In this blog post, we will explore why meditation is not just a simple form of relaxation, but an essential activity for restoring the brain in today’s busy society.
We have all heard our teachers say, “Concentrate!” at least once in our school days. We live in a society where the ability to do as much as possible in a given amount of time is recognized as a skill. We believe that we must not waste a single minute or second, and when we find ourselves doing nothing, we blame ourselves, asking, “What am I doing right now?” As a result, we give our brains no rest and constantly stimulate them. We spend our days listening to music on our earphones while obtaining information from our screens, constantly focusing on something. At the end of the day, we look back on how busy we were and feel satisfied before going to sleep. In this era where we prefer to be busy, it has become unacceptable to engage in meditation. Even the time spent meditating has become precious, and people who meditate are considered to be idle.
But is being busy always a good thing? We need to ask ourselves this question at least once. What is truly important in our lives? Isn’t it more important to do meaningful work than to simply get a lot done? Modern society demands constant competition and achievement. Are we missing out on true happiness and satisfaction in this environment?
Our brains are gradually becoming exhausted. Our brains, which are constantly multitasking and working without rest, suffer from a decline in frontal lobe function and blurred judgment, leading to impulsive decisions. The fact that many modern people suffer from insomnia and stress-related illnesses is one example of this. We constantly push our brains to produce better results than others, but at the same time, our brains are slowly dying. So how can we maintain brain health?
A recent study offers an interesting answer. The simplest and easiest way to protect our brains is through meditation. According to this study, the human brain has a “baseline value,” and when we enter a state of meditation, the default mode is activated and the medial prefrontal cortex becomes active. Conversely, when new information is fed into the brain, the activity of the medial prefrontal cortex decreases, and the neural circuits become active as we focus on the task at hand. Normally, the baseline value and activity value are in balance, but when too much information is input, the brain becomes overloaded and cannot return to the baseline value. This impairs memory and concentration. Therefore, meditation allows the tired brain to rest, and the brain becomes better at transmitting information than before.
The effects of meditation have been scientifically proven. For example, meditation helps promote creativity. This is because when we are not focused on something, our brains combine free-floating thoughts to create new ideas. Meditation also reduces stress and restores mental fatigue. This is a very important factor in maintaining our mental health.
At some point, being busy became a virtue. “Are you still busy?” This phrase is often used in Korean society to ask how someone is doing, along with “How are you?” This phrase implies that being busy is a good thing. Through this, we implicitly accept that if we are not busy, we are useless and will be left behind by society. That is why people tend to keep themselves busy or make themselves look busy even when they have no specific purpose. Being busy is merely a means to an end, but it has come to be accepted as a value in itself.
In a society where being busy is a virtue, we become ashamed of ourselves when we are not busy. However, being busy should not be the purpose of our lives. Being busy is a means, not an end. What is important to us is the achievements and satisfaction we gain through being busy. Therefore, in order to achieve a true sense of accomplishment, we need to meditate from time to time. This is not simply resting, but a time to recharge our brains and prepare for better performance.
We all want to be busy. However, this busyness should be the kind that allows us to be as efficient as possible. Let’s take a little time each day to meditate. Giving our brains a short break will help us live a little more efficiently and busily. Isn’t what we all truly want meaningful achievements and happiness, rather than just being busy? Now is the time to realize the importance of meditation and find ways to keep our brains and minds healthy.
