Meditation as Medication

Meditators may seem serious, but taking time to clear your mind can boost your spirits and your immunity. That’s the word from a group of American scientists. Psychologist Richard J.Davidson and colleagues gave 41 people a flu vaccine. A little more than half of the subjects learned to meditate and followed a regular schedule of “Om time” for an hour a day, six days a week. Another group just got the vaccine. After eight weeks, meditators had higher levels of flu fighting anti bodies than those who didn’t meditate. They were also better able to deal with stress and had increased activity in the area of the brain linked to good moods. The results weren’t temporary: The feel-good effects lasted for up to four months after meditation training sessions ended. Meditation produces measurable biological changes in the brain and body. It’s safe and can be of great benefit. It may be a useful complement to treatments already underway.