Why Meditation Should Be Introduced in Schools
As individuals, it’s easy to become engrossed in work and social lives that we neglect our true selves. We can drift away from our authentic selves, attempting to emulate the people around us, whether it’s at work or with friends. We can become self-centered and unaware of our surroundings. However, proponents of meditation believe that, if humans were at peace with themselves from an early age and were taught meditation in schools, they would be in tune with their passion, creativity, and interests. This article examines the numerous benefits of meditation and why it should be introduced in schools.

Benefits of Meditation
Meditation has numerous benefits, both personal and spiritual, that can help school-aged students to excel. One study from Harvard University shows that regular meditation practice can bring about changes in a person’s mental state and electroencephalogram patterns that extend even after the session is complete. The study revealed that regular meditation could be directly linked to increased thickness in cortical regions in the brain related to processing of various sensations. It also slows down the age-related thinning of the frontal cortex, making people less prone to stress, worry, and illness.

Meditation is particularly helpful for those who suffer from coronary heart disease. A study conducted by Robert Schneider, Clarence Grim, and Maxwell Rainforth found that, after five and a half years, the group of people who participated in transcendental meditation had a 48 percent reduction in their risk of heart attack and stroke. Meditation exercises have brain-boosting power, as evidenced by another study. The study compared the gray matter in the brains of Zen meditation practitioners and non-meditators over a considerable period of time. The gray matter of the Zen meditators was not reduced at all, while the gray matter of non-meditators typically decreased with age.

Meditation is Not a Religion
Meditation is not a religion, but a practice or exercise. The term meditation refers either to a state of mind or to the practices and techniques utilized while meditating. Supporters of meditation stand by the assertion that meditation is neither religious nor contradictory to any religious beliefs.

Meditation Heightens Mindfulness
In a study of more than 3,500 individuals who participated in mindfulness meditation programs, the study leaders Madhav Goyal and Sonal Singh found evidence of decreased anxiety, a drop in depression, and a reduction in pain levels. Meditation heightens mindfulness and, as a result, improves emotional regulation, attention, and empathy.

Meditation in Schools
Activist Will Stanton believes that students who engage in mediation in school would bond with all living things and feel less of a need to compete with peers. Stanton recently wrote a book called Education Revolution that proposes a new global education model called The Six Dimension Model, which emphasizes meditation practice. It is never too late for the next generation still in school to reap the benefits of meditation and to pass these benefits onto future generations.

Conclusion
Meditation’s primary goal is to promote relaxation, build an internal energy or life force, and develop compassion, love, generosity, patience, and instill forgiveness. Although various forms of meditation have been linked to numerous religious traditions and beliefs, meditation is intentionally designed to cleanse the mind and soul of concerns and boost health. Moreover, it can be performed sitting, standing, or while carrying out daily tasks, as in the case of Buddhist monks. Regardless of how one attempts it, meditation can offer numerous benefits, and our world could be a better place if schools introduced meditation into the school program.