Psychology of Meditation

Schacter, Gilbert and Wegner (2009) state that Meditation is the practice of intentional
contemplation (p. 332). In this paper, I will be discussing where the practice of meditation
originated, what types of meditations are most commonly practiced, how it can alter brain
activation patterns as well as how it attributes to the physiological wellbeing of those who
practice it.
The practice of meditation originally grew out of religious and spiritual traditions in the
eastern part of the world. Ancient spiritual texts such as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali depict
certain techniques that can be used to effectively practice meditation. Buddhist traditions are
also well known to be firmly rooted in the practice of meditation. Meditation, however, is now
something that is widely practiced today by many people, inside and outside of religion and
spiritual traditions.
There are many types of meditation that are practiced today but Bogart (1991) describes
two main categories that most meditation practices fall under. These include concentration and
insight. Concentration methods allow the meditator to practice focusing on one thing only for an
extended period of time and exclude all other thoughts. This subject of focus could be on
anything from a mantra (mantras are words or phrases with spiritual or transcendental
meaning), a candle flame, a mala bead necklace, the inflow and outflow of the breath,
sensations of the body, etc. Anything that a person may be able to focus their undivided
attention on for a period of time can be used for the technique of the concentration method.
Bogart (1991) describes the category of insight meditation through the Buddhist meditation
practice of vipassana, the goal of which is insight into the nature of psychic functioning, not the
achievement of states of absorption (p.383). This type of meditation focuses on the current

state of the body and mind as they are in full form from moment to moment with no intention to
change or alter it.
Meditation practices, whether by concentration methods or insight techniques, have
been displaying signs of potentially effecting meditators psychological wellbeing in a positive
way during and after practicing. TM (Transcendental Meditation) research has shown that there
may be evidence for an inverse correlation between the amount of meditation going on and
sociological variables such as the local and national crime rate for a given period (Murphy, M.,
Donovan, S., &Taylor, E.,1997, p. 8). Along with a potential decrease in crime due to increase in
meditation throughout a population, the relaxation benefits of meditation are also proving to be
beneficial for the wellbeing of the meditator. Murphy (1997) states that Herbert Benson, the
founder of the Mind-Body Medical Institute, conducted studies showing that relaxation
responses resulted in lowering conditions such as essential hypertension, headache, and
alcohol consumption (p.10). Along with these disorders, women experiencing menstrual issues,
high school students, and ill persons all experienced benefits of wellbeing from the relaxation
that mediation techniques provided.
As for what is actually happening inside the brain during meditation, many interesting
things are beginning to come to light through research. Dilwar (2010) mentions several studies
on how meditation effects the brain. Meditation has been shown to significantly increases alpha
brain wave patterns. Alpha brain wave activity is associated with deep relaxation. Advanced
practitioners have also been shown to increase theta brain waves which is the brain wave
associated with even deeper relaxation and REM sleep. Along with brain wave activity, research
is showing that during meditation, right brain activity increases where as left brain activity
decreases. In advanced practitioners both right and left brain activity are nearly non existent.
This change in activity through meditation practices can lead to heightened cortical arousability
and decreased limbic arousability, which lead to heightened perception and reduction of

emotional activity (Dilwar, 2010, p. 442). Through the alteration of brain activity and response to
the practice of meditation, people report feeling more calm, centered and able to better handle
the challenges every day life may bring us.
I most certainly can attest to this experience of feeling more fulfilled, quieter and calmer
in my daily life since I began the practice of vipassana meditation. I recently finished my first 10
day silent vipassana meditation course in Malaysia this May. I had been practicing meditation
inconsistently for a couple years previously. I would try to meditate for maybe a half hour in the
morning 3 to 4 days a week. This vipassana course was my first experience at practicing
meditation consistently for extended amounts of time. The course schedule meant abiding by
strict rules of waking up at 4:00 AM, and meditating for a total of 10 hours per day. The
meditation sessions were held in a common area and were performed only sitting. The first day
we were taught to focus our mind on only our breath, the second day we focused on the
sensation of our breath, and the third day we focused on the sensation on a very small area just
above the lip. The fourth day we learned the entire vipassana technique which consists of body
scanning through awareness of sensation and then accepting whatever may crop up within the
mind or body, pleasant or unpleasant.
Because I was in silence, I was able to witness how my thoughts shifted from being loud
and rapid in the first days to being slow and calm towards the end of the course. The first few
days I experienced frequent headaches and my body felt a lot of pain from sitting and not being
able to move for long periods of time. By the 5th day, there was a noticeable change in my
comfort level. I was no longer in any pain. My body actually felt flexible and open.
After the course ended, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and calm no matter what
situation I was in. Things that may have stressed me out before were no longer an issue. My
perception of strangers shifted from being afraid of them to feeling love for whomever I met no
matter who they were. I also noticed my capacity to focus my attention on something was much

greater. I could read faster all while absorbing more information simply by honing into this
powerful focus tool I had developed during the course. From my own personal experience I can
truly say that meditation has very strong and desirable effects.
I learned not only through my personal experience but by reading these references and
the studies they presented, that there is very fascinating things happening to the body and mind
during meditation. The response that the brain has as well as our ability to change our brain
waves is incredible. From the way research is pointing, it looks as though we have the ability to
control our bodies and minds by tapping into this subconscious level through meditation. I
believe this will ultimately allow people that seriously meditate to find peace and contentment in
absolutely any situation. I fully believe this is a tool for finding the permanent happiness that
every human being on earth so desperately seeks.

References
Bogart, G. (1991) Meditation and psychotherapy: A review of the literature, The American
Journal of Psychotherapy, 45(3), 383-412.
Dilwar, H., & Braj, B. (2010) Psychology of meditation and health: Present status and future
directions, International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy,
10(3), 439-451.
Murphy, M., Donovan, S., &Taylor, E. (1997) The Physical and Physological Effects of
Medtiation: A review of contemporary research with a comprehensive bibliography
1931-1996. Sausalito, CA: Institute of Noetic Sciences.
Schacter, D. L., Daniel T. G., & Daniel M. W. (2009) Psychology. New York: Worth.