Meditation - What The Scientists Say .... * Scientists used to believe connections among brain cells were fixed early in life and did not change in adulthood, but studies using brain imaging have shown that mental training through meditation can change brain circuits. It can also improve higher mental activity by increasing coordination between different brain areas. * Meditation can be an active rather than passive process. During the practice of meditation, brain areas dealing with input from the senses become less active, but other parts "light up" and the heart rate increases. * Meditation can free us from unhelpful tendencies, letting us see both our true inner nature and the reality of the world around us.