Alternative Therapies - Meditation 1 of 6 - BBC Health Documentary Series

Alternative Therapies - Meditation 1 of 6 - BBC Health Documentary Series

Alternative Therapies
Join Kathy Sykes on a personal journey of exploration into the controversial world of alternative therapies. Are there lessons for mainstream medicine to be learned from these increasingly popular therapies?

In a journey that takes her from Buddhist monks in Nepal, to brain labs in America - via yogic flying - Kathy investigates what cutting edge research can tell us about the ancient practice of meditation.

Having learnt some basic meditation for herself at a monastery in the foothills of the Himalayas, Kathy sets off to find out what science can tell her about the experiences she's had. Her investigation takes her down two routes -- can meditation improve your body, and can it improve your mind?

In the US she learns how her body responds when she meditates, and hears from a patient who believes the practice has given him his life back. From there, she journeys deeper into America, to a unique city which gathers together twice a day to meditate. She hears their claims for meditation's health benefits, and is given a rare demonstration of yogic flying.

But can meditation really deliver what its advocates claim? Weighing up the evidence is a challenge, and Kathy discovers just how difficult it is to get any definitive answers. But, back in the UK, she finds a form of meditation that is gaining some acceptance as a treatment. It is used in a new therapy for depression - and is available on the NHS.

Kathy talks to researchers who believe meditation has amazing potential to change our brains. From a neuroscientist inspired by the Dalai Lama, to a Boston researcher who is taking measurements of meditators' brains, Kathy meets mainstream scientists fascinated by the possibilities of meditation.

And in an intriguing insight into state-of-the art neuroscience, she hears how these scientists are investigating whether meditation can help improve our emotional wellbeing - and even change the structure of our brains. Their hypothesis is that meditation can make you happier, more compassionate and more in control of your emotions. So does meditation really have potential for us all?

For more Information, see http://www.open2.net/alternativetherapies/meditation.html .

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Alternative Therapies
• Therapy
• Meditation
• Tibet
• Nepal
• Buddhist
• Zen
• Kathy Sykes
• BBC
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• Runi Toconillo
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• Neuroscience
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• yogic flying
• Emotion
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• Joy
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• Breathing
• Thought

[danny3571]

To be more effective in learnig the breathing technique she should be wearing a 2 piece bikini since it would offer more freedom of chest and abdomen movement and at the same time increase the monk's vital energy.

[RuniScience]

@danny3571 > As a scientist, I fully endorse your very inspired suggestions ;-) Runi

[YourMajestyNAS]

anyone else find her annoying...

[RuniScience]

@YourMajestyNAS At you and all other commenter on the topic > I used to find the British ppl more than annoying, this is a problem if U R Half British like me.. Then I moved to Britain to find my roots & spent ten full years in a Horror-Scenario, but trying to integrate.. initally for Mental-Health Reasons I decided to relocate back to the only home I know.. Berlin, & suddenly all the issues dissappeared.. Its a bit funny, because I'm the only Stümpfle in our family who lives in Germany..

[RuniScience]

Thakns HANDOVER234 >> @RuniScience Thank You for the videos. Helped to have a scientific perspective of what was happening to the the body apart from the divine perspective.

> however, especially when the comments suddenly disappear.... Its the "Divine perspective" that I mostly hold-on to...- Best Luck, Runi

[RuniScience]

@RuniScience > got some texting mixed-up here (see my Facbook Page) and also some fly seems to have fallen in love with me (again) ... But Thanks, Runi

[contrafib]

Great to get info about meditation, but such a typicallly formulaic BBC presentation. Why not just present the ideas without the crap fake journey idea?

[cellardoor199991]

8:20 I thought she said " screwed tonight." But she said," scrutinized"

[YourMajestyNAS]

@maxwellthebest lol

[maxwellthebest]

@YourMajestyNAS yes but i find most english people to be annoying

[keepfaithfor]

very good video

[sofastias]

hey there! does anyone know the name of the song at 8:01?? thanks!