Psychobehavioral Effects of Meditation.
Advances in experimental medicine and biology January 1, 2018 Mieczyslaw Pokorski, Anna Suchorzynska
Two fundamentally different meditation techniques—Zazen (seated meditation) and Tai Chi (meditation in motion)—both significantly enhanced openness to experience, a personality dimension of the Big Five Model, in 48 healthy volunteers aged 39-50. The enhanced openness was associated with improved strategies for coping with stress, with meditators showing less avoidance-oriented approaches to perceived stress and improved mood compared to non-meditating controls. The findings suggest that enhanced openness to experience could shape one's desire to maintain a meditation regimen. Both types of meditation are conducive to mental health by improving general well-being, counteracting stress, and leading to better vigor of spirit, and may be considered a modest adjunct to psychotherapy.