Episode 39: Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga with Dr. Sara Lazar

Over the past few years, there has been growing popularity around the practices of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. Curious about the life changing effects these practices had on so many, researchers began to question if there really was scientific evidence to support these practices. Dr. Sara Lazar was one of these individuals who wanted solid evidence that these practices produced changes in the brain.

In Episode 39, we discuss with Dr. Sara Lazar about her research in the effects of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. She shares about specific areas of the brain that these practices affect, and how they truly reduce our brain's response to things like stress and pain. Dr. Lazar shares that these benefits go beyond the individual by helping to cultivate greater compassion for others as well. Listen to this episode if you want to learn how mindfulness, meditation, and yoga impact your emotional well-being!

Key Takeaways

A little bit about Sara and her workThe important structures of the brain that she found through her neuro-imaging researchSome brain areas that follow the default mode network as explained by SaraHer view on what brain area is affected by stress and howWhat she found out in her researchWhat types of meditation correlates with better outcomesHer research findings on reducing symptomsHer research on pain and how people experience it How she thinks mindfulness affects pain and its applicability to chronic pain She talks about mindfulness in laborHer study on fear conditioning concerning the pain that people experienceThe effects of doing meditation frequently for herHer view on practicing mindfulness with movementHer explanation on how yoga affects the structures of the brainHer study on TaichiHow yoga helps in developing self-compassion and other resources for herHow she thinks yoga can lead to developing compassion for othersHer opinion on how meditation and other practices build better resilienceHow body awareness ties with yoga and other practices and its importance for herHer recommendations on how people can begin their yoga journeyHer piece of mind on incorporating sensory deprivation in mindfulnessHer tips on doing self-compassion and equanimity  

Link

Lazar Lab - https://scholar.harvard.edu/sara_lazar/homeGreen Circle Initiatives - https://www.greencircleinitiatives.com/but-really-how-are-you

App

As Well - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.greencircleinitiatives.aswell&hl=en&gl=US

Bio:

Sara W. Lazar, PhD is an Associate Researcher in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals. She is a contributing author to Meditation and Psychotherapy (Guilford Press). She has been practicing yoga and mindfulness meditation since 1994. Her research has been covered by numerous news outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, and WebMD, and her work has been featured in a display at the Boston Museum of Science.