![]() When you see the research on Emotional Intelligence, it is no surprise that meditation has become an increasingly popular practice amongst the C-suite elite (such as CEOs Rupert Murdoch, Bill Ford/Ford Motor, Rick Goings/Tupperware, and Marc Benioff/Salesforce.com.) “Studies have shown that people with high EI (Emotional Intelligence) have greater mental health, job performance, and leadership skills.” For example, Daniel Goleman, in his book Working With Emotional Intelligence, indicated “that EI accounted for 67% of the abilities deemed necessary for superior performance in leaders, and mattered twice as much as technical expertise or IQ.” Dr. Goleman states that there are four competencies of emotional intelligence that are required for effective leadership: 1. Self-awareness 2. Self-management (positive outlook, achievement orientation, self-control, adaptability) 3. Social awareness (organizational awareness, empathy) 4. Relationship management (inspirational leadership, conflict management, teamwork, mentor, influencer) In the last 10 years, much research has been published showing how meditation provides foundational support for these skills. Of course, meditation alone will not produce these skills. But, with a foundation of a regular practice, these skills can more readily develop as old stresses are set aside and new capabilities allowed to flourish when certain areas of the brain develop. Self-Awareness and Self-Management is supported by the prefrontal cortex which is associated with body regulation, communication, emotional balance, response flexibility, empathy, insight, self-knowing awareness, and fear modulation. The prefrontal cortex also releases an inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA) that actually counters the impulses of the amygdala which helps to modulate fear. In a study of regular meditation practitioners, the left side prefrontal cortex activation tripled after four months of practice. “Feeling fear but not acting on it" is a physical, chemical process, even if it is experienced subjectively as purely mental in nature. Over time, with meditation, activity in the reflective, regulatory, mind increases. A common experience among regular meditators is that rather than immediately reacting to a stimulus, as they may have in the past, they find a new “spaciousness”. Meditation strengthens the connection of the insula (what monitors the body sensations and gut feelings) to the Medial prefrontal cortex (Me Center of the brain that constantly references back to you, your perspective and experiences.) which increases in Social Awareness and Relationship Management. Before one begins a regular practice, if you were to look at a person’s brain, you would likely see strong neural connections within the Me Center and between the Me Center in regards to bodily sensations. For odd body sensations (e.g., a tingling, pain, itching, whatever), a non-meditator would begin to feel anxious, scared or assume that there is a problem (related to you or your safety). This Me Center activity, unchecked, is what causes the repeated loop, “There is something wrong….” and can begin the cascade of the fight/flight chemicals. Because meditation strengthens the connection of the insula to the medial prefrontal cortex, it increases our capacity to understand where another person is coming from and put ourselves in their shoes. It also helps regulate the over-stimulated Me Center created thoughts, so that the anxiety related feelings settle down. In the Art of Ascension, the three-fold structure of the Ascension Attitudes causes each of the three primary aspects of our personality -- our hearts, our minds, our bodies -- to move in the direction of growth. This process unwinds or loosens the deeply held judgments and beliefs that keep us bound to fear and restriction. The Ascension Attitudes are designed to clear out past beliefs and behavior patterns which inhibit full mental and physical functioning. This process is primarily one of effortlessly uncovering ever more expanded states of awareness. When the pattern of thinking and desiring is orderly, the result is health, happiness, joy, progress, creativity, and fulfillment.
1 Comment
![]() People are now sleeping less than they did in the past, and sleep quality has decreased as well. “We found that shorter and lower quality sleep tended to lead to more stressors on the following day,” said Soomi Lee, lead author and Penn State postdoctoral scholar from two separate studies published in 2017. Aside from the above study, here are 10 reasons why good quality sleep is important. (Below is a condensed version of a Healthline article.) 1. Poor Sleep Can Make You Fat Poor sleep is strongly linked to weight gain. If you are trying to lose weight, getting quality sleep is absolutely crucial. 2. Good Sleepers Tend to Eat Fewer Calories Studies show that sleep deprived individuals have a bigger appetite and tend to eat more calories. 3. Good Sleep Can Improve Concentration and Productivity Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function which includes cognition, concentration, productivity and performance. A study on medical interns provides a good example. Interns on a "traditional schedule" made 36% more serious medical errors than interns on a schedule that allowed more sleep. 4. Good Sleep Can Maximize Athletic Performance Sleep has been shown to enhance athletic performance. A study of over 2,800 women found that poor sleep was linked to slower walking, lower grip strength, and greater difficulty performing independent activities. 5. Poor Sleepers Have a Greater Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke A review of 15 studies found that short sleepers are at far greater risk of heart disease or stroke than those who sleep 7 to 8 hours per night. 6. Sleep Affects Glucose Metabolism and Type 2 Diabetes Risk In a study of healthy young men, restricting sleep to 4 hours per night for 6 nights in a row caused symptoms of pre-diabetes. This was then resolved after 1 week of increased sleep duration. Poor sleep habits are also strongly linked to adverse effects on blood sugar in the general population. Those sleeping less than 6 hours per night have repeatedly been shown to be at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. 7. Poor Sleep Is Linked to Depression It has been estimated that 90% of patients with depression complain about sleep quality. Poor sleep is even associated with increased risk of death by suicide. 8. Sleep Improves Your Immune Function One large 2-week study monitored the development of the common cold after giving people nasal drops with the virus that causes colds. They found that those who slept less than 7 hours were almost three times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept 8 hours. 9. Poor Sleep Is Linked to Increased Inflammation Poor sleep has been strongly linked to long-term inflammation of the digestive tract, in disorders known as inflammatory bowel diseases. 10. Sleep Affects Emotions and Social Interactions One study found that people who had not slept had a reduced ability to recognize expressions of anger and happiness. What does all this talk of sleep have to do with the Art of Ascension? When a person uses The Art of Ascension in a 20 minute close-eyed practice, similar to meditation, you receive twice as much rest as you do in 8 hours of sleep. This is measured by your heart rate, respiration rate, and other factors such as fatigue toxins being released. And if you fall asleep using the techniques, you will enter a much deeper rest immediately. Would you like to share your story of how The Art of Ascension has given you rest? ![]() “There are three things,” says Dan Harris, the ABC News correspondent who reported his encounter with meditation in his memoir 10% Happier. “The first is that guys think it’s bullshit — that you have to wear your wife’s yoga pants or chant. The second is that people assume it’s impossible: ‘My mind is too busy.’ ” Last, Harris explains, is that men assume meditation is all about being mellow, that it will rob them of their edge. One of the great things about the Art of Ascension is that is does not require any posture or any pre-requisite at all. It can be introduced into any activity that you are doing. We do recommend that you do it 2 or 3 times per day with your eyes closed, but that can be done lying down or a favorite for many, in a recliner. The myth about your mind being too busy is true on one hand. But the Art of Ascension uses the natural tendency of the mind to its advantage, kind of like ju-jitsu. So, what you may think is a disadvantage, is actually put to use in the Art of Ascension. It uses thoughts to move you to deeper levels within the mind. The Art of Ascension teaches you how to construct a perfect thought, so the mind will move as designed. With the perfect thought, both the left and right hemispheres, the frontal lobe and the rear are all in harmony. Your mind loves it, and therefore your body loves it. Then there’s the myth that if you meditate you will be too mellow. If one considers that some of the most successful CEO’s, entertainers, and sports people meditate, that debunks that one immediately. After all, Oprah Winfrey, one of Hollywood’s wealthiest women with a net worth of $3 billion, has been talking about the power of meditation since 1990. Ray Dalio, who began with humble beginnings and now has a net worth of $14B began meditating in college. He said that meditation is “the single most important reason for whatever success I've had." |
News From The Ishaya Foundation- Discover great links to scientific research. Archives
April 2019
Categories
All
|