It is over week since writing a blog entry. Sometimes it just happens when I get caught up in other matters or perhaps 'feel' uncreative. Seldom do I forget - probably just not high enough in the priority ladder that exists in my memory working space.
Now this is an interesting space of the brain/mind apparatus. Working memory is a scientific description of the phenomenon of holding some information in consciousness. In other words, how much info are you aware of at this very moment. For example how much of what you are reading are you conscious of.
Some neuro-scientists estimate that the maximum a person can hold in the working memory bank is seven facts, the average is 4 or 5 facts, before memory tricks such as writing facts on a piece of paper, mnemonics, or sending the info into temporary brain storage kicks in.
Mindfulness meditation (MM) is a mental exercise that sharpens awareness of information that is current, present, in working memory. An analogy is information on the monitor of a mobile phone. The monitor of a PC has far too much information to be held in working memory.
MM is simply watching with the inner mind how thoughts, senations, impulses, emotions, pain enters and exists consciousness. MM teaches the skill of just being present, non-judgemental, accepting what is, and letting go uncomfortable thoughts or sensations or impulses or pain. Just being present in working memory.
Bottom line effect: marked reduction in psychological induced stress responses. Very good for our overall health. How do I know? Reading about the deep scientific findings of stress responses and effects on brain and body systems and processes; on mood and memory; on anxiety and resilience to stress. And comparing results to research work over decades done by MM practitioners.
All my spare time the past week was devoted to asorbing these reems of pages recently published in Naure Reviews.
MM is a class I recommendation of the FOTEOR Academy.
No comments:
Post a Comment