहेको चीनमा लुम्बिनीबारे जनस्तरमै प्रवर्द्धन गर्न ज्याकीजस्ता चर्चित पात्र उपयुक्त माध्यम हुन सक्ने उनको धारणा थियो । लुम्बिनी विकास कोषका सदस्यसचिव राजेन्द्र थापा मगरले भने ज्याकीले लुम्बिनी प्रवर्द्धनका लागि मानार्थ दूत बन्न स्विकारेको दाबी गरेका छन् । ‘उहाँले हाम्रो प्रस्ताव स्वीकार गरी आफ्नो विवरण समेत पठाइसक्नुभएको छ,’ सचिव थापा मगरले भने, ‘मानार्थ दूतकै घोषणा गरिएकाले नेपाल पनि आइदिनुस् भन्ने हाम्रो आग्रह हो ।’ यद्यपि ज्याकीको भ्रमणबारे भने कुनै टुंगो लागिनसकेको उनले बताए । विभिन्न अन्तर्वार्तामा ज्याकीले आफूलाई बुद्धिस्ट बताउने गरेकाले भने बुद्धको जन्मथलो लुम्बिनीको भ्रमण उनको प्राथमिकता पर्न सक्ने अड्कल काटिएको छ । Read the rest of this entry » ४ कार्तिक, काठमाडौं । बृहत्तर लुम्बिनी विकास राष्ट्रिय निर्देशक समितिले संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघअन्तर्गतको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समितिसँग समन्वय गर्दै अघि बढ्ने निर्णय गरेको छ । समितिको शुक्रबार बसेको पहिलो बैठकले राष्ट्र संघअन्तर्गतको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समितिसँग समन्वय गर्दै अघि बढ्न राष्ट्रसंघका महासचिव बाव कि मुनलाई पत्राचार गर्ने निर्णय गरेको छ । बैठकमा महासचिव वानलाई नेपाल भ्रमणमा बोलाउनेबारे समेत छलफल भएको समितिका सदस्य मंगलसिद्धि मानन्धरले जानकारी दिनुभयो । बैठकले लुम्बिनीको विकाससम्वन्धी अन्तराष्ट्रिय समिति समिति पुनर्गठन गर्न पहल गर्ने निर्णय समेत गरेको छ । समितिको बैठकले समिति गठनको उद्देश्यहरु निर्धारण गरेको छ । बृहत्तर लुम्बिनीको विकासको योजना बनाउने, लुम्बिनी विकास कोषलाई सघाउने र अन्तराष्ट्रिय सहयोग जुटाउने समितिको उद्देश्य छ । समितिका सदस्य मिनेन्द्र रिजालले भन्नुभयो-’यो कुनै एउटा संस्थालाई छिराउन गठन भएको हैन । राष्ट्रसंघदेखि इच्छुक सबै अन्तराष्ट्रिय समुदायको सहभागिता सुनिश्चित गर्न समिति गठन गरिएको छ ।’ Read the rest of this entry » [This project was done by a thirteen years girl Pallabi Shakya and we encourage kids to send this kind of work. ] By Pallabi Shakya Highworth Grammar School Ashford, Kent, UK Introduction/Contents Many of us know about Buddha and how he was the enlightened one. But, do any of us know what enlightened means and how he became enlightened? Throughout this project I will be covering: What is Buddhism? The Three Jewels The Four Noble Truths The Wheel of Life Important Places for Buddhists Lumbini Threats What is Buddhism? Buddhism has around 350 million followers worldwide. With approximately 150,000 active Buddhists in the UK. This number is increasing all the time. Buddhism began in north-eastern India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha. The religion is 2,500 years old. Many Asian countries have Buddhism as one of their main religions. Buddhism is a religion about suffering and the need to get rid of. Nirvana is a key concept of Buddhism and Nirvana means, the most enlightened, and blissful state that one can achieve. It is a state without suffering. Unlike many other religions, Buddhism is not centred on the relationship between humanity and God. Buddhists don’t believe in a personal creator or God. The Buddhist tradition is founded on and inspired by the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. He was called the Buddha and lived in the 4th or 5th century B.C. in India. Siddhartha Gautama also known as Buddha was born in the village of Lumbini, in Nepal, around the year 580 BCE. He was born into a royal family and for many years lived within the palace walls away from the sufferings of life; sufferings such as sickness, age, and death. He did not know what these were. One day, after growing-up, marrying and having a child, Siddhartha went outside the royal palace and saw, each for the first time, an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. He was worried by what he saw. He learned that sickness, age, and death were the inevitable fate of human beings. This was a fate no-one could avoid. Siddhartha also had seen a monk when he went outside the royal palace and this was when he decided that this was a sign that he should leave his protected royal life and live as a homeless holy man. Siddhartha Gautama’s travels showed him much more of the sufferings of the world. He searched for a way to escape the inevitability of death, old age and pain first by studying with religious men. This didn’t provide him with an answer. Read the rest of this entry » बुद्धद्धारा प्रतिपादित सुख र शान्ति प्राप्तीका लागि अबलम्बन गरिनु पर्ने सिद्धान्त र बिधिहरु बुद्धिज्मको रुपमा बिस्व प्रसिद्ध भएका कारण बुद्ध जन्मनु भएको स्थानको बिस्वब्यापी महत्व छ । त्यसैले ब्यक्तिगत खुशी र सुखीदेखि बिस्व शान्तिसम्मका लागि उत्प्रेरक, प्रेरणादायी र आस्थाका पुन्ज उहाँ करीब २६०० बर्ष अघि जन्मेर पनि यो बैज्ञानिक युगमा समेत आजको अशान्तमय बिस्व परिबेशका कारण संपूर्ण जाती, धर्म, सम्प्रदायका बीच झन झन महत्व बढदै जाने सदाबहार सर्ब स्वीकार्य महामानबका रुपमा स्थापित हुनुहुन्छ । त्यसैले युनेस्कोले बुद्ध जन्मस्थल लुम्बिनीलाई बिस्व संपदा सूचिमा समाबेश गरेको हो १९९७ मा । बिस्वमा करीब ५० करोड बुद्धिस्ट छन भने बिस्वभरि बुद्धिज्मलाई धर्मभन्दा बिज्ञानको रुपमा लिने पनि लाखौं छन । र उक्त संख्याको ०.१ प्रतिशत मात्र पर्यटक बर्षेनी भित्र्याउने बातावरण तयार गर्न सकियो भने पनि बर्षमा ५ लाखभन्दा बढी पर्यटक भित्रिने देखिन्छ र यसबाट मात्रै अरबौं रुपयाँ देश भित्र्याउन सकिने देखिन्छ । Read the rest of this entry » I think it’s safe to say everyone is seeking happiness; even if they are not aware of it. Aristotle once posited that we all seek happiness, but as humans we do not share the same path. Well, is there a sure fire path that will bring us lasting happiness, or as I would call “joy?” The Law of Attraction (LOA) must be included in any discussion; it plays a key role in where we actually end up in life. What I find troubling about some LOA perspectives is the advice to pursue whatever “feels good.” I was re-reading my own book, “The Point Of Power,” and I noticed that I used a similar descriptive. I now realize how this wording can be severely misconstrued inaccurately. The wildly popular movie, “The Secret,” goes so far as to say that anything we think will make us feel good is fair game — a million dollars, a dream house, a sexy red sports car. It goes on to imply that each of us has some sort of supernatural power to make the world do our bidding, suggesting that we each are the center of the universe. It also implies that spiritual growth is all about fun, lightness and pleasure as we jump from one blissful experience to the next. Let’s bring this all back down to earth. In my experience, what “feels good” is a pretty faulty indicator of what’s in our best interest. All we need to do is remember the last time we indulged in a gallon of ice cream or six shots of Don Julio Anejo tequila to know that. And I’m sure we’ve all experienced what usually happens after we get that one thing we wanted so much. The grass quickly starts looking greener on the other side. Read the rest of this entry » Committee will prepare master plans for the development of Lumbini area incorporating three districts–Rupandehi‚ Kapilvastu and Nawalparasi KATHMANDU: The government on Monday decided to mark 2012 as the Lumbini Visit Year, and constituted a high-level committee for the development of Lumbini area in the leadership of UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Lumbini, a UNESCO world heritage site, is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Read the rest of this entry » प्रचण्डको संयोजकत्वमा लुम्बिनी विकास राष्ट्रिय निर्देशक समिति ३० असोज, काठमाडौं । सरकारले सन् २०१२ लाई लुम्बिनी भ्रमण बर्ष घोषणा गरेको छ । मन्त्रिपरिषद्को सोमबार बसेको बैठकले लुम्बिनीको ऐतिहासिक महत्वबारे जानकारी दिन, पयर्टक भित्र्याउन र लुम्बिनीको विकासका लागि अन्तराष्ट्रिय समुदायको ध्यानाकर्षण गराउन सन् २०१२ लाई लुम्बिनी भ्रमण बर्ष बनाउने निर्णय गरेको हो । Read the rest of this entry » Meditation is the art of silencing the mind. When the mind is silent, concentration is increased and we experience inner peace in the midst of worldly turmoil. This elusive inner peace is what attracts so many people to meditation and is a quality everyone can benefit from. What are the Benefits of Meditation? I’ve been meditating twice a day for the past 9 years because I enjoy it. It may seem strange, but I feel happiest when sitting in perfect silence. The experience is difficult to express in words. It is akin to the “peace that passeth understanding”. It is also true that every meditation is not the same. Sometimes meditation is a struggle to control the mind, while at other times it feels effortless. These are some of the benefits of meditation: Improved concentration – A clear mind makes you more productive, especially in creative disciplines like writing. Less bothered by little things – Do you sometimes allow yourself to get upset by little things? It is the nature of the mind to magnify small things into serious problems. Meditation helps us detach. We learn to live in the here and now, rather than worrying about the past or future. We do not worry about meaningless things, but see the bigger picture. Better Health – There have been numerous studies pointing to the health benefits of meditation. The reason is that meditation reduces stress levels and alleviates anxiety. If we can reduce stress, many health benefits follow. Knowledge of Self – Meditation enables us to have a deeper understanding of our inner self. Through meditation we can gain a better understanding of our life’s purpose. Read the rest of this entry » Kathy Sykes, a Bristol University professor, has long known that if she does not find at least 30 minutes a day in her frantically overcrowded schedule to lie down and listen to music, she is grumpier, more tired and less able to concentrate. What Professor Sykes, who holds the chair in the Public Engagement of Science and Engineering at Bristol, did not realise until recently is that she was, in effect, practising a fairly crude form of meditation. She also didn’t know that there was growing evidence to show that this ancient practice can make people healthier and happier. It may even increase life span, alter brain structure and change personality. Ancient traditional therapies do not always stand up to close scientific scrutiny. But when Professor Sykes put meditation under the metaphorical microscope for the second series of Alternative Therapies: The Evidence, which she is presenting on BBC Two on Monday, she was surprised to find that the saffron-robed monks of Kathmandu and the white-coated scientists of Harvard shared more common ground than might have been expected. “Several people have told me that meditation can affect your emotions,” she says, “and one of the areas of the brain that scientists are finding may be affected by meditation is involved in processing emotions, among other things. These are early days and we need more trials, but this is potentially very exciting.” Read the rest of this entry »