Even Hummingbirds Meditate

     Hummingbirds have very high metabolisms and are incredible flyers.  To stoke their super metabolisms, they eat often.  Their diet consists of  insects and nectar.  These behaviors are easily seen by the casual observer, but the hummingbirds ability to slow its metabolism at rest, torpor, is their best kept secret.
     According to World of Hummingbirds.com,http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/sleep.php, the hummingbird finds a comfortable roost and commences a type of hibernation.  The bird can lower its metabolism to 1/15 of normal.  An active hummingbird's heart can beat as much as 1200 times per minute.  By contrast, in torpor the little bird lowers its heart rate to around 50 beats per minute.   Breathing slows dramatically as well.  In this way, hummingbirds are able to achieve the deep restoration that they need for survival.  Hummingbirds enter torpor because of their survival instinct,  but humans can choose to enter a meditative state at any time.
      The benefits of  a regular meditation practice are cumulative, but meditation can also be used as an on the spot tool.  This morning I had routine outpatient surgery; I used 20 minutes of meditation to still my mind and calm my pulse rate. It works.
     The web site, I Need Motivation, lists 100 physiological and psychological benefits of meditation.  Some physiological benefits include:  1) lower oxygen consumption 2) decreased respiratory rate 3) increased blood flow and slowed heart rate 4) reduction in anxiety due to lower levels of blood lactate and 5) improved immunity.  If you would like a more formal, informative article on various methods of meditation and how to begin, check this Mayo clinic link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070/NSECTIONGROUP=2  Finally, The American Mind and Body Institute in Boston has done scholarly and trailblazing research into meditation for 40 years.  Recent work has used the MRI to view the physiological changes that occur during meditation.  You can review a plethora of information at http://www.massgeneral.org/search.aspx?q=mri+meditation&st=0&x=24&y=16.
    Meditation has psychological, physiological and even spiritual benefits.  An unknown author once said,  "Prayer is talking to God, while meditation is listening."   Everyone can benefit from a little more listening.  Be blessed.
   
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