Month: March 2017

Live Longer with Yoga and Meditation

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Live Longer with Yoga and Meditation

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“A growing body of research supports the immediate benefits of meditation, such as reduced stress and anxiety levels, lower blood pressure, and enhanced happiness. While these initial perks may be reason enough for us to practice, meditation’s positive impact appears to be even more far-reaching, potentially adding years to our lives and improving cognitive function well into old age.” – Rina Deshpande

 

One of the most exciting findings in molecular biology in recent years was the discovery of the telomere. This is a component of the DNA molecule that is attached to the ends of the strands. Recent genetic research has suggested that the telomere and its regulation is the biological mechanism that produces aging. It has been found that the genes, coded on the DNA molecule, govern cellular processes in our bodies. One of the most fundamental of these processes is cell replication. Cells are constantly turning over. Dying cells or damaged are replaced by new cells. The cells turn over at different rates but most cells in the body are lost and replaced between every few days to every few months. Needless to say, we’re constantly renewing ourselves.

 

As we age the tail of the DNA molecule called the telomere shortens. When it gets very short cells have a more and more difficult time reproducing and become more likely to produce defective cells. On a cellular basis, this is what produces aging. As we get older the new cells produced are more and more likely to be defective. The shortening of the telomere occurs each time the cell is replaced. So, slowly as we age it gets shorter and shorter. This has been called a “mitotic clock.” This is normal. But, telomere shortening can also be produced by oxidative stress, which can be produced by psychological and physiological stress. This is mediated by stress hormones and the inflammatory response. So, chronic stress can accelerate the aging process. In other words, when we’re chronically stressed we get older faster.

 

Fortunately, there is a mechanism to protect the telomere. There is an enzyme in the body called telomerase that helps to prevent shortening of the telomere. It also promotes cell survival and enhances stress-resistance.  Research suggests that processes that increase telomerase activity tend to slow the aging process by protecting the telomere.  One activity that seems to increase telomerase activity and protect telomere length is mindfulness practice. Hence, engaging in mindfulness practices may protect the telomere and thereby slow the aging process.

 

In today’s Research News article “Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Cellular Aging in Apparently Healthy Individuals: A Prospective, Open-Label Single-Arm Exploratory Study.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5278216/

Tolahunase and colleagues examined the effects of a program of yoga and meditation on biomarkers of cellular aging in a healthy population. They recruited healthy adults, aged 35-65 years who led modern sedentary lifestyles and provided them with a 12-week program of Hatha and Raja yogic meditation, breathing exercises, and postures. Sessions were held five days per week for 90 minutes. Participants were measured before and after treatment for a variety of biomarkers of cellular aging.

 

They found that at the end of the 12-week program there were significant reductions in the levels of the oxidative stress and inflammatory response related biomarkers 8-OH2dG, ROS, cortisol, and IL-6suggesting a reduction in chemical activity that tends to increase cellular aging. They also found that there were significant increases in TAC a marker of antioxidant activity, and markers of cellular aging of telomerase activity, an enzyme that protects the telomeres, β-endorphin, BDNF, and sirtuin-1. Hence, they found clear evidence that the meditation and yoga program greatly reduced the underlying biochemical processes of cellular aging in an otherwise healthy group of adults.

 

It should be mentioned that there wasn’t a control condition, particularly one that included light exercise. So, it cannot be determined if the results were due to participant expectancies, experimenter bias, attentional effects, the effects of exercise in a sedentary population, or many other potential confounding factors. A randomized controlled clinical trial including a group engaging in light exercise is needed to clarify the causal factors involved. Regardless of the explanation, this study demonstrated that the yoga and meditation program resulted in improvements in biomarkers that suggest that there was a slowing of the processes of cellular aging that underlie the aging of the body. This suggests that engaging in this or similar programs may lead to a longer, healthier life.

 

So, Live Longer with Yoga and Meditation.

 

“Yoga and meditation are well-documented to have psychological, emotional and physical benefits for people at all stages of health, including cancer patients. Now breakthrough research reveals yoga and meditation can positively affect DNA.” – Elaine Gavalas

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Tolahunase, M., Sagar, R., & Dada, R. (2017). Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Cellular Aging in Apparently Healthy Individuals: A Prospective, Open-Label Single-Arm Exploratory Study. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2017, 7928981. http://doi.org/10.1155/2017/7928981

 

Abstract

This study was designed to explore the impact of Yoga and Meditation based lifestyle intervention (YMLI) on cellular aging in apparently healthy individuals. During this 12-week prospective, open-label, single arm exploratory study, 96 apparently healthy individuals were enrolled to receive YMLI. The primary endpoints were assessment of the change in levels of cardinal biomarkers of cellular aging in blood from baseline to week 12, which included DNA damage marker 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OH2dG), oxidative stress markers reactive oxygen species (ROS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and telomere attrition markers telomere length and telomerase activity. The secondary endpoints were assessment of metabotrophic blood biomarkers associated with cellular aging, which included cortisol, β-endorphin, IL-6, BDNF, and sirtuin-1. After 12 weeks of YMLI, there were significant improvements in both the cardinal biomarkers of cellular aging and the metabotrophic biomarkers influencing cellular aging compared to baseline values. The mean levels of 8-OH2dG, ROS, cortisol, and IL-6 were significantly lower and mean levels of TAC, telomerase activity, β-endorphin, BDNF, and sirtuin-1 were significantly increased (all values p < 0.05) post-YMLI. The mean level of telomere length was increased but the finding was not significant (p = 0.069). YMLI significantly reduced the rate of cellular aging in apparently healthy population.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5278216/

 

Spiritual Concerns Decrease Quality of Life in Cancer Patients

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Spiritual Concerns Decrease Quality of Life in Cancer Patients

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“For some, a cancer diagnosis has the opposite effect on their sense of spirituality. It makes them doubt their beliefs or religious values, challenges their faith, and can cause spiritual distress. Some people become angry with God for allowing them to get cancer or wonder if they are being punished. Spiritual distress can make it harder for patients to cope with cancer and its treatment.” –  National Comprehensive Cancer Network

 

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer has a huge impact on most people. Feelings of depression, anxiety, and fear are very common and are normal responses to this life-changing and potentially life-ending experience. These feeling can result from changes in body image, changes to family and work roles, feelings of grief at these losses, and physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, or fatigue. People might also fear death, suffering, pain, or all the unknown things that lie ahead. So, coping with the emotions and stress of a cancer diagnosis is a challenge and there are no simple treatments for these psychological sequelae of cancer diagnosis.

 

Religion and spirituality become much more important to people when they’re diagnosed with cancer, when living with advanced cancer, and at end of life care. It is thought that people take comfort in the spiritual when facing their own mortality. There is very little information available, however, regarding the effectiveness of religion and spirituality in relieving the psychological burdens of cancer or on the quality of life of advance cancer patients. Additionally, the impact of spiritual concerns that the patient might have are not known. Concerns such as feelings of being abandoned by God or needing forgiveness for actions in their lives might lead to anxiety and worry rather than comfort.

 

In today’s Research News article “The Relationship of Spiritual Concerns to the Quality of Life of Advanced Cancer Patients: Preliminary Findings.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206727/

Winkelman and colleagues study the relationship of patients’ spiritual concern to their quality of life with advanced cancer. They recruited terminal cancer patients who were undergoing palliative radiation treatments. They completed measures of religiousness, spirituality, spiritual concerns including spiritual struggles and spiritual seeking, and quality of life including physical and existential quality of life. The patients died on average of 180 days after completing the measures.

 

The majority of the patients experienced one or more forms of spiritual struggle (58%), and most (82%) experienced spiritual seeking. Their struggles included “wondering why God has allowed this to happen” and “wondering whether God has abandoned me.” The most common spiritual seekings were “seeking a closer connection to God” and “thinking about what gives meaning to life.”  They found that the greater the spiritual concerns, spiritual struggles, or spiritual concerns, the lower the patient’s quality of life. Virtually all of the patients indicated that spiritual care was important in their treatment.

 

These results are somewhat surprising in that religiousness and spirituality were not associated with comfort but with poorer quality of life in these terminal cancer patients. In particular, it appears that concerns about the spiritual meaning of their situation were very common and greatly troubled the patients leading to poorer quality of life. Being at peace with God is a very important goal of these patients and their concerns interfered with attaining that peace. Hence, it appears that in hospice and palliative care there should be greater attention paid to the religiousness and spirituality of the patients, particularly to their spiritual concerns, struggles, and seeking. This is important as spiritual concerns trouble them deeply and decrease the quality of life of terminal cancer patients.

 

 “When we took a closer look, we found that patients with stronger spiritual well-being, more benign images of God (such as perceptions of a benevolent rather than an angry or distant God), or stronger beliefs (such as convictions that a personal God can be called upon for assistance) reported better social health. In contrast, those who struggled with their faith fared more poorly.” – Allen Sherman

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Winkelman, W. D., Lauderdale, K., Balboni, M. J., Phelps, A. C., Peteet, J. R., Block, S. D., … Balboni, T. A. (2011). The Relationship of Spiritual Concerns to the Quality of Life of Advanced Cancer Patients: Preliminary Findings. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 14(9), 1022–1028. http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2010.0536

 

Abstract

Purpose

Religion and/or spirituality (R/S) have increasingly been recognized as key elements in patients’ experience of advanced illness. This study examines the relationship of spiritual concerns (SCs) to quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced cancer.

Patients and Methods

Patients were recruited between March 3, 2006 and April 14, 2008 as part of a survey-based study of 69 cancer patients receiving palliative radiotherapy. Sixteen SCs were assessed, including 11 items assessing spiritual struggles (e.g., feeling abandoned by God) and 5 items assessing spiritual seeking (e.g., seeking forgiveness, thinking about what gives meaning in life). The relationship of SCs to patient QOL domains was examined using univariable and multivariable regression analysis.

Results

Most patients (86%) endorsed one or more SCs, with a median of 4 per patient. Younger age was associated with a greater burden of SCs (β = −0.01, p = 0.006). Total spiritual struggles, spiritual seeking, and SCs were each associated with worse psychological QOL (β = −1.11, p = 0.01; β = −1.67, p < 0.05; and β = −1.06, p < 0.001). One of the most common forms of spiritual seeking (endorsed by 54%)—thinking about what gives meaning to life—was associated with worse psychological and overall QOL (β = − 5.75, p = 0.02; β = −12.94, p = 0.02). Most patients (86%) believed it was important for health care professionals to consider patient SCs within the medical setting.

Conclusions

SCs are associated with poorer QOL among advanced cancer patients. Furthermore, most patients view attention to SCs as an important part of medical care. These findings underscore the important role of spiritual care in palliative cancer management.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206727/

Alleviate General Practitioner Burnout with Mindfulness

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Alleviate General Practitioner Burnout with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Enhancing the already inherent capacity of the physician to experience fully the clinical encounter—not only its pleasant but also its most unpleasant aspects—without judgment but with a sense of curiosity and adventure seems to have had a profound effect on the experience of stress and burnout. It also seems to enhance the physician’s ability to connect with the patient as a unique human being and to center care around that uniqueness.” – Michael Krasner

 

General Practitioners confront stress on a daily basis. Even moderate levels of stress when prolonged, all too frequently results in a professional burnout. This is the fatigue, cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and professional inefficacy that comes with work-related stress. Healthcare is a high stress occupation. It is estimated that over 45% of healthcare workers experience burnout. Currently, over a third of healthcare workers report that they are looking for a new job. Nearly half plan to look for a new job over the next two years and 80% expressed interest in a new position if they came across the right opportunity.

 

Regardless of the reasons for burnout or its immediate presenting consequences, it is a threat to the healthcare providers and their patients. In fact, it is a threat to the entire healthcare system as it contributes to the shortage of doctors and nurses. Hence, preventing existing healthcare workers from burning out has to be a priority. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to be helpful in treating and preventing burnout. One of the premiere techniques for developing mindfulness and dealing effectively with stress is Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It is a diverse mindfulness training containing practice in meditation, body scan, and yoga. As a result, there have been a number of trials investigating the application of MBSR to the treatment and prevention of health care worker burnout.

 

In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness-based stress reduction for GPs: results of a controlled mixed methods pilot study in Dutch primary care.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4723221/

Verweij and colleagues investigated the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in preventing burnout in General Practitioners. They recruited General Practitioners who were required to participate in continuing professional education courses and offered as an option participation in an 8-week MBSR program. They compared GPs who selected the MBSR program during one 8-week period to those who selected a waitlist condition and received the usual continuing professional education course. They completed measures both before and after the treatment of burnout, work engagement, and mindfulness.

 

They found, not surprisingly, that compared to the waitlist controls, the MBSR program resulted in higher levels of mindfulness. But, importantly, it also significantly decreased levels of burnout depersonalization and increased levels of work dedication. During interviews after completion of the program The GPs reported that the MBSR program helped them to become more aware of their bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions, of their beliefs and values, and a recognition of the autopilot mode they usually engaged in. They also reported that the MBSR program increased their wellbeing and compassion towards themselves and others, including their patients.

 

The findings from this pilot study are very encouraging. They demonstrate that mindfulness training reduces self-reported burnout, and improves professional dedication, recognition of bodily reactions and how activities have become routinized, and general wellbeing. By improving their awareness of the sensations, thoughts, and actions in the present moment mindfulness training appears to be somewhat an antidote to burnout. This suggests that mindfulness practices should be included in the continuing education of healthcare professionals.

 

So, alleviate general practitioner burnout with mindfulness.

 

“Mindfulness gives doctors permission to attend to their own health and well-being. But is also allows doctors to help patients by listening more, talking less and seeing what the patient needs.” – Mary Breach

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Verweij, H., Waumans, R. C., Smeijers, D., Lucassen, P. L., Donders, A. R. T., van der Horst, H. E., & Speckens, A. E. (2016). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for GPs: results of a controlled mixed methods pilot study in Dutch primary care. The British Journal of General Practice, 66(643), e99–e105. http://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp16X683497

 

Abstract

Background

Burnout is highly prevalent in GPs and can have a negative influence on their wellbeing, performance, and patient care. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may be an effective intervention to decrease burnout symptoms and increase wellbeing.

Aim

To gain insight into the feasibility and effectiveness of MBSR on burnout, empathy, and (work-related) wellbeing in GPs.

Design and setting

A mixed methods pilot study, including a waiting list-controlled pre-/post-study and a qualitative study of the experiences of participating GPs in the Netherlands.

Method

Participants were sent questionnaires assessing burnout, work engagement, empathy, and mindfulness skills, before and at the end of the MBSR training/waiting period. Qualitative data on how GPs experienced the training were collected during a plenary session and with evaluation forms at the end of the course.

Results

Fifty Dutch GPs participated in this study. The MBSR group reported a greater decrease in depersonalisation than the control group (adjusted difference −1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −2.72 to −0.21, P = 0.03). Dedication increased more significantly in the MBSR group than in the control group (adjusted difference 2.17, 95% CI = 0.51 to 3.83, P = 0.01). Mindfulness skills increased significantly in the MBSR group compared with the control group (adjusted difference 6.90, 95% CI = 1.42 to 12.37, P = 0.01). There was no significant change in empathy. The qualitative data indicated that the MBSR course increased their wellbeing and compassion towards themselves and others, including their patients.

Conclusion

The study shows that MBSR for GPs is feasible and might result in fewer burnout symptoms and increased work engagement and wellbeing. However, an adequately powered randomised controlled trial is needed to confirm the study’s findings.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4723221/

 

Improve Substance Abuse Treatment with Mindfulness

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Improve Substance Abuse Treatment with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“It is most often the mind’s interpretation of a stressful life event, not the event itself, that creates the urgent need to get instant relief and leads to substance use or other unwanted behaviors. Mindfulness practices provide a break from stress, teach the client to listen to his/her mind, body, and emotions, and improve the self-acceptance that leads to greater hope and self-efficacy.“ – NAADAC

 

Substance abuse is a major health and social problem. There are estimated 22.2 million people in the U.S. with substance dependence. It is estimated that worldwide there are nearly ¼ million deaths yearly as a result of illicit drug use which includes unintentional overdoses, suicides, HIV and AIDS, and trauma. Drug abuse is often more complex than a simple addiction to a substance. Addiction frequently is accompanied by other mental health issues, comorbidities. They include mood and anxiety disorders, antisocial and conduct disorder, smoking and alcohol abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

There are a number of programs that are successful at stopping the drug abuse, including the classic 12-step program emblematic of Alcoholics Anonymous. Unfortunately, the majority of drug and/or alcohol abusers relapse and return to substance abuse, possibility because of the failure to address comorbidities. Hence, it is important to find an effective method to treat both addiction but also accompanying conditions. Mindfulness training has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment of addiction and relapse prevention. It has also been shown to be effective for a variety of other mental health issues including anxiety, depression, antisocial and conduct disorder, smoking and alcohol abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hence, mindfulness training would appear to be a potential treatment that can be added to traditional substance abuse treatment programs to both address addiction and accompanying comorbid disorders.

 

In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement Versus CBT for Co-Occurring Substance Dependence, Traumatic Stress, and Psychiatric Disorders: Proximal Outcomes from a Pragmatic Randomized Trial.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4752876/

Garland and colleagues compared the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based addiction treatment program with another well-established therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and with the usual treatment for addiction. They recruited homeless men with a substance abuse disorder and comorbid mental health issues and randomly assigned them to either receive 10 weeks of a group-based Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) program, group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or usual treatment. At the beginning and end of the 10-week treatment, they measured the participants’ trauma history, drug cravings, post-traumatic stress symptoms, psychiatric distress, mindfulness, positive and negative feelings, and readiness to change.

 

They found that all treatments improved depression, but Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) treatment produced improvements in drug cravings, post-traumatic stress symptoms, mindfulness, and negative feelings, that were significantly greater than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or usual treatment. In addition, mediation analysis revealed that the improvements in drug cravings and post-traumatic stress symptoms was mediated by increases in mindfulness. That is the Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) treatment significantly improved mindfulness which, in turn, produced significant improvements in drug cravings and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

 

These are particularly compelling findings as MORE was found to be superior to a well-established treatment technique, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a powerful research design that controls for most sources of confounding. So, it appears clear that adding mindfulness practice to addiction treatment significantly improves outcomes.

 

So, improve substance abuse treatment with mindfulness.

 

“mindfulness enhances our ability to be non-reactive. This is key in drug treatment because oftentimes we seek immediate gratification; we want to feel good right now, or we want the negative feeling we’re experiencing to stop right now. This leads to reactive thinking, feeling, and behaving, and can be a catapult for drug use. When we practice mindfulness we practice responding to our experience with a non-reactive, non-judgmental attitude. This helps us maintain autonomy over our behavior. We may not have control over whether a craving for a drug arises, but we can control how we respond to such a craving. The irony is that when we practice simply observing the craving; letting it arise and letting it pass away (rather than actively trying to push it away or avoid it), we are left with more of an ability to regulate ourselves.´- Center for Adolescent Studies

 

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Garland, E. L., Roberts-Lewis, A., Tronnier, C. D., Graves, R., & Kelley, K. (2016). Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement Versus CBT for Co-Occurring Substance Dependence, Traumatic Stress, and Psychiatric Disorders: Proximal Outcomes from a Pragmatic Randomized Trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 77, 7–16. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.11.012

 

Abstract

In clinical settings, there is a high comorbidity between substance use disorders, psychiatric disorders, and traumatic stress. As such, transdiagnostic therapies are needed to address these co-occurring issues efficiently. The aim of the present study was to conduct a pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) to group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and treatment-as-usual (TAU) for previously homeless men residing in a therapeutic community. Men with co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders, as well as extensive trauma histories, were randomly assigned to 10 weeks of group treatment with MORE (n=64), CBT (n=64), or TAU (n=52). Study findings indicated that from pre- to post-treatment MORE was associated with modest yet significantly greater improvements in substance craving, post-traumatic stress, and negative affect than CBT, and significantly greater improvements in post-traumatic stress and positive affect than TAU. A significant indirect effect of MORE on decreasing craving and post-traumatic stress by increasing dispositional mindfulness was observed, suggesting that MORE may target these issues via enhancing mindful awareness in everyday life. This pragmatic trial represents the first head-to-head comparison of MORE against an empirically-supported treatment for co-occurring disorders. Results suggest that MORE, as an integrative therapy designed to bolster self-regulatory capacity, may hold promise as a treatment for intersecting clinical conditions.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4752876/

 

Prevent Depression Relapse and Lessen Residual Symptoms with Mindfulness

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Prevent Depression Relapse and Lessen Residual Symptoms with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Through mindfulness, individuals start to see their thoughts as less powerful. These distorted thoughts – such as “I always make mistakes” or “I’m a horrible person” – start to hold less weight. We ‘experience’ thoughts and other sensations, but we aren’t carried away by them. We just watch them come and go.” – William Marchand

 

Clinically diagnosed depression is the most common mental illness, affecting over 6% of the population. Major depression can be quite debilitating. It is also generally episodic, coming and going. Some people only have a single episode but most have multiple reoccurrences of depression.  Depression can be difficult to treat and usually treated with anti-depressive medication. But, of patients treated initially with drugs only about a third attained remission of the depression. After repeated and varied treatments including drugs, therapy, exercise etc. only about two thirds of patients attained remission. But, drugs often have troubling side effects and can lose effectiveness over time. In addition, many patients who achieve remission have relapses and recurrences of the depression. Even after remission some symptoms of depression may still be present (residual symptoms).

 

Being depressed and not responding to treatment or relapsing is a terribly difficult situation. The patients are suffering and nothing appears to work to relieve their intense depression. Suicide becomes a real possibility. So, it is imperative that other treatments be identified that can be applied when the typical treatments fail. Mindfulness training is another alternative treatment for depression. It has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression and is also effective for the prevention of its recurrence. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was specifically developed to treat depression and has been found to reduce depression alone or in combination with anti-depressive drugs and can even be effective even in the cases where drugs fail,.  MBCT involves mindfulness training, containing sitting and walking meditation and body scan, and cognitive therapy to alter how the patient relates to the thought processes that often underlie and exacerbate depression.

 

In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Residual Depressive Symptoms and Relapse Prophylaxis.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4706736/

Segal and colleagues reviewed the recent published research literature on the effectiveness of MBCT for depression, remission, and residual symptoms. They indicate that the current research provides evidence that MBCT acts to alter neural structures that are involved in depressive symptoms including increased activations in the insula and prefrontal cortex, which are involved in interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation, processes deficient in depressed individuals. They also report that MBCT has been found to be as effective or perhaps more effective than antidepressant drugs in relieving depression, preventing relapse, and decreasing residual symptoms.

 

The published recent research suggests that MBCT might have its benefits for depression by lowering worry and rumination which are major contributors to depression. MBCT has also been shown to be effective for other mood disorders and for eating disorders, medically ill populations, such as cancer or diabetes, and pain management. In addition, these effects have been shown to occur regardless of whether MBCT is delivered in face-to-face group formats or individually on-line.

 

Hence, the research indicates that MBCT is a highly effective treatment of depression, relapse prevention, and residual symptoms, for other mood disorders, for medical diseases, and for pain. It has been shown to be safe with few if any adverse effects, and can be delivered with cost-effective on-line programs. Much of its effectiveness appears to be from cognitive changes, making the patient more mindful of the present moment and reconfiguring errant thought processes producing reductions in worry and rumination. Thus, a clear case is building that MBCT should be one of the primary treatments used especially for depression.

 

So, prevent depression relapse and lessen residual symptoms with mindfulness.

 

“mindfulness meditation “helps individuals step back from the ruminative thinking processes widely found to underlie a depressive episode.” – “Lara Fielding

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Segal, Z. V., & Walsh, K. M. (2016). Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Residual Depressive Symptoms and Relapse Prophylaxis. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 29(1), 7–12. http://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0000000000000216

 

Key Points

Data from multiple RCTs indicates that MBCT is effective in preventing relapse and reducing residual symptoms in patients with recurrent depression who are in clinical remission.

Studies of the mechanisms of change in MBCT point to reductions in rumination and increases in metacognitive awareness as being consistently associated with clinical benefits

In an effort to reduce barriers to care, MBCT has been adapted for online delivery – Mindful Mood Balance – with early data suggesting good patient engagement and outcomes.

Mindfulness meditation is associated with increased activations in the insula and prefrontal cortex, neurological changes that parallel behavioural changes in interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation.

 

Abstract

Purpose of review

This article reviews the recent evidence for mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for patients with residual depressive symptoms or in remitted patients at increased risk for relapse.

Recent findings

Randomized controlled trials have shifted focus from comparing MBCT with treatment-as-usual to comparing MBCT against interventions. These studies have provided evidence for the efficacy of MBCT on par with maintenance antidepressant pharmacotherapy and leading to a relative reduction of risk on the order of 30–40%. Perhaps fuelled by these data, recent efforts have focused on extending MBCT to novel populations, such as acutely depressed patients, those diagnosed with health anxiety, social anxiety, fibromyalgia, or multiple chemical sensitivities as well migrating MBCT to online platforms so that it is more widely available. Neuroimaging studies of patients in structured therapies which feature mindfulness meditation, have reported findings that parallel behavioural changes, such as increased activation in brain regions subsuming self-focus and emotion regulation (prefrontal cortex) and interoceptive awareness (insula).

Summary

The current evidence base for MBCT is strongest for its application as a prophylactic intervention or for residual depressive symptoms, with early data suggesting additional indications outside the mood disorders. Future work will need to address dose-effect relationships between mindfulness practice and clinical benefits as well as establishing the rates of uptake for online MBCT so that its benefits can be compared to in-person groups. Additionally, validating current or novel neural markers of MBCT treatment response will allow for patient matching and optimization of treatment response.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4706736/

 

Improve Sleep with Mindfulness

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Improve Sleep with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Mindfulness meditation appears to be a viable treatment option for adults with chronic insomnia and could provide an alternative to traditional treatments for insomnia.” – Ethan Green

 

Modern society has become more around-the-clock and more complex producing considerable pressure and stress on the individual. The advent of the internet and smart phones has exacerbated the problem. The resultant stress can impair sleep. Indeed, it is estimated that over half of Americans sleep too little due to stress. As a result, people today sleep 20% less than they did 100 years ago. Not having a good night’s sleep has adverse effects upon the individual’s health, well-being, and happiness. Yet over 70 million Americans suffer from disorders of sleep and about half of these have a chronic disorder. It has been estimated that 30 to 35% of adults have brief symptoms of insomnia, 15 to 20% have a short-term insomnia disorder, and 10% have chronic insomnia

 

Insomnia is more than just an irritant. Sleep deprivation is associated with decreased alertness and a consequent reduction in performance of even simple tasks, decreased quality of life, increased difficulties with memory and problem solving, increased likelihood of accidental injury including automobile accidents, and increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It also can lead to anxiety about sleep itself. This is stressful and can produce even more anxiety about being able to sleep. About 4% of Americans revert to sleeping pills. But, these do not always produce high quality sleep and can have problematic side effects. So, there is a need to find better methods to treat insomnia. Contemplative practices have been reported to improve sleep amount and quality and help with insomnia. The importance of insomnia underscores the need to further investigate safe and effective alternatives to drugs.

 

In today’s Research News article “The Quest for Mindful Sleep: A Critical Synthesis of the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Insomnia.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5300077/

Garland and colleagues review the published research literature on the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on sleep. They identified 7 studies, 6 of which used randomized controlled trials. In most of these studies the mindfulness training consisted of either Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) programs. They concluded that these studies demonstrated that mindfulness training can produce significant improvement in the severity of insomnia and sleep disturbance in healthy individuals, people with chronic disease, and with older adults.

 

These are encouraging results that suggest that mindfulness training is effective for improving sleep in a variety of sick and health individuals of varying ages. It is not known exactly how mindfulness acts to improve sleep. But, it can be speculated that the ability of mindfulness training to improve the psychological and physiological responses to stress may be involved.

Since high levels of stress are almost universal in modern populations and stress has been shown to contribute to sleep disturbance, it would seem reasonable to believe that reduction of the individual’s response to stress would improve sleep. Hence, mindfulness training may be an important alternative to drugs in the treatment of sleep problems. This improvement of sleep, in turn, can contribute to the individual’s overall health and well-being.

 

So, improve sleep with mindfulness.

 

“By taking this mindful attitude, sleep is facilitated by simply being aware of the moment-to-moment experience of relaxing into the bed, without judging or being critical of that experience, so that the mind can gently slip into sleep.” – John Cline

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Sheila N. Garland, Eric S. Zhou, Brian D. Gonzalez, Nicole Rodriguez. The Quest for Mindful Sleep: A Critical Synthesis of the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Insomnia. Curr Sleep Med Rep. 2016 Sep; 2(3): 142–151.. doi: 10.1007/s40675-016-0050-3

 

Abstract

Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) for insomnia and sleep disturbances are receiving increasing clinical and research attention. This paper provides a critical appraisal of this growing area investigating the application of MBIs for people with insomnia and sleep disturbance. First, we discuss the theoretical justification for how mindfulness meditation practice may affect sleep processes. Second, we provide a focused review of literature published between January 1, 2012 and April 1, 2016 examining the impact of MBIs on sleep, broken down by whether insomnia or sleep disturbance was a primary or secondary outcome. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5300077/

 

Improve Emotions in Quitting Smokers by Increasing Relaxation with Mindfulness

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Improve Emotions in Quitting Smokers by Increasing Relaxation with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Depressed individuals tend to smoke at higher rates; at the same time, depressive symptoms make it more difficult to quit. Consequently, depressed individuals suffer from a higher rate of smoking-related diseases. Developing and implementing effective smoking cessation interventions for this vulnerable population is a public health priority.” – Haruka Minami

 

“Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year, with more than 41,000 of these deaths from exposure to secondhand smoke. In addition, smoking-related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion a year. In 2013, an estimated 17.8% (42.1 million) U.S. adults were current cigarette smokers.”  (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

 

There are a wide variety of methods and strategies to quit smoking which are to only a very limited extent effective. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 40% of smokers who want to quit make a serious attempt to do so each year, but fewer than 5% actually succeed. Most people require three or four failed attempts before being successful. One problem is that nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known and withdrawal from nicotine is very stressful, producing many physical and psychological problems, including negative emotional states and depression. In essence the addict feels miserable without the nicotine. This promotes relapse to relieve the discomfort.

 

Better methods to quit which can not only promote quitting but also prevent relapse are badly needed. Mindfulness practices have been found to be helpful in treating addictions, including nicotine addiction, and reducing the risk of relapse. But, it is not known how mindfulness produces these beneficial effects. One possibility is that mindfulness training helps to relieve the stress, negative emotions, and depression that accompanies nicotine withdrawal. In today’s Research News article “Coping Mediates the Association of Mindfulness with Psychological Stress, Affect, and Depression Among Smokers Preparing to Quit.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5296771/

Vidrine and colleagues examine this issue by studying the relationship of mindfulness to stress, negative emotions, and depression in smokers entering a smoking cessation treatment program. They recruited adult smokers from an urban population who were willing to partake in a mindfulness-based quitting smoking program. Prior to the therapy program the participants completed measures of nicotine dependence, mindfulness, coping mechanisms, positive and negative emotions, and depression.

 

Analyzing these responses, they found that the higher the levels of mindfulness the lower the levels of perceived stress, negative emotions, and depression and the higher the levels of positive emotions. In other words, being mindful was associated with better emotional health. In addition, they found that that the higher the levels of mindfulness the greater use of coping methods of catharsis, seeking social support, religion, and relaxation. Hence, mindful people used adaptive methods to cope with discomfort and stress. Employing a sophisticated statistical technique of mediation analysis, they were able to demonstrate that mindfulness increased coping through relaxation which resulted in reduced perceived stress and depression, and higher positive emotions. They were also able to demonstrate that coping with catharsis was able to magnify the association of mindfulness with lower negative emotions.

 

These results are very interesting and suggest that mindfulness may be able to assist in smoking cessation by reducing the negative consequences of nicotine withdrawal, in particular by increasing relaxation which in turn reduces perceived stress and depression, and heightens positive feelings. They also suggest that the coping strategy of catharsis acts by amplifying the ability of mindfulness to reduce negative feelings. These findings have implications for smoking cessation. They suggest that including relaxation and catharsis practices in a mindfulness-based smoking cessation treatment program might strengthen its ability to assist the smoker to quit.

 

So, improve emotions in quitting smokers by increasing relaxation with mindfulness.

 

“Mindfulness seems to be beneficial by helping smokers cope with craving. Cigarette craving can be a powerful motivator, and one of the major reasons for relapse. But mindfulness is effective at helping people cope with strong emotions, such as those experienced with depression, anxiety, and pain.” – Cecilia Westbrook

 

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Jennifer Irvin Vidrine, Michael S. Businelle, Lorraine R. Reitzel, Yumei Cao, Paul M. Cinciripini, Marianne T. Marcus, Yisheng Li, David W. Wetter. Coping Mediates the Association of Mindfulness with Psychological Stress, Affect, and Depression Among Smokers Preparing to Quit. Mindfulness (N Y),  2015 Jun; 6(3): 433–443. doi: 10.1007/s12671-014-0276-4

 

Abstract

It is not surprising that smoking abstinence rates are low given that smoking cessation is associated with increases in negative affect and stress that can persist for months. Mindfulness is one factor that has been broadly linked with enhanced emotional regulation. This study examined baseline associations of self-reported trait mindfulness with psychological stress, negative affect, positive affect, and depression among 158 smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation treatment trial. Several coping dimensions were evaluated as potential mediators of these associations. Results indicated that mindfulness was negatively associated with psychological stress, negative affect and depression, and positively associated with positive affect. Furthermore, the use of relaxation as a coping strategy independently mediated the association of mindfulness with psychological stress, positive affect, and depression. The robust and consistent pattern that emerged suggests that greater mindfulness may facilitate cessation and attenuate vulnerability to relapse among smokers preparing for cessation. Furthermore, relaxation appears to be a key mechanism underlying these associations.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5296771/

 

 

Improve Fatigue in Severe Chronic Disease with Yoga

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Improve Fatigue in Severe Chronic Disease with Yoga

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Yoga has stood out as an especially effective treatment for CFS because of its holistic approach to healing; unlike drugs, diets, physical therapy, or psychotherapy alone, yoga is a means to address physical, mental, and spiritual issues, all of which play roles in CFS.” – Lis Wagner

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) otherwise known as Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) occurs in about 0.2% of the population. It produces a profound, prolonged, and debilitating tiredness. Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) when severe can produce a chronic and extreme tiredness, so severe that sufferers can become bed-bound or need to use a wheel-chair. Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) also produces muscle pain, brain fog and dizziness, poor memory, disturbed sleep and trouble with digestion. All this may be combined with the kind of malaise that comes with a post-viral infection.

 

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is thought to be caused by a combination of stress plus a virus or a toxin, shock, or poisoning. But the exact cause is not known. There is no known cure. Usual treatments for CFS/ME are targeted at symptom relief and include exercise and drugs. Mindfulness has been shown to reduce fatigue due to a number of conditions. Yoga is a mindfulness practice that also includes exercise. So, yoga practice may be an effective treatment for the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) / Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

 

In today’s Research News article “Development of a recumbent isometric yoga program for patients with severe chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: A pilot study to assess feasibility and efficacy.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5335724/

Oka and colleagues recruited patients (26-61 years old) who were diagnosed with severe Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). In a previous study, a program of isometric yoga in a sitting position was successfully shown to reduce fatigue in ME patients. But, in severe conditions sitting yoga proved to be too difficult. So, they developed an isometric yoga program that could be practiced while lying down, recumbent. Isometric yoga involves static postures with contraction of muscles without movement. Yoga was practiced for 3 months every 2 to 4 weeks for 20 minutes when the patients came to the hospital. They were also encouraged to practice at home. Fatigue was measured before and after the last practice and before and after the 3-month practice period.

 

They found that there was very good compliance with patients practicing at home on average of 6 days per week. There were no adverse events and patients reported high satisfaction with the program. Importantly, on the short-term, before and after the final yoga session there was a significant decrease in fatigue produced by the yoga session, nearly cutting it in half. So, the 20-minute practice appeared to energize the patients. On the long-term between before and after the 3-months of practice there was also a significant decrease in fatigue. Hence the program appeared to be well accepted, was energizing, and significantly improved the primary symptom of Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), fatigue.

 

It should be mentioned that this pilot study did not have a control condition and as such conclusions must be tempered. The results, however, are sufficiently encouraging that a randomized controlled clinical trial is warranted. The trial should contain at least one other form of exercise to determine if the effects are specific to yoga or the results of any light exercise program. It should be noted that these patients could not tolerate even sitting yoga practice. So, it is particularly encouraging the a tolerable variation of isometric yoga practice was so beneficial.

 

So, improve fatigue in severe chronic disease with yoga.

 

“teaching yoga to those with ME, or indeed any chronic condition, is about teaching students the value of pacing, of slowing down; of breathing properly and learning to relax, whilst facilitating them to get back in touch with their spiritual centre and to live more in the moment.” – Yoga Abode

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Oka, T., Wakita, H., & Kimura, K. (2017). Development of a recumbent isometric yoga program for patients with severe chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: A pilot study to assess feasibility and efficacy. Biopsychosocial Medicine, 11, 5. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-017-0090-z

 

Abstract

Background

Our previous randomized controlled trial demonstrated that isometric yoga in a sitting position reduces fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). However, some patients experience difficulties sitting or practicing isometric yoga in a sitting position for long periods. To date, therapeutic interventions for patients with severe symptoms have not been established. Therefore, we developed a recumbent isometric yoga program, which takes approximately 20 min to complete, designed to reduce fatigue in patients with severe CFS/ME. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and usefulness of this program.

Methods

This pilot study included 12 adult patients with CFS/ME. Six patients were reluctant to practice isometric yoga in a sitting position because of the severity of their fatigue (group 1). The remaining six patients had previously practiced isometric yoga in a sitting position (group 2). For 3 months, the patients of both groups practiced recumbent isometric yoga every 2 to 4 weeks with a yoga instructor and at home on other days if they could. The short-term effects of isometric yoga on fatigue were assessed using the Profile of Mood Status (POMS) questionnaire immediately before and after their final session with the yoga instructor. The long-term effects of isometric yoga on fatigue were assessed using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (FS) questionnaire before and after the intervention period. Adverse events, satisfaction with the program, and preference of yoga position (sitting or recumbent) were also recorded.

Results

All subjects completed the intervention. In both groups, the POMS fatigue score was significantly decreased after practicing the 20-min yoga program and the Chalder FS score was decreased significantly after the 3-month intervention period. There were no serious adverse events. All subjects in group 2 preferred the recumbent isometric yoga program over a sitting yoga program.

Conclusions

This study suggests that recumbent isometric yoga is a feasible and acceptable treatment for patients with CFS/ME, even for patients who experience difficulty practicing isometric yoga in the sitting position.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5335724/

 

What’s Wrong with Meditation III – Jargon

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What’s Wrong with Meditation III – Jargon

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Since clarity is beneficial and if Buddhism really is adaptable, then using one’s own language in its study should not be a big deal. I’m not trying to be Anglo-centric but it seems like we all lay it on thick some times.” – Brian Schell

 

As was discussed in the prior essay on What’s Wrong with Meditation I – Expectations  and What’s Wrong with Meditation II – Improper Instructions there are three essential problems with the way meditation has been presented in the west that have produced problems, misconceptions, and misunderstandings. First, meditation has been presented in a way that has evoked beliefs, ideas, and images that are overly idealized and not reflective of the typical experiences of meditation practice. Secondly, immediately jumping into meditation practice has been encouraged, without the provision for proper background information, study, or instruction. Lastly, the focus of the present essay, the jargon used to describe the process, experiences, obstacles, and results are extreme, resulting in ideas and expectations that far exceed normal experience and miss the most powerful aspects of the teachings.

 

Words and phrases such as suffering, emptiness, impermanence, greed, quieting the mind, stopping thoughts, clinging, no-self, abandonment of desire, karma, etc. are in a sense accurate, but they present too extreme an image of what the process is, what actually occurs, and what are the desired outcomes. This can cause the practitioner to be looking for the wrong experiences and completely miss it when the experiences are moving in the right direction. In fact, a recent issue of a Buddhist magazine had three separate full articles each explaining what was meant by a particular term. No wonder the novice doesn’t have a clue what they mean.

 

Let’s start with “suffering.” We are told that the purpose of meditation is liberation from suffering. This term is often thought by the beginner, as was true for me, to mean very painful or highly damaging. I was taught that the way to liberation was through suffering. This gave me problems because I didn’t believe that I was suffering and this left me at sea as to how to proceed with meditation. But, the word that the Buddha used was dukkha which is often translated as “suffering” but this Pali word also can also be translated as unsatisfactoriness. Now that’s a completely different story. Looking at experience it can readily be seen that humans find most things in their live as not being satisfying. In fact, we wish that most of our experiences were different than they were. We want the news to be different, we want our meal to taste better, we want our route to be free of traffic, we want others to think like we do, etc. The truth is that unsatisfactoriness is everywhere all of the time in our lives. Once we see this we can begin to meditate on why we find things to be so unsatisfactory. We can begin to uncover the universality of the Buddha’s teachings. We can begin to see our egos refusing to accept things as they are, producing unsatisfactoriness. What a difference a translation of a word makes.

 

We often hear the word greed as a desire that we should release. When I think of greed, I picture intense pursuit of money, like in the movie “Wall Street.” That being the case, it seemed that releasing greed is not a problem as I don’t think of myself as having that level of desire for money or things. But, again, the word is deceptive. What is actually meant by greed is wanting things, anything, even simple things, like a piece of candy, a new wallet, a significant other, the red light to change, win a point in tennis, for it to stop raining, etc. So, what we need to work on eliminating is not extreme avarice, but desiring things.

 

So, when we’re meditating should we release the desire to have anything. No, again that’s not the meaning. Desire for things is in human nature. There’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, it’s healthy. What needs to be released is insisting that you get the desired outcome. It is not needed that you meditate on releasing the desire, rather releasing the need for a particular outcome. This is even true for meditation. We need to release the desire to “make progress,” to “clear our minds,” to get into a new state of consciousness, etc. When it is said to eliminate greed, it simply means to eliminate the stake we might have in attaining the thing we desire. If we don’t get it or we get something we’re not expecting, it’s OK. We’re not married to the outcome. This is what is meant by another confusing term equanimity. It just doesn’t matter what happens, whether the desired outcome or something different happens. It’s perfectly OK either way.

 

One of the most confusing pieces of jargon is no self. We are instructed to practice and realize that there isn’t a self. This is sometimes termed losing the center. When I first heard of no-self, I envisioned it as being a state devoid of an experiencing entity. But, again that’s not the meaning. The mind produces a concept of self, based upon experience and conditioning, which is very useful in negotiating our world. But, it is a hypothetical construct. There is no thing that can be pointed to that is the self. It’s simply a term used to summarize a set of experiences. This construct is not permanent and unchanging but evolves and changes with experience. What the idea of no-self refers to is just that. There is no thing that is the self and there is nothing permanent called the self. Hence, there is no permanent self, or no self. Seeing this we can meditate on the self and become aware of its artificial and ever changing nature. We can begin to understand what is real and what is constructed reality.

 

When we meditate we are instructed that we should quiet the mind. When I first heard this I envisioned producing a state with no disturbance, no thoughts, feelings, interpretations, etc. But, once more that is not what is meant by quieting the mind. Thoughts, feelings, sensations, etc. arise in the mind spontaneously. There is nothing wrong with this. It’s the natural ongoing function of mind to do this. What’s referred to as quieting the mind simply means not to respond to these sensations. It simply means allow them to arise and to fall away without reaction, simply watching them. Thoughts will occur but in a “quieted mind” they are simply noted and let to dissipate without further processing. Likewise, sounds, sights, tactile sensations are only observed without further attention. Similarly, feelings arise, are observed, and allowed to simply dissipate without thought, or any attention at all. So, the “quieted mind” is not exactly quiet. Lots can be going on. But, whatever is happening is not reacted to, attended to, or thought about in any way. So, in meditation, we quiet the mind, not by turning things off, but by being a passive observer, letting them flow in and flow out, arise and fall away, come and go. This needed explanation because the term used can easily give a wrong impression and lead the meditator to try to control what can’t be controlled, leading to frustration and feelings of failure. Understanding what is really meant by the term produces peace and progress in meditation.

 

Meditation practice is often confusing and new practitioners often assume meditation is something other than it is because of the problematic and misleading terms used in its description and instruction. If you want to meditate it is important that proper instruction is provided in the early stages of practice so that it can develop appropriately. Without this instruction the meditator can move in wrong directions, become frustrated, and abandon the practice. With proper instruction, the meditator can understand the process, understand when its going in the right direction, be patient with its ups and downs, gradually improve the practice, and enjoy all of the wonderful benefits of a meditation practice.

 

“A seeker may be clever and may understand the exceedingly complicated principles of Buddhist philosophy, but is this really wisdom? These concepts have been born through excessive philosophizing in overly intellectual environments, where monks apparently had nothing better to do than analyze trivial things rather than find a clear path to enlightenment. To be intelligent is to aspire to gain the right knowledge: knowledge which is directly useful in the task of finding peace and realizing our true self.” – Anadi

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch.

Does Meditating More Have a Greater Impact?

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Does Meditating More Have a Greater Impact?

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Loving Kindness meditation cultivates four sublime attitudes called “four immeasurables”: (1) loving-kindness, which refers to unselfish friendliness; (2) compassion, which refers to a willingness to cease the suffering of the distressed one; (3) appreciative joy, which refers to feeling happiness for other’s success or fortune; and (4) equanimity, which refers to calm toward the fate of others based on wisdom. “ – Xianglong Zeng

 

Meditation training has been shown to improve health and well-being. It has also been found to be effective for a large array of medical and psychiatric conditions, either stand-alone or in combination with more traditional therapies. As a result, meditation training has been called the third wave of therapies.  The seemingly simple behavior of meditation is actually quite complex. Adding to the complexity is that there are a variety of different meditation techniques. To begin to understand exactly how meditation works to produce its benefit, it is important to determine the requirements for effectiveness. One of the simplest is dose response; how much meditation is needed for maximal effectiveness.

 

In today’s Research News article “A Systematic Review of Associations between Amount of Meditation Practice and Outcomes in Interventions Using the Four Immeasurables Meditations.” See summary below or view the full text of the study at:

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00141/full?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Psychology-w6-2017

Zeng and colleagues review and summarize the published research literature which uses different amounts of meditation practice while keeping constant the type of meditation. They looked at studies that employed “Four Immeasurables Meditations” more commonly known as Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM). This meditation technique is designed to develop kindness and compassion to oneself and others. The individual systematically pictures different individuals from self, to close friends, to enemies and wishes them happiness, well-being, safety, peace, and ease of well-being. They identified 20 studies that investigated the effectiveness of different amounts of Loving Kindness Meditation practice. These were studies of the effectiveness of Loving Kindness Meditation practice on a wide range of different outcome variables including physical and mental health of the practitioners and responses on behavioral tasks. No attempt was made to separate different dependent variables. Rather, simply the association of the amount of meditation with the strength of outcome was evaluated.

 

They found that the published studies reported only a few small differences in outcomes between different amounts of meditation practice. The amounts of meditation reported, however, were relatively low as the largest was only 8 weekly meditation sessions. It is possible that much greater amounts of practice are needed to show additional benefits. In many studies, it was found that in these relatively brief studies, the greater the amount of meditation practice, the greater the amount of benefit. Hence, there was evidence of short-term effects of amount of practice, but the studies were not long enough themselves to determine if amount of meditation practice is related to outcomes in the long run.

 

The summary of the published research revealed that there is a need for systematic studies investigating the effects of amount of meditation over much larger time periods. It would also be useful to look at the length of each practice and the frequency of practice to determine if the pattern of practice made any difference in the outcomes. So, there appears to be a great need for further research to determine the dose response effects of meditation practice. Such studies would be important for understanding how to maximize the effectiveness of meditation for the health and well-being of patients.

 

“The incredible thing about Loving Kindness meditation is that a single short session of about 10 minutes, can kick-start a positive ripple effect, leading to increased feelings of social connection and positivity towards strangers. Loving Kindness Meditation also has continued benefits for those that practice more frequently. In fact, science suggests that the benefits can be surprisingly far reaching.” – Lisa Abramson

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts and on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

Zeng X, Chio FHN, Oei TPS, Leung FYK and Liu X (2017) A Systematic Review of Associations between Amount of Meditation Practice and Outcomes in Interventions Using the Four Immeasurables Meditations. Front. Psychol. 8:141. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00141

 

Interventions using the “Four Immeasurables Meditations” (FIM) are effective for various outcomes; however, whether increased meditation practice in these interventions leads to better results has not been well investigated. This systematic review included 22 FIM interventions that reported associations between the amount of meditation practice and its outcomes. Despite the heterogeneity in intervention components and outcome variables, there were generally few significant associations between amount of meditation practice and its outcomes. Specifically, only five studies reported that more than half of the calculated results were significant. In comparison with correlations between total amount of practice and overall outcomes, the short-term influence of meditation practice was evaluated in fewer studies; however, it had a better association with outcomes. More studies are required that address the underlying mechanisms that elucidate how meditation practice leads to outcome changes in daily life. In this study, two promising mechanisms with initial evidence were discussed. This review also summarized common methodological issues including a lack of experimental manipulation and inaccurate measuring of meditation practice.

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00141/full?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Psychology-w6-2017