Buddha was once asked “What have you gained from 6 years of meditation?” He replied, “Nothing! I did not meditate to gain something. However, I lost Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Insecurity, Fear of old age and Death.” I’m sure we all love to get rid of those too. And the answer from the Noble one is as relevant today as it was over 25 centuries ago. Yet, the question "Why Meditate?" keep coming back. Before looking at some scientific evidence of "Why Meditate?" for objective mind here is in  simple word for today's perceived virtual world:

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1. A study by University of British Columbia of morphometric neuroimaging studies in meditation practitioners found eight brain regions consistently altered in meditators  including areas key to meta-awareness, exteroceptive and interoceptive body awareness, memory consolidation and reconsolidation, self and emotion regulation, and intra- and interhemispheric communication . Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24705269
 
2. Another study by Johns Hopkins University found mindfulness meditation improved anxiety, depression, and pain. Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24395196
 
3. Harvard Neuroscientist: Meditation Reduces Stress and Literally Changes Your Brain (e.g. increased cortical thickness,  increases in regional brain gray matter density). Source: www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literally-changes-your-brain/?utm_term=.df19bfd5b9ba
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4. UCLA - Potential age-defying effects of long-term meditation on gray matter atrophy. Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361002/
 
5. Brain Mechanisms Supporting the Modulation of Pain by Mindfulness Meditation. Source: http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/14/5540
 
6. Meditation Boosts Serotonin, Melatonin, GABA, DHEA, Endorphins, Growth Hormone, & More. Source eocinstitute.org/meditation/dhea_gaba_cortisol_hgh_melatonin_serotonin_endorphins/
 
Do we still need more reason to give ourselves some “Me Time”?? May be worth exploring further in "Meditation: The Future Medication" - Royal College of Psychiatrist Publication. Source: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/Avdesh Sharma Meditation as medication2.pdf
 
Hope this post is helpful in starting or continuing your meditation practice in any form or tradition. If you found this post interesting or useful please upvote send any comments or suggestions - all comments and suggestion gracefully received. As Buddha said "One day of wise and fully mindfull life is better than years of life in ignorance." 

Sending metta bhavana (Friendly and Compassionate Vibes) to all stamians and beyond! Amen!

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