Among psychological benefits, the relaxation response, which reduces anxiety and develops peace, is the best known. Other effects are even more exciting, including intellectual gifts of enhanced creativity, intelligence, and academic achievement. They develop greater sensitivity, deeper empathy, and greater marital satisfaction. They use less alcohol and drugs and suffer fewer conflicts around sex and aggression. Physical Benefits Physical benefits are also dramatic.
Spiritual practices can reduce stress, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
They may help alleviate insomnia, muscle spasms, and diseases ranging from migraine to chronic pain. They may even reduce the effects of aging and lengthen the life span. One Harvard study showed that nursing home patients who were in their eighties when they first began meditation felt happier, functioned better, and lived longer than nonmeditators. The Greatest of All Discoveries Over time, spiritual practices work their transformative wonders on our hearts, minds, and lives. As the heart opens and the mind clears, we see further and further into the boundless depths of the mind.