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How Meditation may change the Brain

I just read a very interesting article in the New York Times (found here) that's about meditation and the positive effects on one's brain. Like the author of the article, I've always been a born skeptic on anything new-agey with regards to health and fitness. I see most fitness fads as just that; fads. Destined to the trash heap of history never to be heard from again. If I had a penny for everytime someone bounced right up to me waxing lyrical about all the positive changes they've experienced since they started this new diet, regime or therapy, I would be writing this from my villa in Barbados. The latest fad that's making me roll my eyes and groan : magnetic bracelets that supposedly increase your athletic performance. Gimme a break.

However,  science is now increasingly supporting the positive aspects of meditation and to a lesser extent, acupuncture, but we'll leave that aside for now and focus strictly on meditation. Research has shown that those who meditate for about 30 minutes a day for eight weeks had measurable changes in gray-matter density in parts of the brain associate with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress. Which makes perfect sense when you conjure up an internal image of a Buddhist monk and its associated stereotypes. So at this point, I'm thinking, "Alright, let's give this a whirl."

What's also doubly interesting is that tons of studies have shown that it increases well-being, improves your quality of life and active meditators have much higher activation levels in the parts of the brain linked to empathy and compassion.

This all sounds very good but also at the same time raises the question; How DO you meditate? How do you start? What do you do? And what in the world do you do with your hands. I mean,

From what I've gleaned, the most important thing to do is to use different objects to focus one's attention; whether you focus on your breathing, objects in the room, emotions or any kind of body sensation as long as you keep focusing on that. Do not let your mind drift which is a lot easier said than done. Admit to yourself that it's going to happen and go with the process and when you're aware that you're drifting, just guide it back easily to its starting point in the here and now. And do it everyday, in the morning or evening before you go to bed.

I personally try to meditate at least two to three times a week. I've just started so it's too early to say what my experience has been but the very fact that I'm going to be doing it 2-3 times a week is a victory in itself. I'm always active doing a multitude of things and the idea of taking some time to just calm oneself down, reach a quiet place of contemplation and solitude is an uber-attractive idea in itself.