Meditation from the perspective of gerontology

In terms of the body, meditation teaches you to deal with pain in a non-rejecting way. Some methods can change the subjective evaluation of sensory experiences and lead to improved pain management. Meditation reduces blood pressure and strengthens the immune system. Not only in old age, but in every phase of life, meditation is a tool against burnout, depression (including relapses), anxiety and sleep disorders, etc. In terms of social skills, meditation has been shown to promote openness in relationships, as it makes people more balanced, which in turn increases tolerance towards oneself and others. Empirical findings show an increase in grey matter density and greater activation in brain regions associated with empathy, compassion, belonging, emotion regulation, self-development and love. Experts advise against starting a meditation practice in cases of severe depression and borderline psychiatric cases, as this is not helpful without the supervision of a psychiatrist experienced in meditation and may even exacerbate psychotic symptoms. An evaluated meditation exercise is presented.

Autorentext
E. Schrattner has been an independent mobile gerontologist and certified health care nurse in southwestern Styria since 2015 (see www.elisabethmobil.at). She offers meditation workshops for all age groups throughout Austria, which can be booked privately or by companies. She has been studying meditation according to Sogyal Rinpoche since 2013.