Contemplative Techniques

CONTEMPLATIVE TECHNIQUES

Contemplative practice is a method for quieting the mind, introspection, and elevated self-awareness.

Contemplation allows slowing down, reflecting, and fostering inner peace, emotional balance, focus, and mental clarity.

Contemplation is the practice of being fully present—in heart, mind, and body.(1)

It includes mindful activities supporting self-awareness, such as meditation, prayer, and mindful movement (yoga, qi gong, tai chi, mindful walking, or forest bathing).

Regular practice leads to greater empathy, compassion, and communication skills, improved attention, reduced stress, and enhanced creativity, all of which contribute to improved health and quality of life (QoL).

By creating a state of greater harmony between mind and body, contemplative practices can mitigate maladaptive biological, mental, and behavioral responses and lower the risk of various medical conditions.

Enhanced self-awareness and reduced mental rumor target subconscious processes in the brain where the self-repairing and self-healing mechanisms occur.

Mental focus balances the autonomic nervous system and reduces the stress-related patterns. Since the autonomic nervous system is closely interrelated with the regulatory mechanisms, including the psychological, immune, and endocrine systems, contemplative techniques have a positive impact on various health conditions.

Positive outcome is observed, e.g., in the cardiovascular health (blood pressure control, reduction of heart arrhythmias), hormonal balance (perimenopausal disorders), improved immunity, reduced inflammation, and improved mental health (benefits in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and health care provider burnout.)

Various studies investigate the health benefits of contemplation:

“Mechanistically, contemplative practices have been noted to mediate health outcomes at a cellular level through the effects on gene expression.”(2)

“It is hypothesized that the effects of meditation are mediated by the endocrine system, including the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis, and the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system.”(3)

“Mindfulness meditation — practiced widely for the reduction of stress and promotion of health — exerts beneficial effects on physical and mental health, and cognitive performance. Recent neuroimaging studies have begun to uncover the brain areas and networks that mediate these positive effects.”(4)

Meditation causes changes in the brain

A group of Canadian scientists from the University of Vancouver collected data from 21 studies that showed brain activity in 300 meditating individuals (5). The scientists described that meditation practice most often activated the following areas:

– limbic system (emotional center)

– prefrontal cortex (self-awareness)

– anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex (emotional regulation)

– hippocampus (long-term memory, spatial orientation)

– insula (self-awareness, sensory processing, compassion)

– corpus callosum (interhemispheric communication and balance)

Contemplation is not only limited to sitting still and observing one’s breath and thoughts.

Contemplation is not only limited to sitting still and observing one’s breath and thoughts.

Any activity performed with mindfulness and elevated perceptiveness opens the door into subconsciousness and allows the psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunologic regulatory system to harmonize bodily processes and contribute to the restoration of health.

Author of the review: Kristina Höschlová

Example of a contemplative practice

Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta)

Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta in Tibetan) is a contemplative method, which induces warm-heartedness, tolerance and kindness towards oneself and other living beings.

It consists of expressing wishes of happiness, peace, health and well-being. These wishes are directed first towards self and then extended to other people, from beloved ones to someone that might be perceived with negative emotions. 

Example of the script of Metta meditation:

  • May I be happy 
  • May I be peaceful
  • May I be well
  • May I live with ease
  • May I find deep joy
  • May I be free of pain
  • May I be free from harm
  • May I be free of suffering
  • May I feel safe

Extended to => “May YOU be happy …. “ => “May HE/SHE/THEY be happy …”

Many studies investigated the behavioral and neurophysiological changes induced by this practice.

In sum, Metta meditation results in better stress reliance, enhanced tolerability and prosocial behavior, decreased anxiety and depression and decreased levels of stress-induced proinflammatory mediators.

E.g., in one study, 53 of 106 medical doctors have undergone training in Loving-Kindness-Meditation (LKM) during 8 weeks. Quality of mindfulness, empathy and communication skills were tested in both groups (LKM intervention and control group) before and after testing. The results displayed that group trained in LKM proved significantly increased empathy and communication skills towards patients compared to the control group and to the pre-test condition.

The states of loving-kindness have functional correlates in several brain structures, including e.g., amygdala, anterior insula, mesolimbic dopamine system, nucleus accumbens or some areas of the prefrontal and parietal cortex.

Loving-Kindness Meditation induces increased theta wave activity on EEG, which corelates with the states of relaxed wakefulness, memory formation and navigation. It also affects the autonomous nervous system resulting in slowed heart rate and is related to higher levels of hormone oxytocin, which is archetypally responsible for care-giving and nurturing of the offspring.

 The peaceful, positive-minded and altruistic condition attained by this simple contemplative exercise of Metta meditation can positively affect spiritual, mental and physical well-being of the individuals.

Author of the review: Kristina Höschlová

YOGIC SLEEP

YOGA NIDRA

Yoga nidra, also called “yogic sleep”, is a contemplative relaxation technique that uses self-awareness, body scan, and visualization to achieve deep relaxation, improve emotional stability, and enhance cognitive functions.

The technique consists of resting in a relaxed posture, “shavasana” (prostration on the back), and a guided meditation, lasting usually about 20 – 45 minutes.

Historically, yoga nidra was a complementary technique to the yoga teachings, which, in addition to physical exercise, also include breathwork, meditation, and personal character improving practices.

Yoga nidra has numerous health benefits, which are mostly achieved via the psycho-neuro-immune endocrinologic regulatory system. The results of consistent yoga nidra practice are similar to those observed with meditation practice. Most results are achieved after several weeks of practicing 30 minutes daily.

Studies support that consistent practice of yoga nidra shows benefits in mental and physical health.

Examples of the health effects of yoga nidra (YN) (*):

  • Mental health (decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms, better emotional stability), endocrinologic health (improved hormonal balance). In one study, 150 female subjects with menstrual irregularities were divided into 2 groups: YN and control. After 6 months, the depression and anxiety rates decreased significantly in the YN group.
  • Cognitive functions (better focus, concentration, awareness, and memory)(1)
  • Immune system (decrease of the inflammation symptoms, decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, decrease in total leucocyte count) (*).
  • Cardiovascular health (BP control, improved HRV)
  • Pain (mitigation of headache, decreased pain during colonoscopy – comparable to music listening) (*)
  • Sleep improvement (higher sleep quality and efficacy, longer night sleep time)(2)

The Procedure

 The practitioner lies in shavasana (“corpse pose” – prostrating on the back, extremities slightly apart from the body stem, palms up, closed eyes) and goes through different self-awareness techniques:

  • Breathing (focusing on rhythm, profoundness, movement of the chest/belly, flow of the air)
  • Sense scan (sounds around, sound of their own breath, connection with the mat, visual perceptions, tactile perceptions, etc.)
  • The person creates their sankalpa (the positive intention seeded in one’s mind) and repeats it 3-times in their mind.

Sankalpa is derived from the Sanskrit words san („connection with the highest truth“) and kalpa („vow“), translating to an affirming resolve to achieve good and positive goals.

  • Mental Body scan

 The person takes awareness of all parts of their body in a structured manner:

 – from finger tips to toes – right part, left part

 – from toes to the crown of the head (back part)

– from head crown down to toes (front part)

  • Describing opposite emotions and sensations, e.g., “happy-sad”, “energized-tired”, “hard-soft”, “wet-dry”, “bright-dark”, “angry-compassionate”
  • Concentration on the 3rd eye (a point between the eyes behind the frontal bone) and visualization and recalling of the sankalpa
  • At the end, the practitioner brings slight movement into their extremities, deepens their breath, and opens their eyes.

…

Yoga nidra is suitable to practice in the evening before sleep.

Relief of stress is usually noticeable immediately, whereas the effects on somatic health appear after several weeks of a daily practice.

What is the mechanism behind the health effects of yoga nidra?

During sleep, the self-repairing and self-healing mechanisms that occur in the subcortical brain structures are active. Since yoga nidra allows the practitioner to focus on their sensory perceptions and to increase self-awareness of different body parts before falling asleep, it significantly supports the self-healing mechanisms that occur at the level of the subconscious mind.

Author of the review: Kristina Höschlová

GRATITUDE

Role of Gratitude in Preserving Good Health

Gratitude is a state of mind defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Gratitude can also be considered an emotion, a trait, or a virtue.

Multiple studies showed that the feeling of gratitude is associated with better health-related quality of life.

“Positive psychological attributes, such as gratitude, play a critical role in improving cardiovascular health outcomes. Gratitude not only enhances psychological, and physical well-being but may also alter biomarkers of risk for cardiovascular disease.” (Cousin et al., The Journal of Positive Psychology 2021).

Quality of gratitude has been observed e.g., in relation to recovery after acute coronary syndrome. Patients who endured an acute coronary event show better recovery, better endothelial parameters, and better adherence to healthy-preventive behavioral recommendations when revealing grateful emotions.

One study demonstrates that when gratefulness is associated with support-giving behavior, this association leads to regulation of reactivity to threat and reduction of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alfa and IL-6 (associated with the development of cancer).

The simplest way, how to implement this highly beneficial quality into daily life, is to manifest thankfulness every evening towards 3 different events of the day. Once this practice becomes a habit, improvement in overall well-being and good health condition can possibly be observed.

Author of the review: Kristina Höschlová