It is very surprising that researchers could measure changes just after three days!
One alarming detail about the article, however is the mention of "dose", which I think reflects the general Western, mainstream attitude to meditation. Mindfulness and meditation is being perceived as a tool of "relaxation", "reducing stress", dealing with anxiety, and so on. And it might be because of being "marketed" as such.
However, although meditation can in fact help you deal with stress and make you more relaxed, reducing it just to "benefits" is missing the point. After all, it is actually "you" who is dealing with stress, being more relaxed, etc.
Meditation is about paying attention to your thoughts without any
judgment, experiencing your immediate thoughts and feelings directly,
facing yourself, gently watching your unpleasant feelings, thoughts,
memories and embracing them with all their both unpleasantness and
pleasant joy. In the end, you get more and more in touch with yourself
and the reality, and become more alert, observant, thoughtful, compassionate, etc.
And that actually makes it a practice of not running away from stress, anxiety, sorrow, but in contrast, facing all that with a gentle attitude.
Finally, it is a constant and long-term practice, not something like a "pill" with "doses" to deal with whatever "symptoms".
Yep its such a western practice to cost-benfit analysis on everything. Ironically it the same thought process that is causing anxiety in the first place. People trying to make more money via meditation just sounds odd.
Pls guys do yourself a favor and listen to JidduK before you embark on meditation
One alarming detail about the article, however is the mention of "dose", which I think reflects the general Western, mainstream attitude to meditation. Mindfulness and meditation is being perceived as a tool of "relaxation", "reducing stress", dealing with anxiety, and so on. And it might be because of being "marketed" as such.
However, although meditation can in fact help you deal with stress and make you more relaxed, reducing it just to "benefits" is missing the point. After all, it is actually "you" who is dealing with stress, being more relaxed, etc.
Meditation is about paying attention to your thoughts without any judgment, experiencing your immediate thoughts and feelings directly, facing yourself, gently watching your unpleasant feelings, thoughts, memories and embracing them with all their both unpleasantness and pleasant joy. In the end, you get more and more in touch with yourself and the reality, and become more alert, observant, thoughtful, compassionate, etc.
And that actually makes it a practice of not running away from stress, anxiety, sorrow, but in contrast, facing all that with a gentle attitude.
Finally, it is a constant and long-term practice, not something like a "pill" with "doses" to deal with whatever "symptoms".