Sacred Meditation Changes Body and Mind
- Amanda Chance
- Jun 1, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 4, 2021
Pilgrimages to sacred places boost the effects of meditation
by: Amanda V. Chance, MD
Imagine a moment when nothing external exists. You become one with a place, the present, and your inner self. Your mind opens to new thoughts, understanding, and peace. This is how many people describe meditation in sacred places around the world.
Regular meditation changes lives. And many find that pilgrimages to sacred places around the world significantly boost that effect. Let’s look at the effects of meditation, and the benefits of practicing it in sacred places.
Why is Meditation So Important?
Meditation itself is shown to create permanent changes in health and wellbeing. Harvard researchers highlight the results of numerous studies that show it decreases depression, anxiety, and pain. Promising early research is looking at the impact on numerous other health conditions.
But meditation doesn’t only help with healing. It also improves lives in general, and changes how the brain works. Here are a few ways meditation affects over time, outlined in a report by the National Institutes of Health:
● Positive changes in brain matter, improving cognitive function
● Halting and reversal of normal aging in the brain
● Improvements to the amygdala, related to emotional processing
A related study looked at the impact of mindfulness and yoga, both types of meditation. Researchers found these practices led to a lift in mood, increased ability to deal with stress and problems, and higher energy levels.
Meditation in Sacred Places
If meditation in your living room offers this many benefits, what might the impact be in sacred locations? The possibilities are endless.
The combination of nature, spiritual experiences, and physical sensations is powerful.
Hospitals around the country realized years ago that simply looking at peaceful nature scenes can improve healing. They calm the body’s response to stress and pain. You can now find patient rooms and corridors packed with images and paintings of beautiful landscapes.
If simply looking at a peaceful picture has this type of impact, how might one experience the real thing?
A researcher from the University of Glasgow describes the long history of sacred meditation. These practices date back centuries, and continue to the modern day. Travelers to meaningful places find a sense of purpose, as well as ongoing physical and mental benefits.
Experiences have often transcended the physical, providing incredible changes in body and mind.
Exceptional Experiences on Meditation Retreats
Long term meditators often report physical and metaphysical benefits. In a study of this group, the majority of respondents reported experiencing physical sensations relating to meditation. These included changes in breathing, new body sensations, and even changes in vision.
The majority of respondents also experienced an altered sense of time, place, and awareness. Many experienced increased self-awareness, insight, and personal epiphanies.
These particular meditators attended retreats around the world, including the U.S., Australia, and India. Locations ranged from local ashrams to the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. Participants again showed improved depression and anxiety scores, and even increased telomere length. (Expanding telomeres slows the aging process.)
Finding Your Sacred Place
Pilgrimages to sacred places are nothing new, but much of our scientific understanding is. Scientists are just beginning to explore spiritual experiences and how they can have long-lasting physiological effects.
Could you find meaning, health, and growth from meditation in sacred places? The research says yes. How about you?
Sources
Meditation: In Depth, National Institutes of Health
Sacred Places, Healing Places, Journal of Medical Humanities
The Health Impact of Residential Retreats, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
When Science Meets Mindfulness, Harvard Gazette
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