Positive Psychology and its link to Meditation

Meditation
Introduction
The positive psychology arena has undergone swift expansion in the last ten years, with studies explicitly highlighting the significance of examining processes, conditions, and factors improving wellbeing, facilitating psychological prosperity, and optimizing human functioning (Gable & Haidt, 2005; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Mindfulness is a factor that plays a part in psychological wellbeing and may be attained using meditation (Pepping, Donovan & Davis, 2013). The term 'meditation' is used to define a set of practices training awareness and focus, often aimed at promoting spiritual and mental growth and wellbeing. In meditation, the mind is trained, and mental processes brought under more conscious control, advantageously guiding them. Such control helps develop certain mental characteristics like calm, focus, and feelings like love, happiness, and empathy. Using increased awareness, an individual can get clearer insights into him/ herself as well as his/ her relationship with the world. Also, increased awareness is said to result in a more accurate, profound knowledge of reality and consciousness (Shapiro, Walsh, Britton & Britton, 2003).
Why is it that individuals meditate? This question appears to have the following two answers. Firstly, individuals engage in the practice of meditation for overcoming emotional or mental issues: i.e., meditation for self-regulation. Secondly, individuals engage in meditation for acquiring a better grasp of life, growing wiser, and enlarging their consciousness: i.e., meditation for positive changes in one's consciousness. Frequently, it is not possible to clearly separate the above two goals, and the majority of meditation practitioners perhaps pursue both of these goals to some extent. Up until now, the academic psychology of the West has concentrated on meditation in therapy. Despite the growing public interest and a rise in the number of research works on the subject of the effects of meditation, surprisingly, a shortage of empirical evidence summaries can be found, particularly when it comes to evidence arising out of research works outside of the therapeutic setting. A large number of research works have been completed in the quest for meditation-related impacts; nevertheless, one will find a much more astonishing absence of detailed, advanced psychological theories making robust predictions on what one must expect from meditation (Sedlmeier et al., 2012).
Considerable proofs affirm the advantages of dispositional mindfulness. More 'mindful' persons are shown to perform better in various psychosocial outcomes in comparison to less mindful persons. Mindfulness increases the awareness of a person regarding the present, facilitating behavioral and cognitive flexibility as well as allowing for more adaptable reactions to scenarios, as against reacting impulsively or customarily. Therefore, those with a more mindful disposition can better react to external and internal experiences adaptably and flexibly, thereby potentially promoting psychological wellbeing. The quality of mindfulness entails an approachable, friendly, and broadminded stance to a person's experiences, views, and feelings, which can help him/ her less disapproving, condemnatory, and harsh towards his/her self (Pepping et al., 2013).
Literature Review
Sedlmeier and coworkers (2012) provide an in-depth overview of meditation's impacts on psychological facets extractable from empirical research, focusing on the influence meditation has on nonclinical adult meditator groups. Outcomes proved strongest (i.e., large or medium) in case of changes in relationship and emotionality problems, not as strong (i.e., around medium) in case of measures of concentration, and weakest (i.e., medium or small) in case of measures that were more cognitive in nature. But specific findings differed across diverse meditation strategies (like, transcendental and mindfulness meditation). Remarkably, meditation experience covaried only partly with long-run effects on studied variables. Western as well as Indian theories underscore impacts on attentional procedures: Every meditative method entails attentional process detachment from our routine scanning, cognition, analysis, and reaction (Kristeller & Rikhye, 2008). Such attentional process alterations allow one to expect cognitive changes and, consequently, positive change in terms of emotional responses. When practiced longer, one can anticipate positive modifications in personality and behavior measures. As dependent measure predictions which have commonly been studied by researchers focusing on the subject of meditation up until now are still not precise, the ideal plan is, apparently, to undertake an exploratory consideration of the respective impacts, whilst bearing in mind the differences in modes of meditation.
Barsalou and Hasenkamp (2012) attempted to address the impact meditation experience has on the brain networks that underlie cognitive actions utilized in contemplative practice. With the individual contributions of experienced practitioners in meditation, salience network area activity was identified in awareness of executive network and MW areas during focused and changing attention. Default mode- linked brain areas were found to be active in MW, the reason being, repetitive attentional brain network activation owing to several years' practice can produce permanent functional connectivity modifications in relevant circuits. For studying this possibility, active seeds to represent networks were developed and used in the four stages of the previous research, with functional connectivity explored in the self- same subjects in resting state. Subsequently, connectivity maps were compared between subjects with low vs. high meditation experience. Subjects who meditated more displayed increased connectivity in attentional networks, and also between medial frontal and attentional areas. These neural linkages might contribute to cognitive skill development, like maintaining concentration and freeing oneself from distractions, which are typically reported with regard to meditation. Further, as altered brain area connectivity among experienced meditators is seen in a resting or non-meditative state, this might be representative of an \\\"off the cushion\\\" transfer of cognitive skills into everyday life.
Pepping and colleagues (2013) extended a couple of research works for extending previous studies on the topic of self- esteem/ self- worth and mindfulness. In the first research, a theoretically derived paradigm was put forward and tried, of the part played by mindfulness in predicting life satisfaction and feelings of self- worth. A total of 4 aspects of mindfulness were significant predictors of greater self- esteem that successively predicted life satisfaction on the whole. In the second research, the effort was expanded on through studying the direct impacts a short mindfulness induction has on state self- worth. It was revealed that experimental enhancement of state mindfulness resulted in higher state self- worth. The two studies above explicitly demonstrate that feelings of self- worth and mindfulness are interlinked, and that, more importantly, mindfulness training positively and directly impacts feelings of self- worth. Mindfulness interventions are highly promising when it comes to the enhancement and securing of high feelings of self- worth. Considering the mindfulness elements that are most closely associated with self- esteem is vital. Several mindfulness-centered interventions underline distinct mindfulness elements based on the population for which the intervention is created. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), for instance, stresses mindfulness skills associated with distress tolerance and emotional regulation, like non- reaction and non– judgment of inner experiences, since these issues are widely experienced among those having a borderline personality disorder. Likewise, mindfulness-based binge- eating treatments revolve around non-reactivity towards the urge to eat.
The literature above indicates that meditation positively impacts psychological wellbeing, in addition to the cognitive functioning of an individual. Moreover, one who engages in meditation typically witnesses self- worth improvements. Hence, the practice chosen by me has a positive effect.
Personal Reflection
I have elected to practice meditation, which I commenced doing nearly five weeks ago. As I have no prior experience with this activity, I was rather unsure of whether I could maintain consistency in this practice. However, surprisingly, with time, I began to feel increasingly confident about this practice. The reason for my choice of practice was: I realized I have been feeling extremely anxious lately. My anxiety extended to even the very smallest things of everyday life and had begun ruining things for me. Besides messing with my nerves, it made me upset as I was losing confidence in myself. I couldn't stay calm and composed at any time. To combat this issue, the very first solution that came to mind was the practice of meditation, as I believe meditation accords inner calm and peace. It makes one contented inside. Inner peace will accord one feels of elation, eliminate unnecessary worry, and ensure one enjoys life to the fullest.
Consequently, I began to practice meditation for the past five weeks. Initially, I didn't experience anything powerful owing, perhaps, to the fact that this was all new for me. However, with time, I began getting better to the extent that one fine day, I was able to finally drown out any and all surrounding background noise. The experience was incredible and a great achievement for me personally, since I have never in my life achieved anything akin to this. I could never shut out surrounding noises or attain inner peace. However, meditation finally led to this.
I have yet to choose a fixed meditation place for myself. For now, I simply wake up before sunrise, lay my meditation mat down facing the window to breathe the early morning air, and begin. The time before sunrise is the most peaceful, with absolute quiet and no surrounding noises to disturb one. On my first day of practice, I awoke around 20 minutes before I needed to, didn't switch on any lights, went to the couch, made myself attentive to the things and noises surrounding me (the furniture in my room, the sun rising outside my window, the energy, and the sound of chirping birds), and started playing the Meditation Guide, Day 1. At first, the newbie is taken through a chant, whilst keeping his/her eyes closed. Subsequently, he/she has to repeat it to him/herself whilst peaceful music plays in the background. A ringing bell signals the end of the first meditation session. Initially, I began chanting internally whilst hearing the music play and the birds' chirp. However, after a while, I began to lose concentration, though I realized that I had kept the chant up even then. When I realized I was drifting, I cleared the thoughts off my mind and turned my attention back to my meditation. I also realized that this was no piece of cake.
Lists began to form in my mind – what to have for breakfast after I finished meditating, what to wear to college, what college deadlines I had to meet today, what would today's weather be like, etc., and I suddenly forgot the chant. I became anxious once again – how would I continue now? I needed the words of the chant to meditate. However, my eyes remained closed and I forced myself to calm down once again. I made sure my mind was emptied of all thoughts and I simply began to take pleasure in the music and the external sounds of nature. Thus, my very first meditation session did not go as anticipated and I realized that meditating is a kind of skill to be mastered and requires determination. This practice is central to healing one's body and mind.
I am improving on my meditation skills day by day and will certainly recommend the practice to other people. The practice has most certainly brought changes in me. It has helped reduce my anxiety, if not eliminated it. I perceive improvement in myself and feel peaceful inside. However, I advise others not to anticipate changes all of a sudden at the very beginning. Meditation-related would suggest others not to expect anything beforehand. You must not expect that meditation is going to change things for you in a single day. This takes time. It requires patience and determination. If you have both, then meditation is surely an activity for you to try.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, meditation represents a skill that one must gradually hone. Mindfulness cannot be attained overnight. Up until now, I have had an incredible experience practicing meditation. Also, as explained in this essay, studies have corroborated the positive influence meditation has on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of a person. The main reason for my choice of practice was helping alleviate my anxiety, which stems from an overactive mind. Such a mind starts overthinking and even making up nonexistent things. McGee's (2008) research revealed meditation's beneficial impacts on psychosomatic as well as psychological issues like anxiety, depression, violence, sleeplessness, addiction, suicidal tendency, hypertension, and chronic pain. Further, Pepping and coworkers (2013) discovered that mindfulness training directly and positively impacts self-worth, with meditation being a part of mindfulness training.
The findings above and my thoughts and experience are well-aligned. While it is a mere five weeks since I began meditating, I already perceive several positive changes within myself. Previously, I would always wake up restless in the morning. However, now, when I wake up with the determination to meditate, I feel calm and peaceful.
References
Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103–110. DOI:10.1037/1089-2680.9.2.103
Hasenkamp, W., & Barsalou, L. (2012). Effects of meditation experience on functional connectivity of distributed brain networks. Front. Hum. Neurosci. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00038/full
Kristeller, J. L., & Rikhye, K. (2008). Meditative traditions and contemporary psychology. In K. R. Rao, A. C. Paranjpe & A. K. Dalal (Eds.), Handbook of Indian psychology (pp. 506 –538). New Delhi, India: Cambridge University Press.
McGee, M. (2008). Meditation and psychiatry. Psychiatry, 5, 28 – 40.
Pepping, C. A., Donovan, A., & Davis, P. (2013). The positive effects of mindfulness on self-esteem. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(5), 376-386.
Sedlmeier, P., Eberth, J., Schwarz, M., Zimmerman, D., Haarig, F., Jaeger, S., & Kunze, S. (2012). The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138(6), 1139 –1171.
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5–14. DOI:10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.5
Shapiro, S., Walsh, R., Britton, W., & Britton, B. (2003). An analysis of recent meditation research and suggestions for future directions. The Humanistic Psychology, 3(2-3), 69-90.