The Advantage of Meditation

In his meditation advantage talk, news anchor Dan Harris admits that the science behind the practice is "really compelling."

Meditation can improve your immune system, stabilize your blood pressure and help correct or manage a vast array of ailments, ranging from IBS to psoriasis. From a neurological point of view, meditation can help shut down the brain's default mode network, otherwise known as the series of brain regions that are responsible for our constant self-obsession. More specifically, the default mode network is what keeps us from focusing on "the now."

While telling people that you meditate might garner you a few funny stares or chuckles now, Harris predicts that meditation will be the next great public health revolution. Meditation dispels the common assumption that happiness relies on external factors, instead suggesting that it's a skill that can be honed by practice. While external factors will still continue to have an impact on your life, meditation will hopefully assist you in navigating challenges with greater focus.