New Study Show Buddhist Meditation Improves Concentration 7/19/2010 10:04 AM ET (RTTNews) - A new study published in the current edition of Psychol

New Study Show Buddhist Meditation Improves Concentration
7/19/2010 10:04 AM ET

(RTTNews) - A new study published in the current edition of Psychological Science suggests that Buddhist meditation techniques could help improve concentration and relaxation.

According to lead researcher Katherine A. MacLean, the practice is challenging even for those experienced in meditation, but often improves performance in computer tasks.

For the study, MacLean and her team followed 60 experienced meditators as they underwent 30-day meditation studies. For short period of time each day, the subjects were asked to identify lines of varying lengths on a computer screen.

She found that those practicing Buddhist style meditation were often most accurate in identifying which lines were slightly shorter or longer than normal.

"People may think meditation is something that makes you feel good and going on a meditation retreat is like going on vacation and you get to be at peace with yourself," MacLean said in a statement. "That's what people think until they try it. Then you realize how challenging it is to just sit and observe something without being distracted."

She added, "Because the task is so boring and yet is also very neutral, it's kind of a perfect index of meditation training."

by RTT Staff Writer

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Meditation Boosts Attention Span

Meditation Boosts Attention Span
By LiveScience Staff
posted: 14 July 2010 02:39 pm ET
Buzz up!
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The life of a Buddhist monk may seem far-removed from the busy, gadget-packed daily buzz most of us experience. But new research suggests daily meditation can give us a piece of the peaceful life, as the focused practice boosts attention spans.

"You wonder if the mental skills, the calmness, the peace that [Buddhist monks] express, if those things are a result of their very intensive training, or if they were just very special people to begin with," said Katherine MacLean, who worked on the study as a graduate student at the University of California – Davis. [10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp]