PRESENTS THE

7 Scientifically Proven
Benefits of Meditation
E B O O K
 A message
FROM FMTV FOUNDERS

JAMES & L AURENTINE

What if there was a fast, safe, and drug-free way to ease anxiety, sleep better, heal
your body, and reduce pain? Does that sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not a
pipe-dream.

Over 6,000 research papers are showing that the ancient practice of meditation holds
the key to helping with these ailments and we’re only just beginning to scratch the
surface. It’s the culmination of this cutting edge information which has inspired us to
bring together the world’s best meditation experts and teachers during this free 10 Day
Meditation Summit.

During this event, you’ll learn about the science and benefits of this ancient modality
plus practice alongside world-class yoga and meditation teachers as they lead you on
a journey of inner discovery.

And if you’re thinking “I’ve tried to meditate and it’s not for me,” think again. During
these 10 days, we’ll guide you through multiple different types of meditations from
guided visualizations to mantra-based meditation to yoga Nidra meditations.

All you need is headphones, an open mind, and an inquisitive spirit. Then sit back,
relax, and allow the magic to take place as you relax into a more calm, connected, and
authentic version of your new self.

In good health,

James & Laurentine

Filmmakers of ‘Food Matters’, ‘Hungry For Change’
& ‘Transcendence’ and Founders of FMTV
 W H AT I S

Meditation?
Meditation is an ancient practice that has been used in nearly every
culture around the world to tap into a state of stillness and inner peace.
Meditation allows us to maintain a moment-by-moment awareness of our
thoughts, sensations, emotions, and surroundings. Regular practice of
meditation provides a plethora of health benefits ranging from reduced
stress and depression to heightened states of focus, better sleep, and even
improved heart health.

It’s no surprise that this practice has seen a resurgence in recent years given
the fast-paced world we live in. We spend much of our day rushing, feeling
stressed, multi-tasking, and thinking about a million things at once. Today,
our bodies and minds need this sense of stillness more than ever. Embracing
a regular meditation practice is an incredible way to achieve this. The aim
of a mindfulness practice is to pause, reflect, and be more present. Over
time, this consciousness will flow into your daily life, allowing us to bring
more consciousness affecting how you choose to react and view things as
they unfold. This awareness benefits our relationships, choices, and general
happiness.

Meditation is a skill. Think of it as training your mind, just like you would
train your body. It won’t happen overnight and will require some consistency.
During your first few sessions, your mind will most likely be busy, you’ll get
distracted, and probably feel restless. But stick with it and you will begin to
experience life in a completely new way!
 7 S C I E N T I F I C A L LY
P R OV E N B E N E F I T S O F

Meditation
Research shows that meditation has numerous
health benefits; some are immediate while
others occur over the long term. Amygdala

1. Stress Management

It’s well known that meditation can reduce stress 3. Better Sleep
and improve stress-related health outcomes (1)...
Studies have found that meditation increases
but did you know that this is thought to be a result
melatonin levels in the blood (4). Melatonin is a
of your brain actually changing structure?
really important neurotransmitter that regulates
our sleep-wake cycle. Our body’s melatonin levels
One area of the brain which can be altered
naturally rise as the sun sets and begin to decrease
through regular meditation is our amygdala. The
when the sun rises. In addition to this, studies have
amygdala is responsible for feelings of anxiety,
found that meditation decreases sleep-interfering
fear, and stress. Research has found that the
cognitive processes like worry (5). If you have
amygdala is physically smaller in the brains of
trouble sleeping at night, then try going through a
long-time meditators and that even just eight
guided meditation before you sleep.
weeks of mindfulness-based meditation can lead
to measurable positive changes. They also found
4. Reduced Anxiety and Depression
that as the amygdala shrinks, the pre-frontal
Studies have found that regular meditation lowers
cortex, which is associated with higher-order brain
anxiety and depression (6). In fact, research
functions such as awareness, concentration, and
suggests that meditation actually changes how the
decision-making, increases (2).
brain responds to stress and anxiety, both of which
2. Improved Moods are major triggers of depression. It does this by
altering your reaction to feelings of stress or anxiety.
Meditation boosts moods! A recent study by
“Meditation trains the brain to achieve sustained
the Ulleval University Hospital in Norway found
focus, and to return to that focus when negative
that advanced meditators have higher levels of
thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations intrude
serotonin than non-meditators (3). Serotonin is
— which happens a lot when you feel stressed and
our “happy hormone,” which plays a major role in
anxious,” says Dr. John W. Denninger, Director of
mood regulation.
Research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-
Body Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts
“Happiness is when what you think, General Hospital.
what you say, and what you do are in
harmony.”
-G A N D H I
5. More Creativity

Meditation has a profound effect on our creativity.

Practicing mind-body training for just 30 minutes
a day over seven days was found to improve
creativity performance on divergent thinking tasks
and also improved emotional regulation (7).

6. Improved Heart Health

Stress and anxiety can contribute to the

development and progression of heart disease.
This is because when we are stressed, our body
goes into “fight or flight” mode, which stimulates
the heart, constricts blood vessels, and increases
blood pressure. Meditation reduces these feelings, 7. Anti-Aging
which impacts our heart health. A recent study
Meditation has been found to slow aging on a
on patients with stable cardiac heart disease
cellular level. A commonly used indicator of cellular
showed incredible benefits from just 16 weeks of
aging is the length of our telomeres (a compound
regular meditation practice. This study found that
structure at the end of a chromosome). Having
meditation significantly reduced blood pressure and
shorter telomeres is associated with diseases such
had a positive impact on cardiac autonomic tone
as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2
(your heart rate variability) (8). A similar study found
diabetes, and dementia. A recent study found that
that meditation decreased blood pressure and
immune cell telomere length actually increased in a
reduced the use of anti-hypertensive medication
group of people after they took part in an intensive
in adults with mild or moderate hypertension (9).
meditation retreat (10). Another study found that
experienced Zen meditators had longer telomeres
overall and a smaller percentage of short telomeres
than the average person of a similar age and
lifestyle (11).
 Meditation
T YP E S
There are many different types of meditations. We recommend trying out a few to see which one
works best for you. Remember, there’s no right or wrong, and everyone’s experience is unique. A
great place to start is with a focused attention meditation.
Focused Attention: this practice focuses
on one single object. This object may be the
breath, a mantra, visualization, part of the body, or
an external object.
Mantra: this practice is similar to focused
attention meditation, but instead of focusing on
your breath, you focus on a mantra which could be
a syllable, word, or phrase.
Visualization: this type of meditation invites
you to picture something or someone in your mind
- we are essentially replacing the breath with a
mental image as the object of focus.
Resting Awareness: rather than focusing
on the breath or a visualization, this technique
involves letting the mind truly rest; noticing as
thoughts enter but not allowing them to distract
you from the moment.
Open-Monitoring: instead of just focusing
on one object, we open it up to monitor all internal
and external stimuli. The aim is to monitor the
experience from moment-to-moment in a non-
reactive way.
Loving-Kindness (also called Metta):
this is the practice of directing well-wishes toward
others. First, we direct positive energy toward
ourselves, and then, as a ripple effect, to others.
Reflection: this practice invites you to ask
yourself a question. Our favorite type of reflection
practice is a gratitude practice where you ask
yourself “What am I most grateful for?” Be aware
of the feelings, not the thoughts that arise when
you focus on the question.
O F
Sound Bath: this beautiful practice uses bowls,
gongs, and other instruments to create sound
vibrations that help focus the mind and bring it into a
more relaxed state. You could either listen to a pre-
recorded sound bath at home or look for a class at
your local yoga or meditation studio.
Body Scan: this practice focuses on our mind-
body connection by doing a mental scan of the body,
from the top of the head to the bottom of your toes.
Transcendental™: this practice involves
sitting silently and repeating an assigned one- or
two-syllable mantra for 20 minutes twice per day.
Chakra: this practice focuses on opening and
aligning our body’s core chakras - or centers of
energy. It’s believed that imbalanced chakras can
lead to physical and mental symptoms, so this
chakra meditation is designed to help to bring it all
back into balance.
Yoga: yoga involves performing a series of postures
and controlled breathing exercises designed to
promote flexibility and calm the mind.
Zen Meditation: this ancient Buddhist tradition
is practiced by sitting upright, focusing on how the
breath moves in and out of the belly, and letting the
mind “just be.”
 Ways to Practice
M E D I TAT I O N

1. Seated
Sit cross-legged or in the lotus position. If it’s more comfortable, you can place a cushion, pillow, or towel under
your hips to elevate them slightly.

Eyes: softly close your eyes.

This will help to relax your face.

Jaw: release the tension by

Chin: keep your chin slightly
keeping your jaw slightly open.
tucked in while maintaining
If you have trouble, try to press
length in the back of your neck.
your tongue against the roof of
This will help you to maintain
your mouth.
your posture.

Shoulders: keep your

Straight Spine: you want to shoulders relaxed as you
have a straight spine, continue draw them slightly back
to lengthen with each inhale. and down. This keeps your
heart-center open and your
back strong.

Hands: rest your hands on your thighs with your palms

facing down. Facing your palms down will help you to feel
grounded and relax your body’s energy flow.

If you’re just starting out, then try to sit in an upright chair with your legs uncrossed, feet flat on the
floor, and your arms and hands resting either on the legs or in the lap.
2. Lying
This is great for beginners, as it can be easier to relax and release tension. Lie on your back with your arms
extended alongside your body. Move your feet to hip-distance apart and turn your toes out to the side.

Variation: If this is uncomfortable for your lower back, then place a pillow under your knees to
slightly elevate them. You can also bend your knees and place your feet on the ground.

3. Standing
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slightly
bend your knees, allowing your body to root down through
your feet with each exhale. You can also place your hands
on your belly to feel your breath moving in and out of your
body.
 B R I N G I N G T H E

Body’s Chakras
INTO BALANCE

Chakras are an ancient energy system in the body that are said to have
been discovered up to 1,500 years before common era (BCE). A chakra is
an energy center that is said to be located inside the body at seven different
points. Each chakra is unique and corresponds to a specific set of traits
and functions.

When our chakras are well balanced, energy moves freely throughout the
body creating happiness, health, and peace.

When our chakras are blocked or out of balance, it leaves us feeling

uninspired. Many experts believe that chakra blockages are the root
cause of a number of physical, mental, and emotional ailments.

Meditation is a great way to bring our chakras back into balance.

The first step is to know where each chakra is located and the
unique functions that they perform. Once you understand this,
you can start to scan your body for any discomfort or localized
pain as this can indicate a blockage. Additionally, we suggest
turning inwards and thinking about which part of your life is
lacking? Maybe you need to speak up more, focus on your
relationships, or build financial security.

Once you’ve identified which chakra you would like to

target, you can engage in activities that focus on this
part of the body. Our favorite ways to do this are through
a chakra meditation, breathwork, or journalling.
Crown Chakra or Sahasrara
Spirituality, bliss, universal energy,
enlightenment

Third Eye Chakra or Ajna

Intuition, perception, imagination, wisdom,
decision making, clairvoyance

Throat Chakra or Vishuddha

Communication, honesty, faith, artistic
expression

Heart Chakra or Anahata

Love, emotional freedom, compassion,
empathy, social relationships

Solar Plexus Chakra or Manipura

Personal power, self-esteem, confidence,
courage

Sacral Chakra or Svadhishthana

Pleasure, joy, desire, creativity, abundance,
emotional balance, sexuality

Root Chakra or Muladhara

Feeling grounded, financial independence,
security, basic survival
 Self-Assessment
This series of questions will help you to assess how you are feeling internally before starting
the 2019 Meditation Challenge. On any given day, you might be feeling lower or higher but
score yourself on how you feel the majority of the time.

STR ESS
Stressed & Overwhelmed Calm & Content

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

SLEEP
Broken & Disrupted Sleep Deep Sleep

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MO OD
Depressed, Negative, & Angry Happy & Positive

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

C R AV I NG S
Always Hungry Satiated After Eating

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PA I N
Chronic Aches & Pains Pain Free

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

After completing the 2019 Meditation Summit, re-take this self-assessment and see if your scoring
has gone up in any of the themes.
 Journal
Another way to express gratitude and reap the benefits is through daily journaling. Use
this space to write down 1 - 3 things you are grateful for. It could be as simple as “feeling
the sun on my skin,” or as sublime as “the generosity of my friend.” Try taking pen to
paper daily after you watch each day of the Summit.

Day 1 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 2 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 3 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?
Day 4 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 5 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 6 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 7 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?
Day 8 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 9 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?

Day 10 : What are the 3 things that you are grateful for today?
REFERENCES

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156587214543143

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156587214543143

https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/5/1/11/1728269

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14976457

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10876066

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830707002741

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24501780

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24645871

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/410453

https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/chyr/2012/00000008/00000003/art00005

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/28204353

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-016-0500-5