How Meditation Changes the Brain and Body

Actually, this isn't the case.

Your (mis)understanding (that meditation is spacing out and "not thinking") seems to be the common western one. In my experience, this is usually due to misunderstood ideas about practices like dzogchen or philosophical concepts like dependent origination.

Concentration is actually at the _heart_ of meditation and is a key element of the Buddhist noble eight-fold path.

Mindfulness is merely well-concentrated investigation. Once someone has developed an ability to cultivate sustained, one-pointed attention - they can use this attention to clearly investigate internal and external phenomena.

Many Asian schools have the first four Samatha Jhanas (deeply-concentrated states) as strict prerequisites for beginning Vipassana (insight / mindfulness) practice. Others regard "access concentration" as the only prerequisite.

In any case, a well-concentrated mind is required to clearly observe oneself. Yes, other thoughts will drop away as the mind naturally gravitates toward the joy and rapture of mental seclusion (from disturbing, burdensome thoughts and mental states) - but this is a _byproduct_ of concentration, not a fruit of _avoiding_ concentration.

The concentration states (along with the Brahma Viharas) can also be welcome refuges for when reality starts to come apart as one progresses through the Vipassana Nanas.

These things are very clearly spelled out in the canonical Buddhist texts and especially the commentaries[1][2]. Westerners seeking to "change their brains" do so at their peril without proper guidance. Peeling away the layers of delusion can be a destabilizing process for some[3].

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana's book "Mindfulness in Plain English" is a very accessible (and worthwhile) introduction to the subject[4].

[1] - [pdf] http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPu...

[2] - [pdf] http://urbandharma.org/pdf1/Path_of_Freedom_Vimuttimagga.pdf

[3] - http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/06/the-dark-k...

[4] - http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-English-Bhante-Henepola-Gu...

I'm not sure I fully parse your message. But I too believe that the mind is an odd loop, where you're own self can focus/amplify different emotions and while it may feel absurd by constantly not trying to think or feel it may help rebalance the whole thing.

It's analogous to physical pain. If you're holding your hand on the stove and it burns, it makes you pull your hand away. But some people may be "miswired" and not pull away. But then the solution isn't to give them painkillers and just watch their hand burn its flesh away.

But then again, there is pain that doesn't indicate something fixable. Like chronic back pain. Then it's best to just reduce the pain itself.

Now, how do you differentiate in case of worrying? Probably by asking a trusted friend or family member or someone else if they think your worries are legitimate and what they suggest doing.

But not all stress has a concrete cause, like bills. Sometimes people just get stressed and anxious in general.

I'd wager that some general base level of worry exists in all humanity that comes to surface regardless of wealth and security. I mean, the magazines in rich countries (especially Western Europe) are full of "how do I get happy", "how do I become myself", "how do I unfold my potential" etc. At least in poorer countries people can always point out why they are stressed. They can blame the bills, the credit, the other political side etc.

In places like SV, people live so well, they are past the point of realistic worries, so they don't understand why they don't feel fully happy.

If you have a shitty life in a poor country, without any hope of stepping forward, nobody will think you're depressed. Everyone, including you, will think it's just a natural reaction. I guess this is why depression is such a big topic in rich places and is seen as some whining and bitching in less developed places.

1.5 hours/day it's a lot, congratulations.

Basically my routine is 10 minutes a day (in the mornings) and after one week doing this in a row I've already started to notice how differently my body react to anxiety.

Later on, how I handle stress changed completely, I started to become numb to harsh events.

I feel the same. I have a 6 month old and 2 year old. I'm an only child and when I was young I had hour and hours (especially in school holidays) to sit, read, play on my computer and think.

Now I have a couple of hours spare a day. I work for about 8.5 hrs and sometimes spend a bit of time in the even programming but mainly find time to exercise/see friends and wife/read or watch TV. It seems to improve as the children get older. I've enjoyed meditating and yoga in the past and I think I will do more in the future, but I also find things like playing an instrument, programming, walking outside to be equally helpful.