Practitioners of meditation tend to live more in the moment and have less anticipation for future negative events, which may explain why the method has been shown time and again to be effective at pain resistance, according to researchers at the University of Manchester.
While examining brain images of people with a range of meditation experience – from none to upwards of 35 years – as they were introduced to a pain stimuli, the scientists found unusual activity in the minds of experienced meditators.
The prefrontal cortex contains a region that controls attention and thoughts regarding potential threats. These areas were less active in the experienced practitioners as they were about to feel pain.
"Meditation trains the brain to be more present-focused and therefore to spend less time anticipating future negative events. This may be why meditation is effective at reducing the recurrence of depression, which makes chronic pain considerably worse," said Christopher Brown, lead study author.
Philosopher Ilchi Lee's Brain Education techniques focus on training the brain to remove negative thoughts and memories and replace them with positivity. This involves living in the present, which science has shown may help alleviate physical pain in individuals.
Results of the study suggest that a strong mind-body-spirit connection may lead to a healthier being.
