We’ve all heard that meditation is good for us, reduced stress, better focus, emotional balance. But what actually happens in the brain when we meditate? And is science even capable of understanding something so deeply personal and spiritual?

Let’s start with an ancient idea. According to a research paper titled ‘Patanjali and neuroscientific research on meditation’ by Klaus B Bærentsen published on pubmed(dot)ncbi(dot)nlm(dot)nih(dot)gov, Patanjali, a key figure in the yoga tradition, defined meditation as the “stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.”

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This isn’t just poetic; it’s a surprisingly useful starting point for modern neuroscience. In today’s high-tech world, researchers are using brain imaging tools like fMRI to try to visualize what it means to still the mind.

But it’s not so simple. Meditation isn’t one thing, it’s many. From focused attention to open monitoring to nondual awareness, different practices engage the brain in different ways.

That’s part of why meditation research has produced mixed results. Scientists often compare the “meditation state” to other states like mind-wandering or resting, using something called the contrastive method.

But here’s the catch: those comparisons only show differences, not the true essence of meditation itself.

Think of it this way: if you subtract the noise of everyday thinking from the silence of meditation, you’re left with a contrast, but that doesn’t fully define the silence. It just tells you what it isn’t.

More recent studies are trying to move beyond this. Instead of looking at isolated brain areas that “light up,” researchers are starting to focus on how the brain works as a whole when you meditate.

The brain isn’t just a bunch of switches; it’s a dynamic, interconnected system. During meditation, patterns of activity shift across the entire brain, reflecting changing focus, emotional states, and cognitive strategies. These shifting patterns may reveal more about meditation than just “on” or “off” spots on a brain scan.

Interestingly, this modern systems-thinking echoes ancient wisdom. Patanjali described the mind as moving through various “fluctuations” like imagination, memory, and sleep. Meditation happens when we rise above these fluctuations, not by shutting down the brain, but by finding a new kind of balance. It’s less about zoning out and more about tuning in.

Stillness, then, isn’t the absence of activity, it’s the presence of control. Imagine a candle flame that flickers in the wind. True stillness comes not from putting out the flame, but from calming the air around it. Meditation works the same way: it’s not about silencing all thoughts, but learning to steady the mind amidst the noise.

Neuroscience supports this view. Brain scans suggest that meditation doesn’t necessarily lower arousal or activity. Instead, it may involve a kind of controlled variability, the brain actively balancing itself in response to distractions. That means seasoned meditators aren’t shutting down their thoughts; they’re mastering them.

So what does this mean for your daily life?

It means meditation isn’t a magical escape from reality. It’s a skill, a practice of paying attention, of noticing when your mind wanders, and gently bringing it back. Over time, this can lead to a more stable, focused, and emotionally balanced way of being.

And yes, your brain is changing when you do it.

If Patanjali were here today, he might be surprised to find MRI machines scanning monks and mindfulness practitioners. But he’d probably agree that the journey inward, toward stillness, presence, and clarity, is one worth taking. Whether you’re sitting on a cushion or just trying to breathe through a stressful commute, each moment of awareness is a step toward calming those age-old mental fluctuations.

In a world that never stops spinning, meditation offers a pause. And in that pause, we might just find the science, and the soul, of stillness.

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