Mindfulness Training Alters the Brain to Improve Internally Oriented Attention

Mindfulness Training Alters the Brain to Improve Internally Oriented Attention   By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.   “Regular practice of mindfulness can help you grow a wiser, more connected, and stress-proof brain.” – Melanie Greenberg   There has accumulated a large amount of research demonstrating that meditation practice has significant benefits for psychological, physical, and spiritual […]

Improve Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Tai Chi

Improve Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Tai Chi   By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.   “Tai chi does not mean oriental wisdom or something exotic. It is the wisdom of your own senses, your own mind and body together as one process.” – Chungliang Al Huang   Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) occurs in about […]

Meditation and Mind Wandering Alter Brain Network Activity Differently

Meditation and Mind Wandering Alter Brain Network Activity Differently   By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.   “in addition to altering specific functional connectivity, meditation leads to reconfiguration of whole-brain network architecture.” – Shogo Kajimura   There has accumulated a large amount of research demonstrating that meditation practice has significant benefits for psychological, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. […]

Meditation Strengthens Brain Attentional Networks

Meditation Strengthens Brain Attentional Networks   By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.   “meditation practice appears to positively impact attentional functions by improving resource allocation processes. As a result, attentional resources are allocated more fully during early processing phases which subsequently enhance further processing.” – Peter Malinowski   The nervous system is a dynamic entity, […]

Increase Relaxation with Focused Meditation while Increasing Activation with Open Monitoring Meditation

Increase Relaxation with Focused Meditation while Increasing Activation with Open Monitoring Meditation   By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.   “Mindfulness meditation consists of focused attention meditation (FAM) and open monitoring meditation (OMM), both of which reduce activation of the default mode network (DMN) and mind-wandering.” – Masahiro Fujino   Meditation training has been shown […]

Improve Brain Processing in Mood Dysregulated Adolescents with Mindfulness

Improve Brain Processing in Mood Dysregulated Adolescents with Mindfulness   By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.   “Mindfulness-based interventions—practices that promote non-judgmental attention to the present—can help individuals respond with acceptance to challenging circumstances or emotions and is a promising approach to treatment of mood lability.” – D. M. Hafemann   Adolescence is a time […]