Meditation Becomes Popular
Nowadays, a wave of meditation and mindfulness is sweeping through our society, seemingly encountered at every turn. One might even call it a hype, now fueled by an army of consultants, coaches, and apps like Headspace and Calm that offer digital assistance for meditation. A global multi-billion-dollar market has emerged, which contrasts sharply with the origins of meditation—the image of an ascetic, meditating monk in a cave. But isn’t meditation essentially about being completely with oneself? Why, then, do we need tools to assist us?
False Expectations
It is certainly helpful to understand what meditation is actually about and what benefits it offers. “When you meditate, you must think of nothing!” This simplistic view can quickly lead to frustration. “I can’t meditate. Thoughts keep racing through my mind, and I just can’t find peace.” The forced attempt to shut everything down already contains the seed of failure. Meditation is primarily about becoming calm observing oneself and one’s thoughts from a meta-perspective. By letting go of thoughts, one slowly attains complete tranquility. Expecting meditation to grant wisdom or even lead to levitation—the idea that the body defies gravity and begins to float—is entirely unrealistic and misdirected. High expectations often lead to giving up meditation quickly, as sitting still seems pointless if there are no immediate results. But is that really the case? Does meditation truly yield no benefits?
Step by Step—Without Pressure for Success
First, it is important to understand that meditation is a repetitive exercise designed to calm and focus the mind. Focusing on one’s breathing, for example, will undoubtedly be interrupted by random thoughts. However, once these interruptions are accepted and thoughts are observed like fish swimming past in an aquarium, moments of concentration and tranquility will gradually increase in both frequency and duration. It may be reassuring to know that even great Zen meditation masters achieve only a few minutes of true detachment, concentration, and calm. Apparently, the journey is the goal; this time, it’s not about achieving something but simply about “finding peace.”
Rest for a Restless Mind
The key lies in continuity—the repeated, conscious act of finding calm. Even just 5–10 minutes of daily meditation can yield results. This practice activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our nervous system responsible for relaxation and recovery. We slow down and grant our mind the peace it otherwise experiences only during sleep. This deliberate act of unwinding stands in stark contrast to the constant stimulation of our synapses through smartphone scrolling. What is often mistaken for relaxation—scrolling through endless feeds—actually triggers our innate explorer instinct, trapping it in short-term stimuli, narrowing our focus onto a small illuminated screen, and leaving us feeling restless and distracted. This is the exact opposite of recovery and meditation, which aim to provide the mind with intentional calmness.
The Effects of Meditation
The human brain exhibits neuroplasticity, meaning it can change its structure through repetitive activities. By calmly and attentively observing inner activities during meditation—without judging or clinging to them—the brain learns to adopt a meta-perspective and ideally reinforces this ability. We observe our thoughts and emotions and embrace tranquility. With continuous practice, we begin to consciously recognize our thoughts and emotions in everyday situations instead of reacting impulsively. Over time, we regain the ability to choose how we respond to feelings and thoughts. More and more often, we disengage from “autopilot” mode, becoming increasingly mindful. We expand our perspective, release fixation, and open up new realms of perception and creativity—without chasing goals, simply “on the flight”! But mediation can do even more.
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Although the Greek Stoics, as early as 300 BC, sought to free themselves from external influences, and later the Roman philosopher Seneca used self-reflection to attain inner peace, these were merely precursors to meditation in Western culture. The person who truly brought meditation from the Buddhist tradition into our modern Western world was neither a philosopher nor a spiritual leader. The father of Western meditation was an American scientist from Massachusetts—a molecular biologist named Jon Kabat-Zinn. His Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, introduced in 1979, is a scientifically recognized practice that has been proven to help with depression, burnout, pain management, and as an adjunct therapy for serious illnesses. As a scientist, Kabat-Zinn introduced this beneficial method to our evidence-driven world through research studies, sparking a widespread meditation movement. By now, it is well established that relaxation and mindfulness exercises have a significant impact on our health and well-being.
Meditation and Longevity
Since the 1990s, we have known that meditation—the mind—affects the body and gene expression. Thanks to epigenetics, we understand that chromosomes can change in response to external influences. The telomeres, which form the ends of chromosomes, can be affected by our mental states. Scientists have discovered that meditation tends to lengthen telomeres, whereas stress can shorten them. Severely shortened telomeres prevent cell division, leading to a state called senescence. With each cell division, telomeres shorten slightly, and over time, as we age and our cells divide countless times, our tissues and organs undergo degeneration. In other words, the progressive shortening of telomeres accelerates cellular aging and negatively impacts the body’s ability to regenerate. This is why telomeres are often referred to as biomarkers of aging.
Certainly, many factors influence healthy aging, such as physical activity, nutrition, and genetic predisposition. However, it is an incredible realization that scientific evidence confirms meditation as an effective longevity practice. By supporting telomere length, meditation may help maintain both body and mind in a healthier, more youthful state as we age.
