Meditation is increasingly being embraced as a powerful tool to combat anxiety, stress, pain, and neurodegeneration. In this episode we define meditation and talk about its origins. Then, we discuss the research about the health benefits of this practice. Sources History: https://time.com/4246928/meditation-history-buddhism/#:~:text=Some%20archaeologists%20date%20meditation%20back,and%2C%20of%20course%2C%20Buddhism. https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/the-burning-monk-1963/  General mindfulness resources: https://www.mindful.org/10-things-we-know-about-the-science-of-meditation/ https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/05/19/858551813/anxious-meditation-can-help-you-relax-into-the-uncertainty-of-the-pandemic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHILscdegL8  Meditation and pain: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2011/04/08/135146672/even-beginners-can-curb-pain-with-meditation#:~:text=Meditation%20has%20long%20been%20touted,monk%20to%20pull%20it%20off https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/Abstract/2009/01000/Pain_Sensitivity_and_Analgesic_Effects_of_Mindful.17.aspx  Meditation and stress: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-may-ease-anxiety-mental-stress-201401086967  Mindfulness meditation: https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-meditate#:~:text=Mindfulness%20meditation%20is%20the%20practice%20of%20actually%20being%20present%20in,present%20moment%20without%20any%20judgment  Transcendental meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO3AnD2QbIg