I found the following quote/article very interesting.

“We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior,” lead author Eileen Luders, a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, said in a statement. “The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities.”

Taken from; Meditation-may-lead-to-a-bigger-brain (www.upi.com)

Meditation and it’s relevance to the 8 limbs of yoga are important topics to understand. At first we gain an intellectual understanding so we can direct our practices, eventually the practices lead to experiences beyond the intellect. This subject is explored in the page Meditation and 8 Limbs, this is a post.

“Meditation is something I think most people have heard of, however, the meaning of this word isn’t as widely known. Meditation is a spontaneous state, most of the time when people say they are meditating they are not. They are not even concentrating, they are trying to develop their ability to concentrate. This is a very important point for two reasons, one it allows us to see where we are on the yogic path, and the other because it helps us understand what we are trying to achieve.“