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POSITIVE EFFECT OF MEDITATION ON THE AMYGDALA 
THE REALLY EXCITING PART
IS THAT PARAMA BODYTALK HAS THE CAPACITY TO STRENGTHEN IN AN ENDURING WAY THE
FIRING AND WIRING OF PRE FRONTAL CORTEX TO THE AMYGDALA. MOST OF THE PARAMA
BODYTALK WORK IS AROUND THE AMYGDALA AND IT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CENTRES
OF THE BRAIN.
"Western
science has finally begun to confirm what the wisdom traditions of the Orient
have known for millennia: that meditation practice literally and physically
improves your brain behavior. Robert Felix, author of "The Partners Within",
has been educating on the healing power of prayer and meditation to overcome
destructive emotions for the last decade. Now several scientific studies are
converging to confirm this idea. As recently reported in the Wall Street Journal
Science column (1/10/2003), studies at the University of Wisconsin confirmed
that "meditation, Buddhist or otherwise, might change the brain and, in
particular, its emotional circuitry."
The focus
of these studies was on the brain structure called the amygdala. This is a little
almond-shaped center that is located deep in the brain and it has been shown
to be involved with the negative emotions such as fear, anger, anxiety and depression.
This emotional center needs to be modulated by the prefrontal cortex; when it
is not, its negative emotions can snowball into destructive behavior patterns.
The psychiatric community commonly treats these poor states of mental health
with neuro-plastic drugs such as serotonin uptake inhibitors (Prozac and Zoloft
etc.) with mixed success.
But now,
according to Sharon Begley, placebo-controlled clinical studies are suggesting,
"Meditation strengthens connections between the prefrontal cortex and the
amygdala. Inhibitory signals from the prefrontal cortex appear to rein in the
amygdala like a good yank on a kite string. The stronger or more numerous those
"stop firing!" signals, the stronger the inhibition." Indeed
"It appears that the inhibitory signal reaching the amygdala can be modulated
voluntarily," says Prof. Richard Davidson, of the University of Wisconsin.
Most importantly,
Ms. Begley continues, "The plasticity of connections between the thinking
and feeling regions of the brain casts doubt on the belief that each of us has
a "set point" for happiness, and that neither a Powerball win nor
a life tragedy budges it for long. If inhibitory connections between the frontal
lobes and the amygdala can be strengthened in an enduring way, then perhaps
you can voluntarily shift that point, increasing our capacities for happiness,
fulfillment and for actualizing our own unique human and higher powers."
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