Meditation - the elixir of life?
Thinking about meditation conjures images of saffron-robed monks in remote mountain top temples in Asia or yoga posing urban hippies in activewear.
But what was once considered a far eastern spiritual pursuit has now become a powerful, evidence-based psychotherapeutic tool. New scientific discoveries are reporting remarkable benefits of meditation, which offers an exciting alternative treatment in mental health care. And whilst standard interventions such as medication and talk therapy work for some patients, many people are often left in the dark.
Over 35% of Australian’s experience chronic distress, and one in four live with higher than acceptable levels of anxiety. And despite the advances in modern medicine, statistics paint a grim picture of our population’s overall sense of happiness and wellbeing. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for people aged 15-44 years.
Meditation induces physiological and biological changes in the brain and body, which are directly correlated to improved cognition, and physical and mental wellbeing. These include enhanced cardiovascular health, immune response, digestion, sleep, memory and stress management, as well as decreased anxiety and depression and greater focus, creativity and intellectual capacity. Regular meditation also reverses biological aging (we may have found the elixir of life) and elicits the feel-good factor — boosting positive emotions of compassion, inner peace and calm.
Over the past year, we’ve seen a rapid increase in downloads of meditation and mindfulness apps, and the global mindfulness industry is predicted to reach a 9 billion USD high in the next 6 years. Covid has certainly helped the market bloom.
And with such positive benefits, it’s no surprise that meditation is making its way into unconventional settings across the world, into places like boardrooms, hospitals, schools, and even jails. Big tech pioneered the corporate enlightenment movement, with dedicated relaxation rooms, mindfulness classes, meditation breaks and wellbeing coaching.
But it's not just taking off in the corporate arena. Law enforcement agencies in the UK, Canada and the US are using meditation for keeping the peace. The UK’s Mindfit Cop program aims to reduce police officer burnout, improve mental wellbeing, and bolster resilience and overall work performance.
The New Zealand Defence Force also now routinely provides mindfulness training to new recruits as part of a holistic wellbeing program centered on the Māori Te Whare Tapa Whā model of wellness. And here in Australia, positive steps are also being made. In 2018, the Department of Veterans Affairs commissioned research into the efficacy of mindfulness, meditation and yoga for improving PTSD, depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorder in adults.
And some hospitals are also onboard, delivering programs for both patients and staff. The Marion Centre in Wembley teaches patients self-help tools with guided meditations and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to improve mood and prevent depression relapse. Despite the encouraging steps forward, we have more work to do.
Resilience-based meditation and mindfulness, coping skills and radical self-care training must be part of the mainstream solution to Australia’s soaring mental health crisis. And it has to start in schools with life skills forming part of the education curriculum for primary and secondary students.
Over three decades of scientific studies have produced encouraging evidence. However, more funding and research is required to assess the longitudinal impact of meditation as an early childhood and adolescent intervention, as well as appropriate techniques and strategies for optimal mental health recovery and trauma-informed care.
The mind can be a messy place but it can also be a beautiful one. A daily dose of quiet contemplation may just be the perfect antidote to rising stress and anxiety.
This article was first published in The West Australian in Renée Gardiner’s weekly column in Agenda, 20 March 2021.