Links to Scientific Studies and Media Reports
Institute of Scientific Meditation (ISM) LLC
About the Institute of Scientifc Meditation
While the benefits of meditation may be widely known, the practice of meditation itself, as well as the language of meditation, remains unnecessarily couched in mysticism. When we hear the word meditation, unbidden images of the Far East appear in our minds of loose-robed monks and cloistered temples. Seldom do we imagine images of modern businessmen and women in traditional meditation poses in offices or break-rooms. Socially, we need a new paradigm of meditation practice that integrates images of contemporary culture into the visual lexicon of meditation practice. The foremost purpose of the Institute of Scientific Meditation (ISM) is to incorporate the practice of meditation into the vocabulary of contemporary culture through classes, seminars, articles, and publications. The goal of ISM is to dispel the myths surrounding the practice of meditation and secondly to create a terminology for the practice of meditation that is at once familiar and adequate to express both the technical and subjective aspects of meditation and meditative states. Through simplifying the terminology and making relevant the practice of meditation to modern culture, the purpose of the Institute of Scientific Meditation is to bring the benefits of a regular, healthful meditation practice to a global body. The Institute of Scientific Meditation was founded by Mr. Cristo L. Bowers.
Why should I practice meditation? An Excerpt from 10 Questions
The practice of meditation alone has been shown to deliver greater health benefits than any other single exercise. Meditation has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, increase intelligence, slow ageing, reduce healthcare costs, as well as reduce sensitivity to pain. Moreover, the practice of meditation has been shown to result in long-term physiological changes in the structure of the brain itself—even reversing the physiological effcts of aging on the brain. The practice of meditation has been shown to increase the thickness in cortical regions of the brain as well as the brain stem. These structural changes are related to sensory, auditory and visual perception, as well as internal perception—including the automatic monitoring of heart rate and breathing as well as the monitoring of emotional and psychological states. The practice of meditation has also been found to activate the sections of the brain in charge of the autonomic nervous system. Scientists, therefore, have proven that meditation decreases the prevalence of stress-related conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, asthma, insomnia, and digestive problems. Furthermore, studies have shown that meditation can help individuals at risk for suicidal depression to retain a balanced pattern of baseline emotion-related brain activity. Perhaps as equally important is that fact that meditation can be safely undertaken by anyone, and has even proven effective in the treatment of ADHD in children!
