Game Changer: Meditation

I've been reading a lot of positive psychology, which is the study of how to be happy, optimistic, confident, etc.  And there's research that shows meditation can literally transform your brain to make you more likely to be content and happy.

Happiest Man in the World

Quick 2min video about meditation

The first link is an article about a monk who undergoes brain scans and shows happiness levels that are completely off the charts.  The second is a western psychologist who's done lots of research on eastern meditation techniques and effects.

The first point I'd like to get across is that your brain is constantly changing and continues to develop, change, grow or decay throughout your lifetime.  This is phenomenal!!  We're constantly changing our ideas, viewpoints and opinions, but we can also change our fundamental outlook on the world.  Neural connections can be created very quickly if we allow our mind to continue to expand.  As children, we're constantly confronting new feelings, emotions and ideas but it doesn't change as adults.  There are fewer new experiences for adults, which results and fewer neural connections created.

The second point is that meditation or mindfulness training can help us change our brains.  We all know the placebo effect is real, and that a $2 hotdog tastes better than a 25c hotdog, or a $2 aspirin is more effective than a 25c aspirin.  Our mind changes how we perceive and happiness is a function of our perception.

One of the ways that the mind changes through meditation is that we become more aware.  There are many lies being told in our society that are perpetuated and become truth to many people.  Awareness and mindfulness development over time will reveal many truths because it removes you from the current state and see the world from a different point of view.  I personally dislike the phrase, "I don't know why anyone would do that."  It's a very ignorant phrase which is used too often and basically translates into, "I only understand the way I think."

There's also the conventional arguments of stress relief, anger reduction, better sleep or whatnot, but you all have heard that before.

Sick TED Talks

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_christian_big_history.html

Talks about the history of the universe, from the big bang to the beginning of life, through evolution and our current role in the universe.

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html

Talks about the different growth rates of countries and compares them to measures of health, like child mortality.  Talks about wealth, growth, health, population, trends of the world and revealing true statistics which are likely to contradict our current beliefs.

http://www.ted.com/talks/stephen_hawking_asks_big_questions_about_the_universe.html

Talks about the possibility of aliens, space, time and the future of the world.

Theory of Mind

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_mind  It is the idea that children cannot understand that other people have different ideas and feelings.  Basically, children believe the world revolves around them and they are they only thing that matter.  As we grow older, we develop the capacity for compassion.

Second level thinking can greatly improve relationships.  Relationships by definition is a two-way street.  If you can read body language well, or simply ask a friend questions from his perspective, it can go long way into developing a deeper relationship.  Most teenagers are unable to understand this concept, which may contribute to why high school is so harsh towards people who aren't "popular."  I also believe that I was able to form deeper relationships in college because of the slight increase in maturity. 

How do I get better talking to girls?  How can I interview better?  How can I be a better son?  How do I show my boss I deserve more responsibility?  We don't really need a book to tell us any of these things.  If we could fully understand the other person, we would have the solution to all of our questions.

Perhaps maturity and wisdom are both related to theory of mind and our ability to see through another's eyes.