"Mental Training Changes Brain Structure and Reduces Social Stress"
There are a few things about this article that caught my eye. While it underscores the power of meditation to build cognitive function, it also highlights the potential of practicing with others in "contemplative dyads" to build compassion, gratitude and perspective.
The researchers studied different practices in addition to classical meditation exercises. They measured significant differences in cortisol levels among participants who practiced in pairs, vs those who practiced in solitude.
I was jazzed about this study because it provides a scientific link to something I intuitively feel-- that physically practicing with others creates a benefit both for the individual and for the community. It's one reason I hope the mobile studio can bring people together and make the whole greater than the sum of its proverbial parts.
It wasn't until I attended a weekend retreat with Tara Brach that I realized that it was even possible to practice with another person. And it was indeed powerful.
