Science Discovers Relaxation

Dr. Herbert Benson is a person we should all be more familiar with.  He wrote the Relaxation Response 35 years ago, a ground breaking book which documents the effects of relaxation on the body.  Herbert Benson, M.D., is the Director Emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute (BHI), and Mind/Body Medical Institute Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.  Throughout his career, Dr. Benson has worked to build awareness and value of mind body medicine and validate it through research.

His newest book, the Relaxation Revolution, reveals more striking results from his more than 30 years of research on the value of a few short minutes of meditative practice on our health and wellness.  The initial findings in the Relaxation Response were that engaging in focused meditative activity activates a response in our body which is the exact opposite of the response our body has during times of stress.  Much of our health problems are caused or made worse by stress which makes this very simple fact quite a powerful discovery.  Engaging in the relaxation response can directly address certain common health problems such as hypertension, stress headaches, anxiety-related symptoms, mild depression, etc.  However, medical research shows that engaging in the relaxation response can also help improve the symptoms of any number of illnesses.

The new book builds upon this initial finding as the power of mind body medicine becomes more undeniable.  New research shows that the protection against stress from engaging in meditation, yoga, contemplative prayer, etc. over time also affects the behavior of the practitioner's genes.  The activity and responses of your cells and even your genes, are effected by regular engagement in the relaxation response.  In fact, your genes' behavior is modified due to the relaxation response and this then affects your cells in terms of their resiliency to stress and how they deal with age and illness.  It is not that the relaxation response reverses the aging process for your cells, instead the reaction it elicits creates a buffer, or an insulation, against the effects of stress that are so damaging.

To top it all off, long term engagement in meditation creates habitual responses in our bodies, brains, cells and genes.  And according to Dr. Benson, when enough change happens within our bodies over a long enough time, these changes to our genes are passed down to our children.  It is important to note here that the structure of our DNA has not changed, but instead the genes' activity or behavior has changed.

These new discoveries really throw down the gauntlet in terms of managing our stress and being calmer people.   We owe it to ourselves, our society and our children to strike a different course in a time of skyrocketing health care costs, proliferating lifestyle diseases, and a nation struggling with depression, anxiety and mental illness .  The relaxation response seems to be a simple and powerful way to do so.  One of the most amazing things to consider is that cultures for thousands of year have been engaging in the relaxation response through their spiritual traditions and practices.  This is not a discovery of science but instead an affirmation of a spiritual (or simply human?) practice that has great benefit and usefulness to the practitioner.  This points to the fact that spirituality has a part to play in being human, and that our spiritual traditions have valuable lessons that we can learn from in how to live well.  The fact that scientific inquiry is catching up with some of these more subtle spiritual lessons is exciting and will be very challenging to the traditional scientific and religious institutions.

As an end note, I do not hold spirituality and religion to be the same thing.  Religion can be a spiritual endeavor, but in many cases it is not.  Likewise, a spiritual life or practice doesn't need to be a part of a religion.

For more on the relaxation response: listen to Dr. Benson being interviewed on abc (5min)
Or for those of you who want a deeper drill down on this topic: here is Dr. Benson discussing his new book at Harvard U (39 min)

Put Some Time into Being Calm

I think people don't spend enough time on things that are very basic because we think certain things just come naturally or are too boring to spend much time on.  In reality these things are often the background upon which other things in our life occur.  When you pay attention to improving fundamental things that you may usually take for granted you are creating a solid foundation of habits which will affect whatever you do.  Some examples of what I am talking about here is how we breathe, how we listen to others or the habitual movement of our thoughts.  These are very basic things that we do everyday, but don't pay much attention to.  If we were to do these things even just the tiniest bit better or more mindfully, we would see a big impact over time in other areas of our lives.

As discussed in the last post, our brain is plastic and will adapt to how we think and respond.  Our mind or brain is the foundation from which everything we do comes from.  Every situation we encounter in life will depend upon our brain/mind taking in information, processing and filtering that information and then responding.  Therefore it is of the utmost importance for it to function the best it can. Working toward a calmer and more relaxed mind improves the way the brain and body work.  It seems to me because of this that it would rationally be within every one's self interest to put some thought and effort into being calmer and more relaxed.

My family and I were very fortunate to have a chance to see the Dalai Lama give a public talk in front of the Capitol building in Washington DC a couple of weeks ago.  A common theme he discusses is the value and importance of having a calm mind.  He lays out many reasons for this including the fact that a calm mind can deal with problems and unexpected events better than an excessively reactive mind.  He asserts that we simply think better and make better decisions when we are calm.  He also focuses on the health benefits of having a more relaxed mind versus one that is constantly stressed out.  Medical science has been very clear that stress is a big factor in pretty much every type of disease and illness.  Reducing stress is a recommended remedy for every type of malady.

A relaxed person who is cool and collected under fire is something that many of us value or admire, but I think its not something many of us work very hard to cultivate in ourselves long term.  I believe that a calm mind is something worth while to pursue for all of the reasons that the Dalai Lama lays out and many more.  One thing I am often criticizing about American problem solving is that we want to have simple and clear solutions to problems even if reality often doesn't work that way.  However, I would argue that in developing a more relaxed attitude we find something close to the magic wonder drug that we are looking for.  We will age more gracefully, be happier and healthier, deal with disease and conflict better, and the list goes on.  Being calm also allows us to be our best selves more often.  So much of the time we are distracted by stress, fear or anxiety and we can't let our natural personality shine through.  Being calm helps the mind function well and be free to perceive what is occurring in real time and think quickly and holistically.  When too much emotion floods our system it slows the processing of our brain down and we can't respond at our best.

For all of these reasons I believe that the development of inner calm is of real value and will help people lead happier and healthier lives.  I have linked here a short video with Jon Kabat-Zinn discussing the value of meditation in training our minds to be more present and relaxed.  His work and research has been one of the bridges between modern medicine and meditation over the past 20 years.  The video is about 4 minutes please take a look, and in the next post we will take look at some of the new research about relaxation and how it affects our health and ability to deal with disease.

Can We Learn to Be More Compassionate?

I believe that a critical and fundamental assertion that is often overlooked is that we can train our mind. For a long time this contrasted somewhat with biological science which told us that our neurons were fixed after a certain age and that our brain did not really change much after that.  However, more current research has overturned the fixed brain theory and now the brain is described by neuroscientists as being plastic.  This means that the Buddhist point of view, among others,  has had a good sense of how the human mind works and what its potential is.  What we do, think and feel matter and can alter the wiring and structure of our brains.

The affirming message in all of this is that we can change, even later in life, and expand our potential.  Alternatively the uncomfortable fact that accompanies the first is that if we are not involved in our own development then we are leaving it to chance.  We must use it or lose it so to speak.  We have an unprecedented capacity for wisdom, compassion, insight, skill development and to be healthy emotionally and physically.  But it is our responsibility to make sure that we are on a path for the changes to be positive and productive.

There is a similar responsibility that comes with a growing understanding of how flexible our minds and brains are.  It took the pressure off when things were more fixed.  After all, after the age of 25 (or whatever it was) your brain was fixed.  You could only be expected to change so much after that; you were already programmed.  Therefore if you weren't a master concert level musician by your mid to late 20's you could just blame your parents that they didn't get you started young enough.  Brain science is very new and can't tell us everything about ourselves, but it is inspiring to dwell on the thought that we do have some freedom to chart our own destiny if we have determination and commitment to do so.

One of the meditations in Buddhism is to reflect upon your luck at being born into a situation that has certain freedoms and advantages.  You reflect upon these things to inspire yourself to work on positive changes and to take advantage of the opportunities you have.  It is helpful to imagine others' situations who have no freedom or opportunities for spiritual practice or self development.  I think of these new discoveries of neuroscience in that context.  We are very fortunate, in spite of the responsibility it puts on us, that at least to some extent where we go, our brain will adapt and follow.

Linked here is a article from Scientific American about the studies going on and if meditation can affect our ability and capacity for empathy...Please check it out.  Meditate on this: You can learn to be more compassionate

The Reincarnation of a Blog

I have been very remiss in keeping up with posts here, but I have been incubating an idea for a spin off of the current blog.  I started this blog as an idea to create on-line support for our Buddhist reading group at Lake Street Church.  It was intended to help people to think about the ideas and concepts that we went over in our group at a different point in the week.  Many of these valuable spiritual ideas are more valuable the more we use them and, thus I wanted to create a platform that encouraged further reflection.


However, I don't think the blog was used very much by many members of our group and most of the audience was coming from outside even Lake Street Church's larger community.  This has led me to the idea to write a blog that about the concepts, ideas and teachings of Buddhism from a modern perspective.  I believe that Buddhist philosophy is of tremendous value to people living in Western countries.  Its teachings address much of what ills us as a people.  It could very well be more important and useful to people now than it has ever been in historical times.  Our world moves faster and faster with more ways to distract us arriving everyday.  We often find ourselves reacting to life instead of actively choosing how we want to live.  Along with this it is important to realize that science is catching up with the Buddhist world view and Eastern mystic traditions generally.  Advances in Physics and Neuroscience are unveiling discoveries that support the underlying theories of meditation practices and explanations of the world initially taught by Buddhist teachers and mystics thousands of years ago.  My conclusion in all of this is that ever more so, these are ideas and teachings whose time has come.


This newly reincarnated blog will not only attempt to give readers food for thought  in maintaining balance and perspective in the modern world, (there are many blogs that already do this) but this blog will reference scientific studies or research supporting Buddhist ideas or meditative techniques.  


However, most importantly the blog will address the critical question of why it matters for you to pay attention to these ideas.  A member of our reading group recently wrote, "It's like I get the 'what it is' but not the 'why it is important', if that makes any sense."  and it very much does.  Of all of the information available today and with all of the self help guides and gurus out there the why it is important is truly critical when competing for a person's attention.  It is my total conviction that the ideas that we will survey here are some of the most tried and tested ones out there that have withstood the tests of time and gracefully matured to greatness.  They are ideas that will help us to live more fulfilling, successful lives while also making the world a more rational and compassionate place.  I look forward to taking on this project, and I hope that you will join me, at least from time to time.  

Protecting Our Flame

Something that came up in discussion this past week is the tendency to be enthusiastic about the things that are inspiring which can lead people to overcommit before they are ready.  It is natural to be excited and to dive into new things, but maybe more important is a steadily growing and sustained commitment to new practices or disciplines.

Take exercise as very mundane example.  A person is motivated to start a new exercise program because they will be attending a class reunion, and they really want to be in shape before they meet their old friends again to give a good impression and show everyone how successful they are.  So for a few months they are really committed to exercise and they are very disciplined in maintaining their exercise regimen.  However, after the reunion is done, they slack off and they don't continue to work so hard now that the event of the reunion is behind them.

For all of the disciplines or practices that we might be be taken by, it is easy to get fired up and commit heavily short term to certain new ideas or philosophies while intense interest and inspiration lasts.  However, personally I think it is much more powerful to take a more measured approach.  A commitment  to a little bit of practice for many years can produce very fulfilling results over time.  We can compare it to saving money and generating compound interest.  We are all told that we can amass a fortune if we just start saving a little bit each week and let it grow steadily over time.  This is also so with meditation practice, mindfulness practices or efforts to improve our character.

On the other hand, what is gained if we enthusiastically begin such things but we don't continue because the regimen or expectations were unsustainable?  To improve ourselves or make fundamental changes to the way we live takes time.  Therefore, I am an advocate of a patient and temperate approach.  Be careful of the commitments that you make, think about them, and take them seriously when you choose to make them.

Taking advice from Shantideva's book... those endeavors of real value, and the progress that we make in pursuing them, should be defended and protected and not allowed to be lost.

This Fragile Human Life

The current disaster in Japan is a striking reminder to us of life's fragility and how urgent it is not to put off what is important.  The situation many residents in Japan find themselves in is the one that Buddhism constantly is reminding us of...  life is impermanent and can change in an instant.  The changes we may face vary in their severity, but whether they be the loss of a loved one, an unexpected life change or being confronted with death itself, we must not put off what has meaning until later.  Whether that is spending quality time with family, letting bygones be bygones or just taking time out to do what you love is a type of spiritual practice.

Buddha said that of all meditations, meditation on death is the ultimate one.   When we commit to being true to ourselves in spite of the busyness of the world, which tries to rob us of our time and trick us into spending it on other things, we are participating in this important meditation.  The realization that you don't have a lot of time makes you spend it more wisely and this leads to maturity and wisdom in your actions.  The tragedy in Japan and in other places in the world is a reminder to us that these things happen to all people.  What matters is not avoiding these disasters, as that is impossible.  What truly is important is that you be prepared if that disaster strikes and don't leave a lot of things undone.

The reminder of the fragility of life should also be used to have empathy and concern for our fellow beings who want to be happy and avoid tragedy just like us.  Please keep the people of Japan in your thoughts.  Send them your compassion and/or your prayers and hope that whatever good can come out of this situation will.

Here is a link a friend of mine provided to donate to the Red Cross, put "aid to Japan" with your donation to make sure it goes there.  http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=38380&tid=001

The Rational Desire for Other's Happiness

As we continue reading the Way of the Bodhisattva, I find myself thinking about the idea of aspiring for the happiness of others and what that means.  It occurred to me this week that achieving your own happiness is like hoping to fill a small shot glass full of water.  Whereas wanting happiness for all of humanity (or even beyond that for all sentient beings) is like aspiring for the ocean to be full of water.

It follows then that the water in a small glass of water can be quickly lost.  However, the water in the ocean will take thousands of years to dry up, assuming it ever will.  It is not a perfect analogy, but if you move your aspiration to the happiness of others, and put less focus on the water in your own glass, so to speak, you will be less affected by the constant fluctuations of fortune that we all experience.

Also, this seems to me to be a very rational approach.  Conscious investment in one individual's happiness puts a lot of your energy in one basket.  Let's face it, a lot of life is chance.  We all like to think that we are happy or successful by our own efforts alone, but it is probable that just as much is influenced by luck.  Therefore spending your energy on a larger pool is a way to make a wiser investment.

After all, the final argument one could make is that if you spend your life pursuing happiness for yourself, at the moment of your death that happiness will expire totally.  On the other hand, if we concern ourselves with the well being of others, we can rest assured that it will definitely out live us.  And the bigger our circle of care and compassion is, the more confident we can be that it will last long beyond our individual lives.