Harvard study on benefits of meditation and question about consistency

Daiva

There's a Harvard study on mediation confirming what we may already know about meditation:
"The analysis of MR images... found increased gray-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion, and introspection."

The study states that one only needs to do 30 minutes of meditation a day for eight weeks to start feeling the benefits. That sort of answers one question about how long I should meditate (do you guys think 30 min/day is enough?), but my other question is about consistency. I get on a good roll for a few days then get busy/lazy and don't meditate for a few days and then start up again. I can't seem to maintain a consistant daily practice. If the study is stating one must meditate for eight weeks straight to receive the benefits of meditation, am I hypothetically not reaping the benefits of meditation if I am not consistent for at least eight weeks?

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/01/eight-weeks-to-a-better-brain/

Jeffrey

Just keep getting back on that horse. Again and again.

Yes I've heard 30 minutes/day is a benchmark.

karasti

There are still benefits even if you don't do it 8 weeks straight. Best to practice some than not at all. What helped me to regulate my practice was to break it up. I have to do that with almost everything in my life. I can't just say "for the next 60 days I'm going to meditation a half hour a day." I have to set shorter goals. Like "I'm going to meditate every day this week." And then I evaluate and see how that worked for me. If it worked, great, I'll try to do it another week. After a few weeks it becomes a habit and NOT doing it feels weird. But if it didn't work, I look at why. Do I need to change the time? The place? Do I need to get up earlier or go to bed earlier to be able to accomplish my goal?

Beej

you are reaping the benefits. the harvard study must report its findings in a scientific manner, with data that shows some type of signifigant change, to make the study worth publishing. if you are looking for quantifiable data to inspire your efforts, you might be missing the purpose of the effort, itself. also, evrerybody functions differently so fir some it may take 5 minutes and another person it could take an hour. mediation shouldnt be about reaching a quantifiable goal, but about the experience, itself. do what you can, when you can, and when you are ready to do more, then do more. and do not be hard on yourself and eliminate the expectations. even 5 minutes of meditation is better than nothing, though a half hour is great for lay people if you can.

footiam

The question is 'Do we need a nod of approval for our belief from Harvard?'

karasti

Also it's worth remembering why you meditate, whatever your reasons are. Some people do meditate strictly for health benefits, and to them the study might warrant a closer look. However, those who use it for other reasons are still reaping benefits regardless of what is studied as far as brain matter being affected. What is happening in my brain is of less consequence to what happens in my heart.

Beej

@footiam- no. no we don't.

Daiva

Wasn't implying the study justifies/validates my reasons for meditation. Just thought it was interesting in that it did show quantifiable data for consistency of long term meditation. To be honest, i've just been having difficulty getting a daily meditation routine going and am not sure how to approach it anymore. I have been reading the other thread about daily practices, about mantras and altars and such. I just don't have guidance on that stuff, which is why i'm looking for a sangha, but just have not really found one to give me guidance on those types of specifics. Am just seeking some understanding on meditation guidelines. I do feel better when i meditate, but i think i give up before i really get anything out of it.

DairyLama

karasti said:

Do I need to change the time? The place? Do I need to get up earlier or go to bed earlier to be able to accomplish my goal?

Absolutely. If we think of meditation as being worthwhile we'll be willing to make some adjustments.

DairyLama

Daiva said:

I do feel better when i meditate, but i think i give up before i really get anything out of it.

I think this is quite common actually. It might help to think about meditation like you would about exercising to get physically fitter. A bit of self-discipline may be required.

Zero

Daiva said:

thought it was interesting in that it did show quantifiable data for consistency of long term meditation.

To be honest, i've just been having difficulty getting a daily meditation routine going and am not sure how to approach it anymore.

I do feel better when i meditate, but i think i give up before i really get anything out of it.

Did you really need quantifiable data to accept that? I suppose it's possible to simply pick up a tennis racquet one day for the first time and win an open - possible but unlikely.

How do you approach the other stuff that you do consistently? I suppose there is the usual breathing, eating, going to the toilet, washing, chores, work, exercise... whatever - noone lives in a vacuum - everyone is engaged in consistent activity.

Something motivates you to do other stuff consistently - examine what that is and see if it is applicable to other areas of your life and who controls the application of the consistent effort.

You say you havent encountered a sangha that can provide guidance on these issues - but you know the answer - you think it's beneficial but you probably give up too soon - so take responsibility and just do something about it - you'll then be primed to discover that it's beneficial but you probably didnt give up soon enough!!

The point I'm trying to make is try not to overcomplicate the issue by bringing in so many outside factors, explanations and justifications - look to yourself and simply take the action with the energy you have and in the time that is unfolding before you.

Good luck.

Jeffrey

Daiva said:

Wasn't implying the study justifies/validates my reasons for meditation. Just thought it was interesting in that it did show quantifiable data for consistency of long term meditation. To be honest, i've just been having difficulty getting a daily meditation routine going and am not sure how to approach it anymore. I have been reading the other thread about daily practices, about mantras and altars and such. I just don't have guidance on that stuff, which is why i'm looking for a sangha, but just have not really found one to give me guidance on those types of specifics. Am just seeking some understanding on meditation guidelines. I do feel better when i meditate, but i think i give up before i really get anything out of it.

Yeah you need a meditation method and an idea of where you want to go in the end. Then you can practice the method and assess if it is giving the results. But you can't do that in just one sitting of course! The value of a teacher is that they have given the method and they can help guide you perhaps even giving a different method or perhaps just encouragement or hints. I found a teacher online; I am a distance student.

Daiva

Yes, Jeffrey, i think that is my problem. I have no clue on a method. Is there an online resource for teachers? Or do i just have to hunt around?

Jeffrey

I don't know of a resource of many teachers to choose from. I took a class and got to know the teacher, who I asked questions about the materials. My teacher is Shenpen Hookham. Here is the webspace of buddhism connect

karasti

You might consider attending a couple of short retreats, often the teachers teach different meditation methods and styles so you can get a feel for what works for you. That's how I picked up what worked for me. I experimented with different things until I felt comfortable. I still change it up just in case, with my position, my location, my timing, etc. I can say that the minute I start thinking "geez am i done yet?" for *me* usually means I best keep going because I know that thought will pass and I'll get more out of sitting than quitting. Sometimes I have to call myself back to something my teacher taught us, which was "When you meditate, make sure your body is on the cushion, your mind is in your body and peace is in your mind." And sometimes I need to pull all that together. Sometimes, I miss a day. Today I did, our son had a medical issue that needed to be tended to immediately at the time I normally meditate, so he was up much earlier than normal and then the rest of our day we had stuff going on. But it's the way things go, and you just let it go and pick up again the next day without beating yourself up over it.

DairyLama

Daiva said:

Yes, Jeffrey, i think that is my problem. I have no clue on a method. Is there an online resource for teachers? Or do i just have to hunt around?

This site might be helpful: http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/
Not all local groups suscribe to this directory, but the ones that do will probably know what's going in their local area if you contact them.
Alternatively let us know where you are, and members here might be able to point you in the right direction.

footiam

TheBeejAbides said:

@footiam- no. no we don't.

Buddha said: "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense"

We are not Harvard.

DairyLama

footiam said:

Buddha said: "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense"

Common sense is OK up to a point, but remember that according to Buddhist teaching we're all deluded anyway.

footiam

PedanticPorpoise said:

footiam said:

Buddha said: "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense"

Common sense is OK up to a point, but remember that according to Buddhist teaching we're all deluded anyway.

The quote is not meant for the deluded then!

Jeffrey

We must have deep inside a part of us that knows what to do. But it takes a lot of practice to know what is what. But if we didn't have a faculty to 'know' we wouldn't have ever come to Buddhism in the first place without knowing it is 'good'. Deep down we have a longing for a way that we know is right. We just have so many ways of getting distracted or whatever else is our obstacle.

That said I agree that we are deluded.

maarten

Do you have a place in your house where you only meditate? I have a corner in my room with my cushion, and although I am not very regular either, it reminds me and invites me to meditate.

lobster

Before you can fight in the martial arts, you have to pretend to fight.
You also have to pretend to meditate, before you develop the ability . . .
Maarten is right . . . you create the conditions. You sit quietly on the cushion.
Maybe you have read or seen a talk or been to a class . . . so you sit and emulate a technique.

So many meditation techniques. One has to make the effort . . . gently . . .

Daozen

"Many uncertainties surround the practice of meditation. Scientific research on
meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is
characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. Future research on meditation practices must be more rigorous in the design and execution of studies and in the analysis and reporting of results."

US Centre for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, conclusion to a meta-analysis of 813 studies on meditation up to 2005.

http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/meditation/medit.pdf

Not that you need a study to tell you the benefits ...

Daiva

Not that i need a study, but i appreciate learning as much as possible, especially the science behind things. Perhaps "scientific understanding" is one of my attachments. Thank you Daozen. This is a cool little study. And yes, i have a little dedicated meditation corner with a tiny altar - the cushion is always on the floor, however i barely last ten minutes these days, that is, when i actually get around to it.