Can Meditating Give You a Big Head?

Hopefully not, but it will increase the size of your brain.

Several years ago, researchers at Yale, Harvard and MIT (no shortage of brains there) scanned the brains of experienced meditators and found it increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input. 

Here's more good news. They found that the human cortex, or thinking cap, gets thicker as the meditators age. Normally it gets thinner. 

Kundalini Kirtan Kriya

Great for experienced meditators, you say, but I've never meditated. Am I doomed to "senior moments?"

Happily, you are not.

Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. and another team of researchers employed a simple meditation technique called the Kirtan Kriya. They tested 14 people, two diagnosed with Alzheimers, the rest with mild memory or cognitive impairment. The group practiced the Kirtan Kriya daily for eight weeks. 

The Kirtan Kriya is a staple of the Kundalini tradition of Yoga practice. 

"After eight weeks, brain scans revealed that the people showed increased blood flow in brain areas crucial to memory. Also, tests of verbal fluency, logical memory and other skills showed significant improvement..." according to the St. Petersburg Times.

No need to wear out your brain

Khalsa summed it up this way, "Fifteen years ago they said nothing could be done for the failing brain. Now it's common knowledge that staying mentally active and getting exercise can help. Maybe 15 years from now, people will be saying everyone should do this simple 12-minute exercise to prevent their brain from wearing out." 

The Kirtan Kriya is a simple technique. Read a discription in the St. Pete Times article or contact any of the Kundalini teachers at Yoga Village:

Jamie Luber
Gail Dutton
Kim Hehr
Amy Phaelzer
Christine Fanelli
Linda Wilkerson
Annette Masters
 

Meditation Found to Increase Brain Size
Kirtan Kriya meditation shows promise in research of memory functions

 Photo by Pankaj