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In my experience, just establishing the meditation habit is not enough. To transform our lives, we have to practice solidly and regularly. - A. Jesse Jiryu Davis
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Religion was spread by the sword and by conquest. Compared to this, Buddhism was the one religion that commissioned no lethal force nor crusading armies for its propagation. - Nanadeva Wijesekera
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There’s no problem with being where you are right now. Even if you feel loving-kindness and compassion for only one sentient being, that is a good place to start. Simply acknowledging, respecting, and appreciating the warmth is a way to encourage its growth. - Pema Chodron
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Over the years I’ve come to a conclusion: Human beings are basically incompatible. Think about it. We live in different bodies, we’ve had different childhoods, and at any given moment our thoughts and feelings are likely to differ from anybody else’s, even those of our nearest and dearest. Given the disparities in our genetic makeup, conditioning, and life circumstances, it’s a miracle we get along at all. - Christopher Germer
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On his web site, Dr. John Douillard reports about the promising benefit of spiritual practices upon brain health noting that: "Meditation and religious and spiritual practices, or your spiritual fitness, could mitigate the effects of chronic stress on cognition, reverse memory loss, potentially reduce other factors that contribute to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease."
He notes that this information comes at a "critical time" for two reasons.
First, "age related cognitive decline cost the U.S. a whopping $305 billion dollars in 2020. Researchers tell us that if something isn’t done to solve this problem, these numbers could triple by the year 2050."
Secondly, "the new study, from researchers at the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, comes at a time when masses of people are leaving their churches, synagogues, and temples and becoming nones, or those that don’t affiliate with any religion. A 2016 National Geographic News article reported that nones in the U.S. have overtaken Catholics, mainline Protestants, and all followers of non-Christian faiths. According to Pew Research Center, 23% of Americans have no religious affiliation and 35% of adult millennials are religiously unaffiliated."
The study from the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation reported that those who engaged in a meditation practice which involved breath work combined with chanting for a mere 12 minutes a day had better sleep, improved cognition, better mood, slowed memory loss, increased well being and increased blood flow to areas of the brain related to cognitive function and emotional regulation, as well as increasing the volume of grey matter or cortex of the brain.
Here are two conclusions which can be made based on that study (and others). First, someone who has been diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer's may be able to significantly slow down the progression of the disease by engaging in serious spiritual practice.
Secondly, and ideally, the time to do meditation is right now, long before any issues of memory decline appear.
source: https://lifespa.com/ayurvedic-lifestyle/dinacharya-ritual/spiritual-bootcamp/
He notes that this information comes at a "critical time" for two reasons.
First, "age related cognitive decline cost the U.S. a whopping $305 billion dollars in 2020. Researchers tell us that if something isn’t done to solve this problem, these numbers could triple by the year 2050."
Secondly, "the new study, from researchers at the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, comes at a time when masses of people are leaving their churches, synagogues, and temples and becoming nones, or those that don’t affiliate with any religion. A 2016 National Geographic News article reported that nones in the U.S. have overtaken Catholics, mainline Protestants, and all followers of non-Christian faiths. According to Pew Research Center, 23% of Americans have no religious affiliation and 35% of adult millennials are religiously unaffiliated."
The study from the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation reported that those who engaged in a meditation practice which involved breath work combined with chanting for a mere 12 minutes a day had better sleep, improved cognition, better mood, slowed memory loss, increased well being and increased blood flow to areas of the brain related to cognitive function and emotional regulation, as well as increasing the volume of grey matter or cortex of the brain.
Here are two conclusions which can be made based on that study (and others). First, someone who has been diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer's may be able to significantly slow down the progression of the disease by engaging in serious spiritual practice.
Secondly, and ideally, the time to do meditation is right now, long before any issues of memory decline appear.
source: https://lifespa.com/ayurvedic-lifestyle/dinacharya-ritual/spiritual-bootcamp/
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Loving-kindness and compassion shine through the shutters in those moments when we spontaneously give aid or comfort to someone, not out of self-interest or thinking we might get something in return, but just because it seems the right thing to do. —Mingyur Rinpoche
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When you look at others think that it will be through them that you will come to Buddhahood. So look on them with frank and loving heart. —Shantideva
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If you help a person, never remember it and if a person helps you, never forget it. - Swami Sivananda
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Continue practice into everyday life with a single meditation: always keeping in mind the intention to help others in all activities, eating, dressing, sleeping, walking, or sitting. —Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye
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If happy, dedicate your joy to all, and may benefit and bliss pervade the sky! If sad, take the misery of all upon yourself, and may the ocean of suffering dry up! —Panchen Sakyashribhadra